Driven scanning alignment for complex shapes
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsSimon Lancaster, Andrew Davidson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for accurately determining dimensional accuracy of a complex three dimensional shape are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes determining at least a non-critical feature and at least a critical feature of the 3-D component, determining a first datum using at least the non-critical feature, aligning the first datum to at least a portion of a reference shape, determining a second datum corresponding to the critical feature subsequent to the aligning, and determining the dimensional accuracy of the 3-D component by comparing the second datum to another portion of the reference shape.
Claims17
A method for determining dimensional accuracy of a three dimensional (3-D) object having a complex shaped surface S in comparison to a reference image of the 3-D object, comprising:
- obtaining scanned image data of the object and apportioning a surface of the scanned image into a plurality of regions;
- obtaining reference image data of the object and apportioning a surface of the reference image into a plurality of regions, wherein each of the plurality of reference image regions corresponds to one of the plurality of scanned image regions;
- comparing corresponding regions of the scanned image and the reference image and identifying a closest matching region based upon the comparing;
- determining a virtual datum based on the closest matching region and a critical feature;
- aligning the scanned image data and the reference image data using the virtual datum;
- and
- comparing the scanned image and the reference image.
A system for determining the dimensional accuracy of a three dimensional (3-D) component having a spline curved surface S, comprising:
- a processing unit;
- a scanning unit in communication with the processing unit and configured to scan a surface of the 3-D component and provide scanned image data;
- and
- a data storage unit in communication with the processing unit and configured to store reference image data and the scanned image data;
- wherein the processing unit compares the scanned image data to the reference image data by apportioning the scanned image data and reference image data into a plurality of corresponding regions, comparing the corresponding regions to identify a closest matching region, determining a virtual datum based on the closest matching region and a critical feature, and aligning the scanned image data to the reference image data using the virtual datum.
A system for determining the dimensional accuracy of a 3-D object having a complex shape, comprising:
- a chuck for securing the 3-D object;
- a scanning device for scanning a surface of the 3-D object while secured in the chuck, wherein the scanning device generates scanned image data;
- and
- a computing system having at least a user interface, a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores reference image data corresponding to a reference image of the 3-D object, and wherein the scanning device sends the scanned image data to the memory for storage;
- wherein the computing system registers the scanned image data to the reference image data using a virtual datum derived by apportioning the scanned image data and the reference image data into a plurality of corresponding regions, comparing the corresponding regions to identify a closest matching region, and determining the virtual datum based on the closest matching region and a critical feature.
A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer code used by a processor for determining dimensional accuracy of a three dimensional (3-D) object having a complex shaped surface S in comparison to a reference image of the 3-D object wherein the surface S is formed of essentially all spline curves, comprising:
- computer code for obtaining scanned image data of the object and apportioning a surface of the scanned image into a plurality of regions;
- computer code for obtaining reference image data of the object and apportioning a surface of the reference image into a plurality of regions, wherein each of the plurality of reference image regions corresponds to one of the plurality of scanned image regions;
- computer code for comparing corresponding regions of the scanned image and the reference image and identifying a closest matching region based upon the comparing;
- computer code for determining a virtual datum based on the closest matching region and a critical feature;
- computer code for aligning the scanned image data and the reference image data using the virtual datum;
- and
- computer code for comparing the scanned image and the reference image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.