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US 6,549,639 B1Granted
Body part imaging system
AssigneeGenovation Inc.
InventorLeonard J. Genest
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imaging system places an object upon a background pattern of regular repetitive marks and records a 2D image that is then processed for determining where in the image the repetitive marks are interrupted by the object, thereby indirectly determining the edge of the object. Multiple 2D images from different perspective are used to create a 3D image of the object. When the object is a human foot, individual bar codes and imaged foot dimensions can be cross-referenced to manufactured shoe sizes for accurate ordering of correctly sized footwear.
Claims19
A system for imaging an object, the system comprising,
- a surface having patterned areas and a reference area, the object providing a object image, the object being disposed in front of patterned areas for obstructing patterned images of the patterned areas positioned relative to the reference area providing an unobstructed reference image,
- a camera for focusing upon the object, upon the patterned areas, and upon the reference areas from differing perspectives at respective perspective positions for capturing respective composite images each comprising the object image, the patterned images and the reference image, the camera for providing a data stream of the composite image comprising X rows and Y columns of an array of pixels, the data stream providing a series of transitions indicating regularity of the patterned images, the duration of between each transition indicating a number of pixels along one of the X rows and Y columns of the array of pixels, and
- a processing means for receiving the data stream and for determining along one of the rows or columns of the array of pixels the number of pixels between each of the transitions for determining an interruption in regularity of number of pixels between each of the transitions for indicating where the object obstructs the patterned areas at an obstructed pattern area of one of the patterned areas for indirectly indicating the 2D edge point of the object, and for determining a distance between the reference area and obstructed patterned area for determining the 2D edge point of the object relative to the reference area.
A system for imaging a foot of a human being, the system comprising,
- a floor panel having floor patterned areas,
- a back panel having back pattern areas,
- a reference area, the foot providing a foot image, the foot being disposed in on the floor panel on the floor patterned areas and in front of back panel in front of the back patterned areas for respectively obstructing the floor and back patterned images of the pattern areas positioned relative to the reference area providing an unobstructed reference image,
- a camera means for focusing upon the foot, upon the floor patterned areas, upon the back patterned areas, and upon the reference areas from differing perspectives at respective perspective positions for capturing respective composite images each comprising the foot image, the floor and back patterned images and the reference image, the camera mean for providing a data stream of the composite image comprising X rows and Y columns of an array of pixels, the data stream providing a series of transitions indicating regularity of the patterned images, the duration of between each transition indicating a number of pixels along one of the X rows and Y columns of the array of pixels, and
- a processing means for receiving the data stream and for determining along one of the rows or columns of the array of pixels the number of pixels between each of the transitions for determining an interruption in regularity of number of pixels between each of the transitions for indicating where the foot obstructs the floor and back patterned areas at an obstructed pattern area of one of the patterned areas for indirectly indicating the 2D edge point of the object, and for determining a distance between the reference area and obstructed patterned area for determining the 2D edge point of the object relative to the reference area.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.