Surface profile measurement
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- a light source arrangement directed to an object to be imaged;
stationary receiving optics for receiving light reflected from the object to be imaged;
a multi-region light detector for detecting light received from the receiving optics, wherein different regions of the light detector can be actuated separately;
control means to synchronise the operation of the light source arrangement and the actuation of the light detector so that a region of the detector imaging the region of the object being illuminated by the light source is actuated synchronously with an allocated operation of the light source; and
processing means for measuring the time of flight of light signals from the light source to the actuated portion of the detector,wherein the processing means is selectively operable to measure the time of flight from one of;
(i) a signal received by an individual region of the detector, or(ii) a combined signal received in parallel from a sub-group of regions of the detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system scans a light source output over an object to be imaged, and receives the reflected signal in a multi-region light detector, wherein different regions of the object to be imaged are imaged onto different regions of the detector by the receiving optics, and wherein different regions of the light detector can be actuated separately. The light source scanning is synchronized with the actuation of the light detector so that a region of the detector imaging the region of object being illuminated by the light source is actuated. The time of flight of light signals from the light source to the actuated portion of the detector is calculated for all scanning directions, to enable a three dimensional image of the object to be constructed.
84 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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a light source arrangement directed to an object to be imaged; stationary receiving optics for receiving light reflected from the object to be imaged; a multi-region light detector for detecting light received from the receiving optics, wherein different regions of the light detector can be actuated separately; control means to synchronise the operation of the light source arrangement and the actuation of the light detector so that a region of the detector imaging the region of the object being illuminated by the light source is actuated synchronously with an allocated operation of the light source; and processing means for measuring the time of flight of light signals from the light source to the actuated portion of the detector, wherein the processing means is selectively operable to measure the time of flight from one of; (i) a signal received by an individual region of the detector, or (ii) a combined signal received in parallel from a sub-group of regions of the detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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8. An imaging system comprising:
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a light source directed to an object to be imaged; stationary receiving optics for receiving light reflected from the object to be imaged; a multi-region light detector for detecting light received from the receiving optics; control means to synchronise the operation of the light source and the operation of the light detector so that a region of the detector is actuated synchronously with an allocated operation of the light source; and processing means for measuring the time of flight of light signals from the light source to the actuated portion of the detector, wherein the light detector is operable in two different modes;
a distance measurement mode comprising a direct-read mode of operation for measuring said time of flight of light signals and in which the actuated region of the light detector is connected to the processing means, and an imaging mode comprising an integrating mode of operation in which charges are allowed to build up in the detector without connection to the processing means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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20. A method of obtaining an image of an object, comprising:
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scanning a light source signal over the object by directing a light source output in a plurality of scanning directions in sequence, and detecting reflected light received from the object using a two dimensional light detector array; determining the regions of the light detector array which are illuminated for each scanning direction; scanning the light source signal over the object again, and detecting reflected light received from the object using only the determined regions of the light detector array; calculating the time of flight of light pulses from the light source to the detector for each scanning direction; and obtaining a 3D profile from the time of flight calculations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification