Scanning apparatus and method

• US 6,611,617 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Scanners Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Stephen James Crampton
• Inventors: Crampton, Stephen James
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US09/000,215
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154, 382/153, 382/100, 382/118, 382/232, 382/260, 382/199, 382/203, 382/266, 382/312, 345/421, 345/425, 345/430, 345/422, 345/514, 345/516, 345/427, 345/627, 345/589, 356/614, 356/3.14, 356/141.4
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object

Abstract

A scanning apparatus and method for generating computer models of three-dimensional objects comprising means for scanning the object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object so that the scanning may capture data from two or more points simultaneously, sensing the position of the scanning means, generating intermediate data structures from the data, combining intermediate data structures to provide the model; display, and manually operating the scanning apparatus. The signal generated is structured light in the form of a stripe or an area from illumination sources such as a laser diode or bulbs which enable data for the position and color of the surface to be determined. The object may be on a turnable and may be viewed in real time as rendered polygons on a monitor as the object is scanned.

Claims

1. Scanning apparatus for scanning an object to generate three-dimensional data, comprising:

a scanner mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, the scanner comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface; and

a light detector operable to detect light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected light at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

a position calculator for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position in response to a trigger pulse;

a trigger pulse generator for receiving the synchronization signal for the light detector defining the recording times thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses to the position calculator to cause the position calculator to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detector; and

a three dimensional data generator for receiving recorded data output by the light detector and associated position data output from the position calculator, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

2. Apparatus for use in scanning an object, comprising:

a scanner for mounting on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan an object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface; and

a light detector operable to detect light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected lights at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

a trigger pulse generator for receiving the synchronization signal for the light reflector defining the recording time thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses for the position calculator of a multiply-jointed arm to cause the position calculator to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detector; and

a three-dimensional data generator for receiving recorded data output by the light detector and associated position data output from the position calculator, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

3. Scanning apparatus for scanning an object to generate three-dimensional data, comprising:

a scanner mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from points on the surface of the object, the scanner comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface;

a light detector operable to detect light reflected from the object surface; and

a tip probe for touching the object surface at individual points;

a position calculator for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position;

a controller for switching between a first data capture mode of the apparatus in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object by irradiating the object with light from the light source and detecting light reflected from the object surface with the light detector while the tip probe remains present on the multiple-jointed arm, and a second data capture mode in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from individual points on the surface of the object touched by the tip probe while the light source and light detector remain present on the multiple-jointed arm; and

a three-dimensional data generator for receiving recorded data output by the light detector and position data output from the position calculator, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

5. Scanning apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the light source and the light detector are arranged within a common housing and wherein the common common housing is mountable on and de-mountable from the multiply-jointed arm without removing the tip probe.

4. Apparatus for use in scanning an object, comprising:

a scanner for mounting on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan an object to capture data from points on the surface of the object, comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface;

a light detector operable to detect light reflected from the object surface; and

a tip probe for touching the object surface at individual points;

a controller for switching between a first data capture mode of the apparatus in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object by irradiating the object with light from the light source and detecting light reflected from the object surface with the light detector while the tip probe remains present on the multiple-jointed arm, and a second data capture mode in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from individual points on the surface of the object touched by the tip probe while the light source and light detector remain present on the multiple-jointed arm; and

a three-dimensional data generator for receiving recorded data output by the light detector and associated position data output from the position calculator of the multiply-jointed arm, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

6. A method of synchronizing the recording of reflected light by a light detector and the generation of data defining the position of the light detector in a system for scanning an object to generate three-dimensional data, having

a scanner mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, the scanner comprising:

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface; and

a light detector operable to detect light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected light at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

a position calculator for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position in response to a trigger pulse; and

a three-dimensional data generator for receiving recorded data output by the light detector and associated position data output from the position calculator, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object;

the method comprising;

receiving the synchronization signal for the light detector defining the recording times thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses to the position calculator to cause the position calculator to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detector.

7. Scanning apparatus for scanning an object to generate a three-dimensional data, comprising:

scanning means mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, the scanning means comprising;

a light source operable to emit laser light onto the object surface; and

a light detecting means for detecting light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected light at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

position calculating means for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position in response to a trigger pulse;

trigger pulse generating means for receiving the synchronization signal for the light detecting means defining the recording times thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses to the position calculating means to cause the position calculating means to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detecting means; and

three-dimensional data generating means for receiving recorded data output by the light detecting means and associated position data output from the position calculating means, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

8. Apparatus for use in scanning an object, comprising:

scanning means for mounting on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan an object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface; and

light detecting means for detecting light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected light at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

trigger pulse generating means for receiving the synchronization signal for the light detecting means defining the recording times thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses for the position calculating means of a multiply-jointed arm to cause the position calculating means to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detecting means; and

three-dimensional data generating means for receiving recorded data output by the light detecting means and associated position data output from the position calculating means, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

9. Scanning apparatus for scanning an object to generate three-dimensional data, comprising:

scanning means mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from points on the surface of the object, the scanning means comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface;

light detecting means for detecting light reflected from the object surface; and

a tip probe for touching the object surface at individual points;

position calculating means for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position;

control means for switching between a first data capture mode of the apparatus in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object by irradiating the object with light from the light source and detecting light reflected from the object surface with the light detecting means while the tip probe remains present on the multiply-jointed arm, and a second data capture mode in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from individual points on the surface of the object touched by the tip probe while the light source and light detecting means remain present on the multiply-jointed arm; and

three-dimensional data generating means for receiving recorded data output by the light detecting means and position data output from the position calculating means, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

10. Apparatus for use in scanning an object, comprising:

scanning means for mounting on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan an object to capture data from points on the surface of the object, comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface;

a light detecting means for detecting light reflected from the object surface; and

a tip probe for touching the object surface at individual points;

control means for switching between a first data capture mode of the apparatus in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object by irradiating the object with light from the light source and detecting light reflected from the object surface with the light detecting means while the tip probe remains present on the multiply-jointed arm, and a second data capture mode in which the apparatus is operable to capture data from individual points on the surface of the object touched by the tip probe while the light source and light detecting means remain present on the multiply-jointed arm; and

three-dimensional data generating means for receiving recorded data output by the light detecting means and associated position data output from the position calculating means of the multiply-jointed arm, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object.

11. A method of synchronizing the recording of reflected light by light detecting means and the generation of data defining the position of the light detecting means in a system for scanning an object to generate three-dimensional data, having:

scanning means mounted on a multiply-jointed arm for movement by an operator to scan the object to capture data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object, the scanning means comprising;

a light source operable to emit light onto the object surface; and

light detecting means for detecting light reflected from the object surface by recording reflected light at recording times defined by a synchronization signal;

position calculating means for calculating the position of the multiply-jointed arm, and outputting position data defining the position in response to a trigger pulse; and

three-dimensional data generating means for receiving recorded data output by the light detecting means and associated position data output from the position calculating means, and for processing the data to generate three-dimensional data relating to the object;

the method comprising;

receiving the synchronization signal for the light detecting means defining the recording times thereof, and, in response thereto, generating and outputting trigger pulses to the position calculating means to cause the position calculating means to output position data for each of at least some of the recordings by the light detecting means.