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Ranging system for three-dimensional object digitizing

  • US 5,218,427 A
  • Filed: 09/06/1991
  • Issued: 06/08/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for digitally representing the surface of a three-dimensioned object, comprising the steps of:

  • directing a laser beam in a laser line-of-sight from a laser source to a surface point on the object to produce reflected light beams;

    capturing a specific light beam reflecting from said surface point through an aperture at a predetermined angle from said laser line-of-sight;

    receiving said captured light beam at a reflecting surface along a reflecting line-of-sight at said predetermined angle;

    reflecting said captured light beam from said reflecting surface to a sensor along a sensing line-of-sight orthogonal to said laser line-of-sight, so that laser line-of-sight, said reflecting line-of-sight, and said sensing line-of-sight form a right triangle having predetermined angles;

    measuring a sensing line-of-sight distance and calculating therefrom a laser line-of-sight distance;

    converting said laser line-of-sight distance into a digital representation of said surface point; and

    associating a plurality of said surface points to form a digital representation of the surface of the three-dimensional object.

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