Digitizer using plural capture methods to image features of 3-D objects

• US 20060072121A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NextPat Limited
• Original Assignee: NextPat Limited
• Inventors: Drobnis, David D., Agabra, David S., McKinley, William D., Knighton, Mark S., Logan, J. Douglas, Zheng, John Z., Vuong, Kevin H., Sidney, Kent E., Bahhour, Basel F., Tandon, Amit, Diaconescu, Peter L., Haynie, Jill E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,659,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/55 from multiple images

Abstract

A method and apparatus to digitize three-dimensional objects. A projection assembly is retained in fixed relation to an imaging assembly. The projection assembly projects a fixed gradient light pattern into a focal zone of the imaging assembly. The imaging assembly integrates the illumination over time such that the fixed gradient reveals the features of the three dimensional object.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing a first two-dimensional image of an object;

causing a relative motion between the object and a field of view of a capturing device to expose a different aspect of the object to the capturing device;

capturing a second two-dimensional image of the object;

deriving a first three-dimensional digital representation of the object from the first and second two-dimensional images; and

creating a second three-dimensional digital representation by an alternative method.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically combining elements of the first three-dimensional digital representation with elements of the second three-dimensional digital representation to improve quality.

3. A method comprising:

capturing a first three-dimensional digital representation of a portion of an object using a first capture method;

capturing a second three-dimensional digital representation of a portion of the object using a second capture method; and

automatically combining elements from the first and second three-dimensional digital representations to improve quality.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least the first capture method uses active ranging and at least the second capture method uses passive imaging.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the capturing of the first three dimensional digital representation and the second three dimensional digital representation is performed using a same image sensing array (ISA).

6. The method of claim 3 wherein one of the capture methods is stereoscopy.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a digitizer capable of using any of at least two capture methods to capture a three-dimensional digital representation of at least a portion of an object.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a processor to automatically combine elements from three-dimensional digital representations captured with at least two captured methods to improve quality.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least a first capture method uses active ranging and at least a second capture method uses passive imaging.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the digitizer is capable of performing at least two capture methods using a same image sensing array (ISA).

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein one of the capture methods is stereoscopy.