US 8,526,012 B1Granted

Noncontact scanning system

AssigneeLaser Design Inc.

InventorsC. Martin Schuster, Gregory G. Hetzler

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Abstract

A noncontact object scanning system includes a horizontal table rotatable on a vertical axis, one or more scanners above the table and one or more scanners below the table. The table allows passage of radiant energy therethrough due to its transparency or construction as a nonreflective grid. A controller automatically steps the scanners through a scanning sequence, each scan associated with a segment of the object's exterior surface. Surface segments scanned from above the table and from below the table combine to provide a comprehensive scan of the entire exterior surface. Adjacent surface segments overlap one another to provide redundant data used to overcome shadowing effects from the grid and to accurately align and merge the segments into a three dimensional representation of the complete exterior shape of the object. The scanners can incorporate color responsive light detectors whereby the three dimensional representation portrays color and shape.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A non-contact object scanning system, including:

a support structure for maintaining an object completely within a predetermined viewing volume for exposure to radiant energy for surface scanning, wherein the support structure, at least within and proximate the viewing volume, is formed of a material substantially nonreflective of the radiant energy and further is adapted to allow passage of the radiant energy therethrough;
a scanning apparatus comprising a radiant energy source located outside of the viewing volume to direct the radiant energy onto the object maintained in the viewing volume, and a radiant energy sensor adapted to detect the radiant energy reflected by an exterior surface of the object visible from outside the viewing volume;
a controller operatively associated with the scanning apparatus to automatically step the scanning apparatus through a sequence of scans of the object maintained in the viewing volume, wherein each of the scans comprises directing the radiant energy onto a selected segment of the exterior surface associated with the scan, and detecting the radiant energy reflected by the associated segment to generate a surface data set representing a three-dimensional shape of the associated segment, wherein the sequence of scans consists essentially of direct scans of first selected segments disposed to receive the radiant energy directly from the radiant energy source, and indirect scans of second selected segments disposed to receive the radiant energy via passage of the radiant energy through the support structure, and the first segments and second segments in combination comprise substantially the entire visible exterior surface;
and
an information processor coupled to receive the surface data sets associated with the scans of the sequence, and adapted to merge and align the surface data sets into a selected three dimensional coordinate space to generate in said space a three dimensional representation of an entire continuous exterior shape of the object.

2 more elements

A process for generating an exterior surface scan of an object, including:

using a support structure to maintain an object completely within a predetermined viewing volume, wherein the support structure at least within and proximate the viewing volume is constructed of a nonreflective material and is configured to allow passage of radiant energy therethrough;
with the object maintained in the viewing volume, scanning the object by directing radiant energy onto an exterior surface of the object from outside the viewing volume automatically in a sequence of scans, wherein each of the scans comprises directing radiant energy onto a selected segment of the exterior surface associated with the scan, wherein the sequence of scans consists essentially of a plurality of direct scans on first selected segments receiving the radiant energy directly from the radiant energy source and a plurality of indirect scans of second selected segments receiving the radiant energy via passage of the radiant energy through the support structure, and wherein the first and second segments in combination comprise substantially the entire visible exterior surface;
detecting the radiant energy reflected by the selected segments to generate with respect to each segment a surface data set describing a three dimensional shape of the associated segment;
and
merging and aligning the surface data sets in a selected three dimensional coordinate space to generate in said space a three dimensional representation of an entire continuous exterior shape of the object.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.