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

• US 6,522,412 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Imai, Shigeaki, Yagi, Fumiya, Hirose, Satoru, Miyazaki, Makoto, Norita, Toshio, Fujii, Eiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/879,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 356/601, 356/602, 356/606, 356/607, 356/608, 356/609, 356/614, 356/622, 356/623, 356/624, 356/3-3-, 356/4.01, 250/201.2, 250/559.23, 250/559.22, 250/559.31, 250/236, 354/403
• US Class Current: 356/601
• 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 measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

an area sensor for sensing light including the reference light reflected from an object, the area sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements arranged in two dimensions;

an optical system which has a focal length and through which the reflected light reaches the sensor; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with the focal length of the optical system.

2. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output signal from the area sensor indicates a shape of the object.

3. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intensity of the reference light is increased as the focal length decreases.

4. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

an area sensor for sensing light including the reference light reflected from a object, the area sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements arranged in two dimensions;

a zoom lens through which the reflected light reaches the sensor; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with a magnification ratio defined by the zoom lens.

5. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein an output signal from the area sensor indicates a shape of the object.

6. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a capturing portion for capturing light including the reference light reflected from an object;

an obtaining portion for obtaining a distance data corresponding to a distance from the apparatus to the object; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with the obtained distance data,

wherein the capturing portion includes an area sensor having a plurality of light sensing elements arranged in two dimensions.

7. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein an output signal from the area sensor indicates a shape of the object.

8. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a capturing portion for capturing light including the reference light reflected from an object, the capturing portion having a predetermined optical condition; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with the predetermined optical condition,

wherein the capturing portion includes an area sensor for sensing the light, the area sensor having a plurality of light sensing elements arranged in two dimensions.

9. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the capturing portion includes an optical system through which the light reaches the area sensor, the predetermined optical condition including a condition of the optical system.

10. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the optical system has a variable focal length, and wherein the condition of the optical system includes a focal length defined by the optical system.

11. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the intensity of the reference light is increased as the focal length decreases.

12. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the optical system has a zooming function, and wherein the predetermined optical condition includes a magnification ratio defined by the zooming function of the optical system.

13. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the emitting portion has a plurality of light emitting elements for emitting the reference light, wherein the controller determines a number of the plurality of light emitting elements being in an on-state for emitting the reference light to control the intensity of the reference light.

14. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the emitting portion includes a laser light source for emitting the reference light and a power supply for supplying power to the laser light source, and wherein the controller controls the power supplied to the laser light source from the power supply to control the intensity of the reference light.

15. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a filter, wherein the emitting portion includes a laser light source for emitting the reference light, wherein the controller controls the filter so that the reference light passes through the filter or does not pass through the filter.

16. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reference light is a slit shaped light, wherein the emitting portion includes a scanning mechanism for deflecting the slit shaped light in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the slit shaped light, and wherein the capturing portion sequentially captures the reflected light while scanning.

17. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein an output signal from the area sensor indicates a shape of the object.

18. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a capturing portion for capturing light including the reference light reflected from an object, the capturing portion having a predetermined optical condition and outputting a signal corresponding to the captured light;

an amplifier for amplifying a signal to be processed for three-dimensional measurement; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the emission in accordance with the predetermined optical condition of the capturing portion,

wherein the capturing portion includes an area sensor for receiving the reference light reflected from the object, the area sensor having a plurality of light sensing elements arranged in two dimensions.

19. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the capturing portion includes an optical system through which the reference light reflected from the object reaches the area sensor.

20. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the optical system has a variable focal length, and wherein the predetermined optical condition includes a focal length defined by the optical system.

21. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the intensity of the emission is increased as the focal length decreases.

22. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the optical system has a zooming function, and wherein the predetermined optical condition includes a magnification ratio defined by the zooming function.

23. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the reference light is a slit shaped light, wherein the emitting portion has a scanning mechanism for deflecting the slit shaped light in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the slit shaped light, and wherein the capturing portion sequentially captures light during scanning.

24. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the signal output from the capturing portion indicates a shape of the object.

25. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a scanning mechanism for deflecting the reference light to scan an object;

an area sensor for sensing light including reference light reflected from the object, the area sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements arranged in two dimensions;

an operation portion for accepting an instruction relating to modification of the intensity of the reference light; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light according to the accepted instructions.

26. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein an output signal from the area sensor indicates a shape of the object.

27. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a sensor for sensing light including the reference light reflected from an object;

an optical system which has a focal length and through which the reflected light reaches the sensor; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with the focal length of the optical system.

28. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein an output signal from the sensor indicates a shape of the object.

29. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a sensor for sensing light including the reference light reflected from an object;

a zoom lens through which the reflected light reaches the sensor; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the reference light in accordance with a magnification ratio defined by the zoom lens.

30. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein an output signal from the sensor indicates a shape of the object.

31. A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising:

an emitting portion for emitting reference light of a predetermined intensity;

a capturing portion for capturing light including the reference light reflected from an object, the capturing portion having a predetermined optical condition and outputting a signal corresponding to the captured light;

an amplifier for amplifying a signal to be processed for three-dimensional measurement; and

a controller for controlling the intensity of the emission in accordance with the predetermined optical condition of the capturing portion.

32. The three-dimensional measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein the signal output from the capturing portion indicates a shape of the object.