Method and apparatus for detection of undesirable surface deformities
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of detecting undesirable deformities in a surface, comprising the steps of:
- projecting a light pattern having at least one edge onto said surface from a light pattern source;
receiving at a light pattern receiver a reflected light pattern from said surface;
converting said reflected light pattern into an array of pixels, each pixel havin a value representing the intensity of light received from a portion of the reflected light pattern;
evaluating the value of said pixels to define at least one edge of said reflected light pattern;
forming a fitted curve through said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern;
measuring the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve; and
quantifying the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve, to the amount of undesirable deformity in said surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the detection of undesirable surface deformities is disclosed wherein a known (linear) light pattern is reflected off a fabricated part having a nominally smooth surface, the reflected light pattern subsequently being analyzed for distortions from the expected light pattern. The extent of the detected distortions may be quantified by the use of a computer having appropriate software, in order to identify and quantify unacceptable surface deformities.
37 Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting undesirable deformities in a surface, comprising the steps of:
-
projecting a light pattern having at least one edge onto said surface from a light pattern source; receiving at a light pattern receiver a reflected light pattern from said surface; converting said reflected light pattern into an array of pixels, each pixel havin a value representing the intensity of light received from a portion of the reflected light pattern; evaluating the value of said pixels to define at least one edge of said reflected light pattern; forming a fitted curve through said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern; measuring the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve; and quantifying the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve, to the amount of undesirable deformity in said surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of detecting undesirable deformities in a surface, comprising the steps of:
-
projecting a light pattern having at least one edge onto said surface from a light pattern source; receiving at a light pattern receiver a reflected light pattern from said surface; converting said reflected light pattern into an array of pixels, each pixel having a value representing the intensity of light received from a portion of the reflected light pattern; segregating pixels having a selected value and pixels having a value greater than said selected value into a first group; segretating pixels having less than said selected value into a second group; defining at least one edge of said reflected light pattern at the boundary of said first group of pixels and said second group of pixels; forming a fitted curve through said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern by finding coefficients a0, a1, a2, . . . am, of the equation;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Y=a.sub.o +a.sub.1 X+ . . . +a.sub.m X.sup.m,using the Normal Equations of the Least Squares method of curve formation; measuring the amount of deviation of sid at least one edge from said fitted curve by finding coefficients a0, a1, a2, . . . am, of the equation;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Y=a.sub.o +a.sub.1 X+ . . . +a.sub.m X.sup.m,using the Normal Equations of the Least Squares method of curve formation; and
substituting said coefficients into the equation;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Σ
d.sub.i.sup.2 =Σ
Y.sub.i.sup.2 -(a.sub.o Σ
Y.sub.i +a.sub.1 Σ
X.sub.i Y.sub.i + . . . +a.sub.m Σ
X.sub.i.sup.m Y.sub.i),wherein Σ
di2 =the amount of deviation of the edge of the reflected light pattern from the fitted curve; andquantifying the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve, to the amount of undesirable deformity in said surface.
-
-
6. An apparatus for detecting undesirable deformities in a surface, said apparatus comprising:
-
a light pattern source having at least one flourescent light carried by a support frame, said light pattern source generating a light pattern directed at said surface; at least one camera located in the path of reflection of said light pattern, said at least one camera located so as to receive said reflected light pattern; at least one computer, and software compatible with said at least one computer, said software being capable of;
converting said reflected light pattern into an array of pixels;evaluating the value of said pixels to define at least one edge of said reflected light pattern, by segregating pixels having a selected value and pixels having a value greater than said selected value into a first group; segregating pixels having less than said selected value into a second group, and defining at least one edge of said reflected light pattern at the boundary of said first group of pixels and said second group of pixels; analyzing said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern to detect sid undesirable surface deformities by forming a fitted curve through said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern; measuring the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve; and quantifying the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve, to the amount of undesirable deformity in said surface.
-
-
7. An apparatus for detecting undesirable deformities in a surface, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for projecting a light pattern onto said surface; means for receiving a reflected light pattern from said surface; means for generating data representative of the received reflected light pattern; means for evaluating said reflected light pattern data in order to define at least one edge of said reflected light pattern; means for forming a fitted curve through said at least one edge of said reflected light pattern; means for measuring the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve; and means for quantifying the amount of deviation of said at least one edge from said fitted curve, to the amount of undesirable deformity in said surface.
-
Specification