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Real-time three-dimensional imaging technique

  • US 5,127,061 A
  • Filed: 12/03/1990
  • Issued: 06/30/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for rapidly obtaining a three-dimensional image of a surface on an object comprising the steps of:

  • (a) reflecting a first line of light, via at least a first rotatable mirrored surface, onto a surface of an object which is to be imaged, so that the line of light strikes a firsts trip of area thereon;

    (b) reflecting the image of a second strip of area on the surface to be imaged, at least contiguous to the first strip of area, via at least a second rotatable reflected surface, into a linescan camera which serves to capture the image of the second strip and establish the intensity thereof;

    (c) rotating the first and second reflective surfaces in unison to span the first line of light across the surface of the object so that the first line of light is successively directed at each of a plurality of first strips while the field of view of the linescan camera is spanned across the surface so that the camera successively images each of a plurality of second strips;

    (d) extinguishing the first line of light, repositioning the first mirrored surface, and reflecting a second line of light, via at least the first reflective surface, onto the surface to be imaged to strike the first strip of area;

    (e) rotating the first and second reflective surfaces in unison to span the second line of light across the surface of the object so that the second line of light is successively directed at each of a plurality of first strips while the field of view of the linescan camera is spanned across the surface to successively image each of the plurality of second strips; and

    (f) determining the height of the features in each successive second strip in accordance with a predetermined relationship between the intensity of the image of each such successive second strip when the first line of light is spanned across the surface and the intensity of such second strip when the surface is spanned by the second line of light.

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