System for dimensioning objects

A system for measuring the height and profile of an object having an outer surface, comprising:

• a source, having two or more light sources, including a first light source providing a first light beam having a structured energy pattern for irradiating the outer surface of the object;
• said structured energy pattern having a constant dimension, and a second light source providing a second light beam for uniformly illuminating the outer surface of the object;
• a sensor, for individually sensing the outer surface of the object as irradiated by said first light beam and said second light beam;
• said sensor including a first, a second and a third camera system for viewing the object, each said camera having a field of view, said field of views of said second and said third camera overlapping opposite extremes of said field of view of said first camera, such that said first camera field of view comprises a left, a center and a right region;
• a system for removing interference resulting from unwanted markings on the surface of the object by dividing said first light beam sensed by said sensor with said second light beam sensed by said sensor;
• and
• a system for performing a spatial transform on said structured pattern energy beam sensed by said sensor in said left, said center, and said right regions of said first camera field of view, thereby calculating the height of the object.

A system for developing a profile of an object having an upper outer surface, a height and an edge, said system comprising:

• a first light source for generating a first light beam having a structured light pattern, said structured light pattern having a constant dimension, the outer surface of the object illuminated by said structured light pattern;
• a second light source for generating a second light beam having an intensity, the outer surface of the object uniformly illuminated by said second light beam;
• a system for enabling said first light source while disabling said second light source, and for enabling said second light source while disabling said first light source;
• a sensor for sensing the outer surface illuminated by said first light beam structured light pattern, and for sensing the outer surface illuminated by said second light beam, said sensor comprising a first, a second, and a third camera system, each of said camera systems comprising a field of view, said field of view of said first camera system comprising a left, a center, and a right region, said left region falling within said second camera system's field of view and said right region falling within said third camera system's field of view;
• and
• a computer for developing a profile of the object comprising:
• a system for performing a spatial transform on said structured light pattern illuminating the outer surface of the object sensed by said sensor and falling within said field of view of said first camera system, and said left, said center and said right regions;
• a system for calculating the height of the object in response to said spatial transforms for said left, said center and said right regions of said first camera field of view by determining a discrete peak location for each of said transform and calculating a peak ratio and an edge of the object in response to said discrete peak location, to provide a height profile of the object in said left, center, and right regions of said first camera field of view;
• said system further calculating average redundant height value therefrom;
• and
• a system for locating the edge of the object in response to the outer surface of the object illuminated by said second light source.

A method of developing a profile of an object having an outer surface, a height and an edge, said method comprising the steps of:

• irradiating the outer surface of the object with a first light beam having a structured light pattern and a constant dimension;
• sensing the outer surface of the object illuminated by said structured light pattern falling within a field of view of a sensor, said field of view having a left, a center, and a right region;
• performing a spatial transform on said structured light pattern sensed within said field of view, and said left, center, and right regions;
• calculating the height of the object in response to the spatial transforms performed on said structured light pattern sensed within said field of view, and said left, center, and right regions such that a height profile is created for said field of view, and said left, center, and right regions, and calculating an average height profile therefrom;
• illuminating the outer surface of the object with a second light beam falling within said field of view of said sensor such that a light intensity profile is created for said field of view, and said left, center, and right regions;
• locating the edge of the object in response to the light intensity profile of the outer surface of the object illuminated by said second light beam and sensed by said sensor;
• subtracting from the light intensity profile of said field of view the light intensity profile of at least one of said left region and said right region such that a differential light intensity profile is created;
• and
• combining redundant edge location data from said differential light intensity profile and edge data from said light intensity profile of said at least one of
• said left region and said right region such that combined redundant edge data is created.