Dimensional Detection System and Associated Method
First Claim
1. A method characterizing a workpiece with the use of a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source that is structured to project a beam onto the workpiece, an image collection device that is structured to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images, and an image analysis device that has access to a calibration data set, the image collection device and the image analysis device being in electronic communication, the method comprising:
- projecting at least a first beam onto the workpiece;
capturing an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the at least first beam on the workpiece;
employing the calibration data set to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on a surface of the workpiece; and
processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece.
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Abstract
An improved dimensional detection system is portable and can be used to characterize a workpiece. The dimensional detection system employs as few as a single focused light source and as few as a single camera along with a calibration data set to convert the illuminated pixels of an image of a beam on the workpiece into a cloud of real world points in space on an outer surface of the workpiece. The cloud of points can be processed to characterize the workpiece, such as by determining the right hexahedron that would encompass all of the real world points in space and which could be used to determine a dimensional weight of the workpiece.
143 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method characterizing a workpiece with the use of a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source that is structured to project a beam onto the workpiece, an image collection device that is structured to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images, and an image analysis device that has access to a calibration data set, the image collection device and the image analysis device being in electronic communication, the method comprising:
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projecting at least a first beam onto the workpiece; capturing an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the at least first beam on the workpiece; employing the calibration data set to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on a surface of the workpiece; and processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of generating a calibration data set for a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source that is structured to project a beam onto a workpiece, an image collection device that is structured to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images, and an image analysis device that has access to the calibration data set, the image collection device and the image analysis device being in electronic communication, the method comprising:
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projecting a beam oriented at a predetermined angle oblique to a reference axis onto a calibration platform that comprises a plurality of indices and that is disposed at each of a plurality of positions along the reference axis; capturing at each position of at least some of the plurality of positions an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the beam on at least some of the indices of the calibration platform at the position; for each image, employing the position of the calibration platform along the reference axis and a representation of the calibration platform to generate for each of at least some of the illuminated pixels a point in space that is representative of a point on a surface of the calibration platform at the position along the reference axis that is illuminated by the beam; and generating a calibration data set from at least some of the points in space. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An apparatus structured to characterize a workpiece, the apparatus comprising
a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source, an image collection device, and a control system; -
the control system being operable to cause the focused light source to project a beam onto the workpiece; the control system being operable to cause the image collection device to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images; the control system being operable to cause the number of images to be communicated to an image analysis device that having access to a calibration data set; the control system having available thereto one or more routines which, when executed by the control system, cause the measurement apparatus to perform operations comprising; projecting at least a first beam onto the workpiece; capturing an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the at least first beam on the workpiece; employing the calibration data set to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on a surface of the workpiece; and processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification