Patent · US Active

Controlling light arrays to determine properties of an object

US9417185B1 · kind B1 · utility

9Cited by
10References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 21, 2013
Grant dateAug 16, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 9, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/559
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling light arrays to determine properties of an object are described. An example method includes causing illumination of a surface of an object from multiple illumination positions using a programmable array of lights, and receiving images from an image-capture device while the surface of the object is illuminated. For example, the programmable array of lights may be modulated to cause illumination of a portion of the surface of the object from first and second illumination positions, and a first and second image of the surface of the object captured during illumination from the first and second illumination positions respectively may be received. Subsequently, a processor may determine material information for the object based on an amount of specular reflectivity for the surface of the object and reference to a database of known amounts of specular reflectivity for a plurality of materials.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.