Laser scanning apparatus and method of use
First Claim
1. A laser scanning apparatus for detecting and describing an object or topography in three dimensions, the apparatus comprising a housing that includes at least one laser, the apparatus being configured to emit at least a first laser beam and a second laser beam from the housing and to rotate the first laser beam and the second laser beam about a common axis of rotation, wherein:
- a path of the first laser beam forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation,a path of the second laser beam forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, andthe first cone and the second cone face in opposite directions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser system includes a housing and a laser. The laser can be positioned in the housing such that its laser beam is transmitted at an angle and its path forms a cone as the housing rotates. The laser device may also contain two or more lasers, the angle of each laser may be the same or different, and the angular position of each laser may be fixed or variable. The laser system may be stationary or mobile and used in a variety of methods to detect an object or topography and produce a three dimensional image. That information can be further used to provide maps, terrain data, volumetric measurements, landing guidance, obstacle avoidance warnings, mining profiles and other useful material.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A laser scanning apparatus for detecting and describing an object or topography in three dimensions, the apparatus comprising a housing that includes at least one laser, the apparatus being configured to emit at least a first laser beam and a second laser beam from the housing and to rotate the first laser beam and the second laser beam about a common axis of rotation, wherein:
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a path of the first laser beam forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, a path of the second laser beam forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, and the first cone and the second cone face in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of scanning using a laser scanning apparatus comprising a housing from which at least first and second beams are emitted from the housing, the method comprising:
rotating the at least first and second beams about a common axis wherein; the first and second beams define a first and second conical path, respectively, the first conical path forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, the second conical path forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, and the first and second conical paths face in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of detecting and describing an object or topography in three dimensions, comprising:
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moving a laser scanning apparatus past the object or topography, wherein the laser scanning apparatus projects at least one laser beam at an angle relative to the direction of travel so as to extend in both forward and backward directions relative to the direction of travel as the laser scanning apparatus moves past the object or topography so as to obtain data relating to both front and rear faces or surfaces of the object or topography in a single pass, and using the data to generate a 3D model, map or image of the object or topography, wherein the laser scanning apparatus either projects at least a first laser beam and a second laser beam, one in the forward direction and another in the backward direction, or projects a single beam that moves between the forward and backward directions, wherein when the laser scanning apparatus projects the first laser beam and the second laser beam; a path of the first laser beam forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation; a path of the second laser beam forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation; and the first cone and the second cone face in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A laser scanning system for detecting and describing an object or topography in three dimensions, comprising:
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a vehicle or a boom that moves a laser scanning apparatus past the object or topography, wherein the laser scanning apparatus is arranged to project at least a first laser beam and a second laser beam at an angle relative to the direction of travel so as to extend in both forward and backward directions relative to the direction of travel as the laser scanning apparatus moves past the object or topography so as to obtain data relating to both front and rear faces or surfaces of the object or topography in a single pass, and a processor that processes the obtained data to generate a 3D model, map or image of the object or topography, wherein; the first laser beam and the second laser beam rotate about a common axis of rotation, a path of the first laser beam forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, a path of the second laser beam forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation, and the first cone and the second cone face in opposite directions.
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Specification