Optical contour digitizer
AssigneeAmfit, Inc.
InventorsArjen Sundman, James T. Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention includes both a method and apparatus for measuring the shape of a surface of an object, such as a human foot. The apparatus includes a support for holding a compliant sheet of known color and retro-reflectivity. The compliant sheet conforms to the shape of the undersurface of the foot. A scanner scans a light beam along the undersurface of the compliant sheet from a vantage point that is below the compliant sheet. A sensor detects reflected light from the undersurface of the compliant sheet and feeds corresponding light value signals to a processor. The processor analyzes the signals and determines distance values to portions of the compliant sheet. The distance values enable a contour to be derived that is representative of the undersurface of the foot.
Claims22
A method of measuring the shape of an undersurface of an object, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) placing a surface of the object against a compliant sheet so as to cause said compliant sheet to conform to a shape of the surface of the object;
- b) scanning the undersurface of the compliant sheet with a light beam, from a vantage point that is below the compliant sheet;
- c) sensing reflected light intensities from said undersurface of the compliant sheet during said scanning;
- and
- d) determining distance values to portions of the compliant sheet from measured data derived from said reflected light intensities, said distance values enabling a contour to be derived of said surface of said object.
Apparatus for measuring a shape of a surface of an object, said apparatus comprising:
- a) support means for holding a compliant sheet, said compliant sheet responsive to placement of said surface of said object thereagainst to conform to a shape of said surface;
- b) scanning means for scanning a light beam along an undersurface of the compliant sheet, said scanning means oriented to project said light beam from a vantage point that is below the undersurface of the compliant sheet;
- c) sense means for detecting reflected light from said undersurface of the compliant sheet during said scanning;
- and
- d) processor means responsive to data derived from outputs from said sense means for determining distance values from a datum surface to portions of the compliant sheet, said distance values enabling a contour to be derived that represents said surface of said object.
A method of calibrating a distance measurement using a scanner and a compliant sheet, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) orienting the compliant sheet along a plane with respect to a datum surface;
- b) activating the scanner to scan an undersurface of the compliant sheet with a light beam;
- c) sensing reflected light while scanning the undersurface of the compliant sheet;
- d) computing a table which relates distance and a light value by comparing known physical distances between the regions of the compliant sheet and a datum surface, and correspondingly positioned light values measured in step c).
A method for measuring the shape of an undersurface of an object, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) conforming a compliant sheet to a shape of the undersurface of said object;
- b) scanning an undersurface of the compliant sheet with a beam of energy, from a vantage point that is below the compliant sheet;
- and
- c) employing reflections of said beam of energy from said compliant sheet to determine a contour of said shape of the undersurface of said object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.