Handheld apparatus for quantifying component features
AssigneeCognex Corporation
InventorsMichael C. Moed, Carl W. Gerst, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handheld device and method using the device, the device comprising a sensor receiving light from within a field of view (FOV) to generate a plurality of consecutive images of the FOV, a structured light source that is controllable to generate a plurality of light patterns, the source arranged to project at least one light patterns into the FOV where at least a portion of a pattern reflects from an object and is captured by the sensor and a processor to receive images, the processor programmed to control the source to project a pattern into the FOV, locate the pattern in at least one of the generated images, locate discontinuities in the pattern and use the discontinuities to measure at least one dimension.
Claims22
A handheld device for determining at least one dimension of an object, the device comprising:
- a hand held device housing structure;
- a sensor mounted within the housing structure, the sensor receiving light from within a sensor field of view (FOV) to generate a plurality of consecutive images of the sensor FOV;
- a structured light source that is controllable to generate a plurality of light patterns, the structured light source mounted to the housing for movement along with the sensor and arranged to project at least one of the plurality of light patterns into the sensor FOV where at least a portion of a projected light pattern reflects from an object located within the sensor FOV and is captured by the sensor;
- and
- a processor linked to the sensor to receive images of the sensor FOV generated by the sensor, the processor programmed to control the structured light source to project a light pattern into the sensor FOV, locate the projected light pattern in at least one of the generated images, locate discontinuities in the projected light pattern and use the discontinuities to measure the at least one dimension of the object in the sensor FOV,
- wherein the processor is programmed to analyze the projected light pattern in at least one of the generated images and generate through computational means a subsequent projected light pattern as a function of the analysis wherein the subsequent projected light pattern is not physically pre-determined using mechanical means or pre-stored in memory.
A handheld device for determining at least one dimension of an object, the device comprising:
- a hand held device housing structure;
- a sensor mounted within the housing structure, the sensor receiving light to within a sensor field of view (FOV) to generate images of the sensor FOV;
- an illuminator mounted to the housing for movement along with the sensor and arranged to project a plurality of different light patterns into the sensor FOV where at least a portion of the projected light pattern reflects from an object located within the sensor FOV and is captured by the sensor;
- and
- a processor linked to the sensor to receive images of the sensor FOV and linked to the illuminator for controlling selection of a first projected light pattern, the processor programmed to locate the first projected light pattern in a first obtained image, examine the first projected light pattern to generate through computational means a second light pattern that may be better suited to locate discontinuities useful in identifying the at least one dimension of the object in the sensor FOV wherein the second light pattern is not physically pre-determined using mechanical means or pre-stored in memory, control the illuminator to project the second light pattern into the sensor FOV while a second image is obtained, locate the second pattern in the second image, locate discontinuities in the second pattern and use the discontinuities in the second light pattern to measure the at least one dimension of the object in the sensor FOV.
A method for use with a handheld device for determining at least one dimension of an object, the handheld device including an image sensor having a field of view (FOV) and an illuminator mounted to a handheld housing so that the sensor and illuminator are manipulated as a single unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- using a processor in the handheld device to perform the steps of:
- projecting a first light pattern into the sensor FOV while an object is located within the sensor FOV;
- obtaining an image of the sensor FOV;
- locating the first projected light pattern in a first obtained image;
- examining the first projected light pattern to generate through computational means a second light pattern that may be better suited to locate discontinuities useful in identifying the at least one dimension of the object in the sensor FOV wherein the second light pattern is not physically pre-determined using mechanical means or pre-stored in memory;
- controlling the illuminator to project the second light pattern into the sensor FOV while a second image is obtained;
- locating the second light pattern in the second image;
- locating discontinuities in the identified second light pattern;
- and
- using the discontinuities in the identified second light pattern to measure the at least one dimension of the object in the sensor FOV.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.