Method and Device For Acquisition of a Geometric Shape

• US 20080211808A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: David, Dominique, Sprynski, Nathalie
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/287 using a plurality of fixed, simultaneously operating transducers G01B7/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/005 Tree description, e.g. octree, quadtree
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

According to the invention, a set of sensors (4a) is placed on this shape (curve or surface), each sensor outputting signals representative of the orientation of the curve or the surface at the location of this sensor; a model of the curve or the surface is chosen; model parameters are determined from the signals; and the spatial distribution of the points on the geometric shape are determined using these parameters. The invention particularly applies to machining, joinery, masonry, and building domains.

Claims

1. Method for acquisition of a geometric shape, namely a curve or a surface, by determining the coordinates of the points on this curve or this surface, this method being characterised in that:

a set of sensors (4a, 4b, 20, 24, 30) Is placed on this shape, each sensor being designed to output signals representative of the orientation of the curve or the surface at the location of this sensor,

a model of the curve or the surface is chosen,

model parameters are determined from the signals, and

the spatial distribution of the points on the geometric shape are determined using these parameters.

2. Method according to claim 1, in which the sensors are fixed to a support (6a, 6b, 18, 22, 28) made of a deformable solid material capable of matching the shape to be acquired.

3. Method according to claim 2, in which the support forms a line (6a, 22, 28).

4. Method according to claim 2, in which the support forms a surface (6b).

5. Method according to claim 2, in which the support (18) is flexible.

6. Method according to claim 1, in which the shape to be acquired has one or several maximum spatial frequencies and the number of sensors per unit length or unit area is equal to at least twice the value of the maximum frequency, and the curve or the surface is locally sampled using the sensors.

7. Method according to claim 1, in which the sensors are mechanically independent of each other, and the shape to be acquired is reconstructed step by step using signals output by the sensors.

8. Method according to claim 1, in which the shape of a curve or a surface that delimits an object is acquired (2a, 2b).

9. Method according to claim 1, in which the intrinsic shape of the solid and deformable material itself is acquired.

10. Method according to claim 1, in which each sensor is also designed to determine the distance that separates it from nearby sensors, and in which the shape to be acquired is reconstructed step by step.

15. Method according to claim 3, in which the support (18) is flexible.

16. Method according to claim 4, in which the support (18) is flexible.

11. Device for acquisition of a geometric shape, namely a curve or a surface, this device being characterised in that it comprises:

a set of sensors (4a, 4b, 20, 24, 30), each sensor being designed to output signals representative of the orientation of the curve or the surface at the location of this sensor, and

electronic means (8a, 8b) for processing signals output by the sensors, these means being designed to determine model parameters using a model of the curve or the surface, and to use these parameters to determine the spatial distribution of the points on the geometric shape.

12. Device according to claim 11, in which the sensors are fixed to a support (6a, 6b, 18, 22, 28) made of a solid and deformable material, capable of matching the shape to be acquired.

13. Device according to claim 11, in which the sensors are mechanically independent of each other.

14. Device according to claim 11, in which the sensors are chosen to be accelerometers or magnetometers.