Smart adaptive process for capturing 3d surface geometry
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorKenneth J. BOYKO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adaptive three-dimensional (3D) scanner having a light source configured to transmit light onto a surface according to a scanning pattern. A detector receives at least a portion of the light scattered by the surface. A processor is configured to determine, as a function of the received light, a distance between the light source and the surface and dynamically vary during scanning an angle at which the light is transmitted relative to a predefined coordinate system. In this manner, the processor repeatedly defines adjacent scan areas on the surface that are substantially equal in size.
Claims19
A method of three-dimensional (3D) scanning, the method comprising:
- transmitting light from a light source according to a scanning pattern, the light incident upon a surface under inspection and scattered thereby;
- detecting at least a portion of the light scattered by the surface;
- determining, as a function of the detected light, a distance between the light source and the surface;
- dynamically varying an angle at which the light is transmitted relative to a predefined coordinate system based on the determined distance to repeatedly define scan areas on the surface, the scan areas being adjacent each other and substantially equal in size.
A method of three-dimensional (3D) LiDAR scanning of a surface under inspection, the method comprising:
- transmitting light from a light source according to a scanning pattern, the light incident upon the surface and scattered thereby, the scanning pattern initially defining an initial polygon on the surface;
- detecting at least a portion of the light scattered by the surface at the initial polygon;
- determining, as a function of the detected light, a distance between the light source and the surface at the initial polygon;
- dynamically adapting the scanning pattern according to which the light is transmitted based on the determined distance, the adapted scanning pattern repeatedly defining polygons on the surface, the polygons being adjacent each other and substantially equal in size;
- and
- transmitting the light incident upon the surface at the adjacent polygons according to the adapted scanning pattern.
A LiDAR scanner comprising:
- a light source configured to transmit light according to a scanning pattern, the light incident upon a surface under inspection and scattered thereby;
- a detector configured to receive at least a portion of the light scattered by the surface;
- a scan processor;
- and
- a memory device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the scan processor, configure the scan processor to:
- determine, as a function of the received light, a distance between the light source and the surface;
- and
- dynamically vary an angle at which the light is transmitted relative to a predefined coordinate system during scanning based on the determined distance to repeatedly define scan areas on the surface, the scan areas being adjacent each other and substantially equal in size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.