Measuring system with improved method of reading image data of an object

• US 6,480,288 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Imai, Shigeaki, Norita, Toshio, Fujii, Eiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/118,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20020159072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 356/608, 356/623, 356/3.04, 356/3.08, 356/601, 356/602, 356/606, 356/607, 356/609, 356/614, 356/615, 250/201.2, 250/201.4, 250/559.22, 250/559.31, 250/559.23, 382/145, 382/203, 382/286, 348/132, 396/98, 396/101, 396/106
• US Class Current: 356/608
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light

Abstract

When a scanning start position set signal is input in an area image sensor, the content is transferred to a vertical scanning circuit, and the scan start position is set. Image of a desired row is read by horizontal scanning. Then, one shift signal for vertical scanning is input, the position of scanning is shifted by one row, and horizontal scanning is performed. Thus image of the next row is read. By repeating this operation, a desired strip-shaped image is read. The shape of the object is determined and when a portion is determined to have complicated shape, the image data is input by means of a lens having long focal length, and image data of other portions are input by means of a lens having short focal length. By putting together a plurality of input image data, image data as a whole is generated.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional data generating system comprising:

a three-dimensional measuring unit for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object, said three-dimensional measuring unit being capable of taking information on the three-dimensional shape at different resolutions;

a first controller for controlling said three-dimensional measuring unit to take information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a first part of the object at a first resolution, and for controlling said three-dimensional measuring unit to take information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a second part of the object at a second resolution higher than the first resolution; and

a second controller for integrating the information taken at the first resolution and the information taken at the second resolution thereby generating three-dimensional data having different resolutions for at least part of the object.

2. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 1, wherein the first part is non-identical to the second part.

3. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 2, wherein the second part is an internal part of the first part.

4. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 1, wherein the second part is determined based on a complexity of the object.

5. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a color image sensor for taking a two-dimensional color image of the object,

wherein the complexity of the object is determined based on the two-dimensional color image.

6. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional measuring unit comprises:

a lens system capable of changing a focal length thereof; and

a two dimensional image sensor for sensing light projected through said lens,

wherein a first focal length of the lens system corresponds to the first resolution and wherein a second focal length of the lens system corresponds to the second resolution.

7. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 6, wherein said lens system comprises a zoom lens.

8. A three-dimensional data generating system comprising a controller for integrating first information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a first part an object at a first resolution and second information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a second part of the object at a second resolution higher than the first resolution thereby generating three-dimensional data having different resolutions for at least part of the object.

9. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 8, wherein the first part is non-identical to the second part.

10. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 9, wherein the second part is an internal part of the first part.

11. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 8, wherein the second part is determined based on a complexity of the object.

12. A three-dimensional data generating system according to claim 11, wherein the complexity of the object is determined based on a two-dimensional color image of the object.

13. A three-dimensional data generating method comprising the steps of:

taking information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a first part of an object at a first resolution;

taking information on a three-dimensional shape of at least a second part of the object at a second resolution higher than the first resolution; and

integrating the information taken at the first resolution and the information taken at the second resolution thereby generating three-dimensional data having different resolutions for at least part of the object.

14. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 13, wherein the first part is non-identical to the second part.

15. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 14, wherein the second part is an internal part of the first part.

16. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 13, wherein the second part is determined based on a complexity of the object.

17. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

taking a two-dimensional color image of the object,

wherein the complexity of the object is determined based on the two-dimensional color image.

18. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 13, wherein each of the information taken at the first resolution and the information taken at the second resolution is obtained from a three-dimensional measuring unit, the three-dimensional measuring unit comprising:

a lens system capable of changing a focal length thereof; and

a two dimensional image sensor for sensing light projected through said lens,

wherein a first focal length of the lens system corresponds to the first resolution and wherein a second focal length of the lens system corresponds to the second resolution.

19. A three-dimensional data generating method according to claim 18, wherein said lens system comprises a zoom lens.