Measurement systems and methods

US8643849B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Li Tao · Shanghai, CN
• Guiju Song · Niskayuna, US
• Xinjun Wan · Shanghai, CN
• Kevin George Harding · Ann Arbor, US
• Steven Robert Hayashi · Niskayuna, US
• James Hoffman · San Jose, US
• Charles Walter Muekmore · Clarksville, US
• Yana Zhang Williams · Schenectady, US
• Shukuan Xu · Shanghai, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 6, 2011
• Grant date: Feb 4, 2014
• Expiry date: Jan 24, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/89
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A measurement system comprising a light source unit, a projection unit and an optics unit is disclosed. The light source unit is configured to generate a plurality of modulated phase shifted light beams. The projection unit is configured to reflect the modulated phase shifted light beams onto an object surface. The optics unit is configured to capture the modulated phase shifted light beams from the object surface. The measurement system further comprises a photodetector and a processor. The photodetector is configured to receive the modulated phase shifted light beams from the optics unit to generate electrical signals. The processor is configured to retrieve position information of the object surface based on the electrical signals from the photodetector. A measurement method is also presented.