Three dimensional information measurement method and apparatus

A three dimensional information measurement apparatus for measuring three dimensional information on a target, comprising:

• a rotator type mirror defining an interior space in which said target is placed;
• an imaging apparatus disposed with its light receiving axis aligned with a center axis of said rotator type mirror;
• a reference light projection and scanning apparatus including a motor rotating at least part of reference light projection and scanning apparatus to deflect light in a circumferential direction of said rotator type mirror and a scanner to deflect light in a direction parallel to said center axis of said rotator type mirror;
• and
• a computer receiving signals from said imaging apparatus and, based on a physical quantity corresponding to the projection angle of said reference light and on a physical quantity corresponding to the position of a projected image obtained from mirror reflected reference light detected by said imaging apparatus via said rotator type mirror, computes three dimensional information about said object.

A three dimensional information measurement apparatus for measuring three dimensional information on a target placed in an interior space of a rotator type mirror by using said rotator type mirror in combination with an imaging apparatus disposed with its light receiving axis aligned with a center axis of said rotator type mirror, comprising:

• reference light projection means for projecting reference light toward said rotator type mirror from a position on said center axis;
• main scanning means for deflecting said reference light so that mirror reflected reference light, produced by reflecting said reference light on said rotator type mirror, scans said target around the circumference thereof;
• sub scanning means for deflecting the projection angle of said reference light so that said mirror reflected reference light scans said target in a direction parallel to said center axis;
• and
• three dimensional information computing means for obtaining the three dimensional information of said target, based on a physical quantity corresponding to the projection angle of said reference light and on a physical quantity corresponding to the position of a projected image obtained when said mirror reflected reference light that scanned said target is captured by said imaging apparatus via said rotator type mirror.

A three dimensional information measurement apparatus for measuring three dimensional information on a target, comprising:

• a mirror having mirror surface facing to a space in which the target is placed;
• a reference light projection apparatus for projecting reference light to the target placed in the space via reflection of the mirror surface;
• an imaging apparatus for imaging the reference light on the target via reflection of the mirror surface;
• and
• a processor for generating a three dimensional information of a portion of the target on where the reference light is projected.