Apparatus and method of information extraction from electromagnetic energy based upon multi-characteristic spatial geometry processing

• US 20050163365A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Photon-X, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Photon-X, Inc.
• Inventors: Barbour, Blair A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,023,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2009/002 Wavefront phase distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 Imaging spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/447 Polarisation spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 4/04 Polarimeters using electric detection means G01J4/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 9/00 Measuring optical phase difference devices or arrangements for controlling the phase of light beams G02F1/01; Determining degree of coherence; Measuring optical wavelength spectrometry G01J3/00

Abstract

An apparatus for information extraction from electromagnetic energy via multi-characteristic spatial geometry processing to determine three-dimensional aspects of an object from which the electromagnetic energy is proceeding. The apparatus receives the electromagnetic energy. The received electromagnetic energy has a plurality of spatial phase characteristics. The apparatus separates the plurality of spatial phase characteristics of the received electromagnetic energy. The apparatus r identifies spatially segregated portions of each spatial phase characteristic, with each spatially segregated portion of each spatial phase characteristic corresponding to a spatially segregated portion of each of the other spatial phase characteristics in a group. The apparatus quantifies each segregated portion to provide a spatial phase metric of each segregated portion for providing a data map of the spatial phase metric of each separated spatial phase characteristic. The apparatus processes the spatial phase metrics to determine surface contour information for each segregated portion of the data map.

Claims

1. An apparatus for information extraction from electromagnetic energy via multi-characteristic spatial geometry processing to determine three-dimensional aspects of an object from which the electromagnetic energy is proceeding, said apparatus including:

means for receiving the electromagnetic energy, the received electromagnetic energy having a plurality of spatial phase characteristics;

means for separating the plurality of spatial phase characteristics of the received electromagnetic energy;

means for identifying spatially segregated portions of each spatial phase characteristic, with each spatially segregated portion of each spatial phase characteristic corresponding to a spatially segregated portion of each of the other spatial phase characteristics in a group;

means for quantifying each segregated portion to provide a spatial phase metric of each segregated portion for providing a data map of the spatial phase metric of each separated spatial phase characteristic; and

means for processing the spatial phase metrics to determine surface contour information for each segregated portion of the data map.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including means for processing surface contour information for segregated portions in a relational manner with surface contour information for other of the segregated portions to determine three-dimensional aspects of the object.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for separating, the means for identifying, the means for quantifying, and the means for processing provide for characterization of material types of the object.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for separating, the means for identifying, the means for quantifying, and the means for processing provide for characterization of molecular structures of the object.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for separating, the means for identifying, the means for quantifying, and the means for processing include the use of spectral components.

6. An apparatus for information extraction from electromagnetic energy via multi-characteristic spatial geometry processing, said apparatus including:

means for receiving electromagnetic energy from an object, the received electromagnetic energy having a plurality of spatial phase characteristics, including at least one non-polarization spatial phase characteristic;

means for separating the plurality of spatial phase characteristics of the received electromagnetic energy;

means for identifying spatially segregated portions of each spatial phase characteristic, with each spatially segregated portion of each spatial phase characteristic corresponding to a spatially segregated portion of each of the other spatial phase characteristics in a group;

means for quantifying each segregated portion to provide a spatial phase metric of each segregated portion for providing a data map of the spatial phase metric of each separated spatial phase characteristic; and

means for processing the data maps of the spatial phase metrics to determine characteristics of that object, including means for determining a surface profile of the object in three dimensions.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for processing includes means for determining object material type.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for processing includes means for determining object surface orientation.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for processing includes means for determining orientation of the molecular structures of the object.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for receiving, the means for separating, the means for identifying, and the means for quantifying include provide for the use of spectral content as the non-polarization spatial phase characteristic.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for receiving, the means for separating, the means for identifying, and the means for quantifying include provide for the use of intensity as the non-polarization spatial phase characteristic.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means for providing a data map includes providing the map to indicate spatial phase change.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the electromagnetic energy conveying insufficient characterization in the visible and infrared spectrums to permit viable intensity-only based and/or frequency-only based usage.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said apparatus is a single view imaging apparatus for providing an image of an object as the source, and includes means for determining an imaging value associated with each group of corresponding segregated portions using the spatial phase metrics, and means for assembling a three-dimensional image representation or rendering of the object using the determined imaging values.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for assembling a three-dimensional image representation or rendering includes means for using determined values representative of slope functions of the object.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for assembling a three-dimensional image representation or rendering includes means for using determined values representative of surface shapes of the object.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for assembling a three-dimensional image representation or rendering includes means for using determined values representatives of surface contour of the object.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said apparatus is an imaging apparatus for providing an image of an object as the source, and includes means for determining an imaging value associated with each group of corresponding segregated portions using the spatial phase metrics and indicative of material composition of the object associated with each group of corresponding segregated portions, and means for assembling an image representation of the object indicative of material composition using the determined imaging values.