# US 2019/0377964 A1 · Method and device for automatically identifying a point of interest in a depth measurement on a viewed object

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0377964 A1
- Document ID: US20190377964A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/282,999
- Filed: 2019-02-22
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2013-12-17
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Clark Alexander Bendall
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190377964A1

## CPC

- G01B 11/22: for measuring depth
- G01B 11/03: by measuring coordinates of points
- G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures
- G01N 21/8851: {Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002)}
- G06F 3/04812: Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
- G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach}
- G06T 19/00: Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics
- G01N 2021/8861: {Determining coordinates of flaws}
- G01N 2021/8887: {based on image processing techniques}
- G06T 2200/08: involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
- G06T 2207/10028: Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
- H04N 2013/0081: {Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals}
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A method and device for automatically identifying a point of interest in a depth measurement on a viewed object using a video inspection device is disclosed. The video inspect device determines the three-dimensional coordinates in a region of interest on the viewed object and analyzes those surface points to determine the desired measurement application (e.g., determining the deepest point, the highest point, or the clearance between two surfaces). Based on the desired measurement application, the video inspection device automatically identifies the point of interest on the viewed object and places a cursor at that location.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for automatically identifying a point of interest in a depth measurement of a viewed object, the method comprising the steps of:
displaying on a monitor an image of the viewed object;
determining the three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object using a central processor unit;
determining a reference surface using the central processor unit;
determining at least one region of interest that includes a plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object using the central processor unit;
determining a distance between each of the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object in the at least one region of interest and the reference surface using the central processor unit;
determining the point of interest as the point on the surface of the viewed object in the at least one region of interest having the greatest distance from the reference surface using the central processor unit; and
determining if the point of interest is on a surface that is substantially perpendicular to the reference surface.