Method of determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object
First Claim
1. A method of determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object with a light source for emitting a light beam onto a target surface and an array sensor spaced by a distance from said light source for receiving the reflected light beam from said target surface;
- said array sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a row extending in the direction of following the reflected light beam, said light receiving elements being divided into a plurality of repeating units consisting of the same number of said light receiving elements, said light receiving elements in each of said repeating units being assigned respectively to different row indexes, said light receiving elements having the same row index being commonly coupled so as to provide a single row output indicative of the same row index when the reflected light beam hits any one of the light receiving elements having the same row index;
said method comprising the following first and second steps;
said first step comprising;
1) directing a first light beam from said light source onto a first point on a reference surface so that the reflected light beam from said first point forms on said array sensor a first illumination spot;
2) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the first illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a reference spot;
repeating the above proceedings
1) and
2) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto the reference surface to obtain on said array sensor a series of reference spots corresponding to said individual points, so that each of said reference spots is related to specific one of the row indexes of said light receiving elements;
defining within said array sensor a series of detection ranges respectively for said individual reference spots in such a manner that each of said detection ranges includes corresponding one of said reference spots and extends over a limited number of said light receiving elements, said limited number being not more than the number of said light receiving elements in said repeating unit;
said second step comprising;
3) directing said first light beam onto a second point on a surface of the object disposed on the reference surface so that the reflected light from said second point on said object surface forms on said array sensor a second illumination spot;
4) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the second illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a detected spot which falls within the detection range corresponding to said reference spot obtained by said first light beam;
5) analyzing a positional deviation between said detected spot within the detection range and said reference spot obtained with respect to said first light beam to determine a position of the second point of said object surface relative to the reference surface; and
repeating the above proceedings
3),
4) and
5) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto said object surface to obtain a series of positions of the individual points on said object surface relative to the reference surface for determination of the three-dimensional profile of the object surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light beam is emitted to a target point on a target, so that the reflected light beam from the target point forms an illumination spot on a array sensor. The array sensor comprises a plurality of light receiving elements. The receiving elements are divided into a plurality of repeating units consisting of the same number of the receiving elements. The receiving elements in each of the repeating units are assigned respectively to different indexes. The receiving elements having the same index are commonly coupled so as to provide a single output indicative of the same index when the reflected light beam hits any one of the receiving elements. A method for determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object includes a first step of detecting a series of reference spots on the array sensor with respect to individual points obtained by scanning the light beam on a reference surface, and defining detection ranges respectively with respect to the individual reference spots, and a second step of detecting within the detection ranges a series of object spots obtained by scanning the light beam on an object surface and analyzing a positional deviation between the object spot and the corresponding reference spot within each of the detection range to determine the three-dimensional profile of the object in accordance with thus obtained positional deviations.
56 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object with a light source for emitting a light beam onto a target surface and an array sensor spaced by a distance from said light source for receiving the reflected light beam from said target surface;
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said array sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a row extending in the direction of following the reflected light beam, said light receiving elements being divided into a plurality of repeating units consisting of the same number of said light receiving elements, said light receiving elements in each of said repeating units being assigned respectively to different row indexes, said light receiving elements having the same row index being commonly coupled so as to provide a single row output indicative of the same row index when the reflected light beam hits any one of the light receiving elements having the same row index; said method comprising the following first and second steps; said first step comprising; 1) directing a first light beam from said light source onto a first point on a reference surface so that the reflected light beam from said first point forms on said array sensor a first illumination spot; 2) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the first illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a reference spot; repeating the above proceedings
1) and
2) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto the reference surface to obtain on said array sensor a series of reference spots corresponding to said individual points, so that each of said reference spots is related to specific one of the row indexes of said light receiving elements;defining within said array sensor a series of detection ranges respectively for said individual reference spots in such a manner that each of said detection ranges includes corresponding one of said reference spots and extends over a limited number of said light receiving elements, said limited number being not more than the number of said light receiving elements in said repeating unit; said second step comprising; 3) directing said first light beam onto a second point on a surface of the object disposed on the reference surface so that the reflected light from said second point on said object surface forms on said array sensor a second illumination spot; 4) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the second illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a detected spot which falls within the detection range corresponding to said reference spot obtained by said first light beam; 5) analyzing a positional deviation between said detected spot within the detection range and said reference spot obtained with respect to said first light beam to determine a position of the second point of said object surface relative to the reference surface; and repeating the above proceedings
3),
4) and
5) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto said object surface to obtain a series of positions of the individual points on said object surface relative to the reference surface for determination of the three-dimensional profile of the object surface. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. A method of determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object with the use of a light source for emitting a light beam onto a target surface and an array sensor spaced by a distance from said light source for receiving the reflected light beam from said object surface;
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said array sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in at least two linear arrays each extending in a row along the direction of following the reflected light beam, said linear arrays disposed in side-by-side relation such that the reflected light beam forms an illumination spot which straddle over said linear arrays; each of said linear arrays being divided into plural repeating units consisting of the same number of said light receiving elements; each said light receiving element forming each one of said repeating units in a first one of said linear arrays being designated by a first value which is common within each unit but is different between the different ones of said units, such that said light receiving elements in the first array designated by the same first value are collectively coupled to produce a single first output indicating said first value when sensing the light beam, the light receiving elements in each of said repeating units forming a second one of said linear arrays being designated respectively by second values which are different from each other within said repeating unit but are common to each other between the different units, said light receiving elements designated by the same second value in said second linear array being commonly coupled so as to provide a single second output indicating said second value when any one of the light receiving elements designated by the same second value senses the light beam; and means for providing a row index in the form of a code comprising at least a first digit of said first value indicating which one of said light receiving elements in said first array provides said first output and a second digit of said second value indicating which one of the light receiving elements in said second array provides said second output. said method comprising the following first and second steps;
said first step comprising;1) directing a first light beam from said light source onto a first point on a reference surface so that the reflected light beam from said first point forms on said array sensor a first illumination spot; 2) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the first illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a reference spot; repeating the above proceedings
1) and
2) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto the reference surface to obtain on said array sensor a series of reference spots corresponding to said individual points, so that each of said reference spots is related to specific one of the row indexes of said light receiving elements;defining within said array sensor a series of detection ranges respectively for said individual reference spots in such a manner that each of said detection ranges includes corresponding one of said reference spots and extends over a limited number of said light receiving elements, said limited number being not more than the number of said light receiving elements in said repeating unit; said second step comprising; 3) directing said first light beam onto a second point on a surface of the object disposed on the reference surface so that the reflected light from said second point on said object surface forms on said array sensor a second illumination spot; detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the second illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a detected spot which falls within the detection range corresponding to said reference spot obtained by said first light beam; 5) analyzing a positional deviation between said detected spot within the detection range and said reference spot obtained with respect to said first light beam to determine a position of the second point of said object surface relative to the reference surface; and repeating the above proceedings
3),
4) and
5) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto said object surface to obtain a series of positions of the individual points on said object surface relative to the reference surface for determination of the three-dimensional profile of the object surface.
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12. A device for determination of a three-dimensional profile of an object, said device comprising:
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a scanner for scanning a light beam across a target surface; an array sensor spaced by a distance from said scanner for receiving the reflected light beam from said target surface through focusing lens means, said array sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a row extending in the direction of following the reflected light beam, said light receiving elements being divided into a plurality of repeating units consisting of the same number of said light receiving elements, said light receiving elements in each of said repeating units being assigned respectively to different row indexes, said light receiving elements having the same row index being commonly coupled so as to provide a single row output indicative of the same row index when the reflected light beam hits any one of the light receiving elements having the same row index; reference spot memory for storing a series of the row indexes obtained by a first step which comprises; a1) directing a first light beam from said light source onto a first point on a reference surface so that the reflected light beam from said first point forms on said array sensor a first illumination spot; a2) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the first illumination spot and defining thus detected row index as a reference spot; a3) repeating the above proceedings a1) and a2) with respect to individual points formed by scanning the light beam onto the reference surface to obtain on said array sensor a series of reference spots corresponding to said individual points, so that each of said reference spots is related to specific one of the row indexes of said light receiving elements; detection range setting means for defining within said array sensor a series of detection ranges respectively for said individual reference spots in such a manner that each of said detection ranges includes corresponding one of said reference spots and extends over a limited number of said light receiving elements, said limited number being not more than the number of said light receiving elements in said repeating unit; detected spot collecting means for obtaining a series of the row indexes by a second step which comprises; b1) directing said first light beam onto a second point on a surface of the object on the reference surface so that the reflected light from said second point on said object surface forms on said array sensor a second illumination spot; b2) detecting the row index of said light receiving element corresponding to the second illumination spot which falls within the detection range corresponding to said reference spot obtained by said first light beam; and b3) repeating the above proceedings b1) and b2) with respect to individual points on said object surface by scanning the light beam to obtain on said array sensor a series of detection spots corresponding to said individual points, so that each of said detection spots is related to specific one of the row indexes of said light receiving elements; analyzing means for determining a positional deviation between said detected spot and said reference spot based upon said row indexes obtained therefor within each of said detection ranges and for converting said deviation into a distance by which each of the scanned points on said object surface is spaced from said reference surface, therein providing the three-dimensional profile of the object surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification