Method and apparatus for electro-optically determining the dimension, location and attitude of objects including light spot centroid determination
AssigneeDiffracto Ltd.
InventorsTimothy R. Pryor, Bernard Hockley, Nick Liptay-Wagner, Omer L. Hageniers, W. J. Pastorius
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for optically determining the dimension of part surfaces. Particular embodiments describe optical triangulation based coordinate measurement machines capable of accurate measurement of complex surfaces, such as gear teeth and turbine blades. Other embodiments provide highly useful sensors for robot guidance and related purposes. Up to 5 axis sensing capability is provided on surfaces of widely varying form.
Claims8
Apparatus for determining the centroid of an image of a zone of light on a light detector, said light detector comprising a linear array of discrete light sensitive elements, each of said elements being capable of generating an output signal responsive to light incident thereon, said apparatus comprising
- means for forming an image of a zone of light on the detector array, said image having an intensity above a pre-determined value such that the output signal of light sensitive elements on which image is incident exceeds a threshold value;
- means for scanning the array;
- means for determining, from the array scan, a first array location at which the output signal rises above the threshold value and a second array location at which the output falls below the threshold value;
- and
- means for determining from said first and second array locations, the location of the centroid of said light image on said detector.
A method for determining the centroid of an image of a zone of light on a light detector, said light detector comprising a linear array of discrete light sensitive elements, each of said elements being capable of generating an output signal responsive to light incident thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming an image of a zone of light on the detector array, said image having an intensity above a pre-determined value such that the output signal of light sensitive elements on which said image is incident exceeds a threshold value;
- scanning the array;
- determining, from the array scan, a first array location at which the output signal rises above the threshold value and a second array location at which the output falls below the threshold value;
- and
- determining from said first and second array locations, the location of the centroid of said light image on said detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.