Method and apparatus for three-dimensional non-contact shape sensing
First Claim
1. Optical mensuration apparatus for mapping and recording the location.Iadd.s .Iaddend.of points on a surface of a three dimensional object comprising:
- . .a mounting structure, and.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.object positioned in . .immovable relation to said mounting structure, and.!. a three dimensional coordinate system . .defined in fixed relation to said mounting structure.!.;
. .scanning means.!. .Iadd.a scanner .Iaddend.for projecting a scanning beam onto . .the.!. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.surface of . .the.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.object to illuminate a plurality of spots on the surface of the object;
said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.being hand holdable and freely moveable by hand in relation to . .both said mounting structure and.!. said object and not connected mechanically or structurally to . .either said mounting structure and.!. said object;
.Iadd.a .Iaddend.spot detector . .means.!. mounted to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.for detecting the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of the illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner.Iaddend.;
.Iadd.a .Iaddend.position . .detecting means mounted on said mounting structure and.!. .Iadd.detector .Iaddend.remotely located from both said object and said . .scanning means for detecting the position of said scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.in .Iadd.known .Iaddend.relation to . .the.!. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.coordinate system.Iadd., which position detector is adapted to determine the position of said scanner in relation to said three dimensional coordinate system.Iaddend.;
. .andcomputing means.!. .Iadd.a computer .Iaddend.connected to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.and to said position . .detecting means.!. .Iadd.detector .Iaddend.for determining . .and recording.!. the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of said illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to the coordinate system by correlating the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of said illuminated spots in relation to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.with . .the respective.!. positions of said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.in relation to said coordinate system when . .each.!. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.respective spot is illuminated.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This method and apparatus optically samples numerous points on the surface of an object to remotely sense its shape utilizing two stages. The first stage employs a moveable non-contact scanner, which in normal operation sweeps a narrow beam of light across the object, illuminating a single point of the object at any given instant in time. The location of that point relative to the scanner is sensed by multiple linear photodetector arrays behind lenses in the scanner. These sense the location by measuring the relative angular parallax of the point. The second stage employs multiple fixed but widely separated photoelectronic sensors, similar to those in the scanner, to detect the locations of several light sources affixed to the scanner, thereby defining the absolute spatial positions and orientations of the scanner. Individual light sources are distinguished by time-multiplexing their on-off states. A coordinate computer calculates the absolute spatial positions where the scanner light beam is incident on the object at a given instant and continuously on a real time basis to generate a computer model of the object.
354 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Optical mensuration apparatus for mapping and recording the location.Iadd.s .Iaddend.of points on a surface of a three dimensional object comprising:
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. .a mounting structure, and.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.object positioned in . .immovable relation to said mounting structure, and.!. a three dimensional coordinate system . .defined in fixed relation to said mounting structure.!.; . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.a scanner .Iaddend.for projecting a scanning beam onto . .the.!. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.surface of . .the.!. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.object to illuminate a plurality of spots on the surface of the object; said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.being hand holdable and freely moveable by hand in relation to . .both said mounting structure and.!. said object and not connected mechanically or structurally to . .either said mounting structure and.!. said object; .Iadd.a .Iaddend.spot detector . .means.!. mounted to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.for detecting the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of the illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner.Iaddend.; .Iadd.a .Iaddend.position . .detecting means mounted on said mounting structure and.!. .Iadd.detector .Iaddend.remotely located from both said object and said . .scanning means for detecting the position of said scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.in .Iadd.known .Iaddend.relation to . .the.!. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.coordinate system.Iadd., which position detector is adapted to determine the position of said scanner in relation to said three dimensional coordinate system.Iaddend.;
. .andcomputing means.!. .Iadd.a computer .Iaddend.connected to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.and to said position . .detecting means.!. .Iadd.detector .Iaddend.for determining . .and recording.!. the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of said illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to the coordinate system by correlating the . .positions.!. .Iadd.locations .Iaddend.of said illuminated spots in relation to said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.with . .the respective.!. positions of said . .scanning means.!. .Iadd.scanner .Iaddend.in relation to said coordinate system when . .each.!. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.respective spot is illuminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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15. said mounting structure..Iaddend..Iadd.22. A method of mapping at least a portion of a surface on an object, which object is in a known position and orientation in a three dimensional coordinate system, comprising:
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disposing an object, comprising at least one surface, in a known position and orientation in a three dimensional coordinate system; disposing a hand holdable scanner in said coordinate system, unconnected mechanically or structurally to said object and freely moveable within said three dimensional coordinate system, so positioned that it can scan said surface; projecting a plurality of spots onto said surface portion; detecting the locations on said surface portion, in relation to a spot detector, of a sufficient number of spots to map at least said portion of the surface; at substantially the same time as the locations of the respective spots are being determined, determining the location of said spot detector in said coordinate system; correlating the locations of said respective spots with the position and orientation of said spot detector;
therebyindirectly determining the locations of said illuminated spots in said three dimensional coordinate system; and mapping said surface..Iaddend. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification