Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
356612000 | By specular reflection | 63 |
20080225303 | Method and Apparatus for the Three-Dimensional Measurement of the Shape and the Local Surface Normal of Preferably Specular Objects - An apparatus and a method permit the 3D detection of specular objects which are transparent to visible light. The method operates on the basis of the principle of deflectometry with specific improvements. | 09-18-2008 |
20080291468 | Apparatus and method for measuring height of protuberances - The height of protuberances present on the surface of a product, typically a bump wafer, can be measured with a high accuracy irrespective of the state of the upper surfaces of the protuberances. In the signal processor of a bump height measuring apparatus, a bump height measurement area setting section set a bump height measurement area by the bump layout information, a statistical application section averages the height data in an statistical calculation within the measurement area, a contour line calculating section calculates a contour line of a section of the bump, and a bump height determining section determines a peak value in the contour line as the height of the bump. | 11-27-2008 |
20080304081 | Acquisition of Surface Normal Maps from Spherical Gradient Illumination - An apparatus for generating a surface normal map of an object may include a plurality of light sources having intensities that are controllable so as to generate one or more gradient illumination patterns. The light sources are configured and arranged to illuminate the surface of the object with the gradient illumination patterns. A camera may receive light reflected from the illuminated surface of the object, and generate data representative of the reflected light. A processing system may process the data so as to estimate the surface normal map of the surface of the object. A specular normal map and a diffuse normal map of the surface of the object may be generated separately, by placing polarizers on the light sources and in front of the camera so as to illuminate the surface of the object with polarized spherical gradient illumination patterns. | 12-11-2008 |
20090027691 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method with Reduced Scribe Lane Usage for Substrate Measurement - In a device manufacturing method and a metrology apparatus, metrology measurements are executed using radiation having a first wavelength. Subsequently a grid of conducting material is applied on the substrate, the grid having grid openings which in a first direction in the plane of the grid are smaller than the first wavelength. The space in the scribe lane where the measurement target was, is now shielded and may be used again in further layers or processing steps of the substrate. | 01-29-2009 |
20090040533 | Tire shape measuring system - A tire shape measuring system measures a surface shape on the basis of an image of a line of light (a light section line) emitted to a surface of a relatively rotating tire using a light-section method. The shape measuring system includes a light projector for emitting a plurality of lines of light onto a tire surface in directions different from a direction in which the height of the surface is detected so as to form a plurality of separate light section lines and a camera for capturing images of the light section lines in directions in which chief rays of the lines of light are specularly reflected by the tire surface. The shape measuring system individually detects the coordinates of the light section lines from images of pre-defined independent image processing target areas for each captured image and calculates the distribution of the surface height using the detected coordinates. | 02-12-2009 |
20090091769 | Inner surface measuring apparatus - The inner surface shape of a hole, in particular, the inner surface shape of a hole the entry of which is narrow and which becomes wider further in from the entry, can be measured at a high level of accuracy. An inner surface measuring apparatus is provided which comprises: a low coherent light source that outputs low coherent light in to two; a low coherent light dividing section that divides one portion of the low coherent light; a light path length adjusting section that adjusts a light path length of one of the low coherent lights divided by the low coherent light dividing section; a straight rod shaped probe that irradiates the other of the low coherent lights divided by the low coherent light dividing section from a front end section onto a measurement object arranged in a direction intersecting with the lengthwise direction of the probe; a low coherent light multiplexing section that multiplexes a low coherent light that returns having been reflected on the measurement object with the one low coherent light whose light path length has been adjusted by the light path length adjusting section; a light detector that detects the multiplexed low coherent light; and a rotation mechanism that relatively rotates the probe and the measurement object about an axis along the lengthwise direction of the probe. | 04-09-2009 |
20090103108 | SURFACE PROFILE MEASURING APPARATUS - A surface profile measuring apparatus includes a light source assembly, a spatial light modulator, a spectroscope, a wave-front sensor, and a control-processing device. The light source assembly has a liquid crystal display pixel structure and is configured for providing parallel light. The spatial light modulator is positioned to receive the light from the light source assembly. The spectroscope is positioned to receive the light from the spatial light modulator. The wave-front sensor is positioned to receive the light from the spectroscope. The control-processing device is electrically connected to the spatial light modulator and the wave-front sensor. The surface profile measuring apparatus can measure the surface profile of an object and not contact the surface of the object in cooperation with the spatial light modulator, the spectroscope and the wave-front sensor. Therefore, the surface of the object is protected from being damaged. | 04-23-2009 |
20090195790 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An apparatus for measuring the coordinates of a point on the surface of an object comprises a projection system for projecting a beam of energy onto the surface of the object, a receiving system for receiving reflected beam energy from the target surface, and a detector for detecting the received energy. The projection system comprises a beam expander for expanding the width of the beam, and a focussing device for focussing the projected beam. The position of the reflected beam energy at the detector provides a measure of the range of the point on the target surface using triangulation and the direction of the projected beam provides the x and y coordinates. The focussing device can be controlled to vary the focal length of the projected beam and to control the beam size at the target object to vary the area of the target surface illuminated by the beam and thereby to control the resolution of the measurements. | 08-06-2009 |
20090207420 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC MEASUREMENT - The invention provides a handheld electronic gauge that is configured to obtain measurement data for an object, such as a wheel, rail, axle, or the like. The gauge includes one or more position sensors that automatically determine when the gauge is in a measurement position. The invention also provides a handheld computing device that can automatically determine when a gauge is in the measurement position and automatically obtain measurement data using the gauge. As a result, the invention provides a solution for measuring an object, such as a railway wheel, that is portable and capable of repeatedly providing various desired measurements, irrespective of the operator. | 08-20-2009 |
20090262367 | Device for Acquiring a Three-Dimensional Video Constituted by 3-D Frames Which Contain the Shape and Color of the Acquired Body - A device for acquiring the three-dimensional shape of the surface of an object comprises a lens; deflection means; at least two masks; at least two projection assemblies adapted to emit light beams which, by passing through the masks and the deflection means and by traveling along a channel which passes through the lens, strike the object to be acquired, projecting onto it the mutually offset images of the masks; means for acquiring the images reflected by the object; and means for processing the reflected images. The deflection means are semireflecting and the masks are adapted to project fringe images of the cosinusoidal type through the deflection means. | 10-22-2009 |
20100060905 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE SHAPE OF A REFLECTIVE SURFACE - The invention describes a method for measuring the shape of a reflective surface ( | 03-11-2010 |
20100141961 | MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING GEOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF PROFILE SECTIONS - Disclosed is a measuring instrument for determining geometric properties of a profiled element. Said measuring instrument comprises:—a device that generates at least one first light beam ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100157315 | HYBRID DIFFRACTION MODELING OF DIFFRACTING STRUCTURES - Diffraction modeling of a diffracting structure employing at least two distinct differential equation solution methods. In an embodiment, a rigorous coupled wave (RCW) method and a coordinate transform (C) method are coupled with a same S-matrix algorithm to provide a model profile for a scatterometry measurement of a diffracting structure having unknown parameters. In an embodiment, a rigorous coupled wave (RCW) method and a coordinate transform (C) method generate a modeled angular spectrum of diffracted orders as a prediction for how a diffracting photolithographic mask images onto a substrate. | 06-24-2010 |
20100171965 | Method for Measuring the Thickness or Curvature of Thin Films - A method and means for determining the thickness, or curvature, of a thin film or stack of thin films disposed on the surface of a substrate having a curvature comprising generating a beam of radiation, focusing the beam through the one or more films onto a surface of the substrate, measuring the intensity across the reflected beam as a function of the angle of incidence of a plurality of rays derived from the focussed beam, determining the path of each of the plurality of rays and determining the thickness, or curvature of the film, or films, from the angular dependent intensity measurement. | 07-08-2010 |
20100177324 | Method and apparatus for optically measuring periodic structures using orthogonal azimuthal sample orientation - An optical metrology apparatus for measuring periodic structures using multiple incident azimuthal (phi) and polar (theta) incident angles is described. One embodiment provides the enhanced calculation speed for the special case of phi=90 incidence for 1-D (line and space) structures, which has the incident plane parallel to the grating lines, as opposed to the phi=0 classical mounting, which has incident plane perpendicular to the grating lines. The enhancement reduces the computation time of the phi=90 case to the same order as the corresponding phi=0 case, and in some cases the phi=90 case can be significantly faster. One advantageous configuration consists of two measurements for each sample structure, one perpendicular to the grating lines and one parallel. This provides additional information about the structure, equivalent to two simultaneous angles of incidence, without excessive increase in computation time. Alternately, in cases where the computation for phi=90 is faster than the corresponding phi=0 incidence, it may be advantageous to measure parallel to the grating lines only. In the case where two sets of incident angles are used, the incident light can be polarized to provide a total of four sets of data—R | 07-15-2010 |
20100321704 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPE MEASURING SYSTEM AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPE MEASURING METHOD - Chirped light pulses, the color of which changes regularly with time, are generated and applied to an object to be measured. A reflected light image of the chirped light pulses reflected from the object is acquired. Then, three-dimensional information of the object is acquired using two-dimensional information, color information represented by the reflected light image of the chirped light pulses, and the field of vision of the three-dimensional information to be acquired is enlarged. | 12-23-2010 |
20100328679 | Method and System for Device Identification - Disclosed is a medical device susceptible of identification using interference patterns. A source signal may be directed from an energy source towards the surface of a device for reflection therefrom. An interference pattern may be detected from the surface of the device, such as by a sensor. A determination as to whether a match exists between the representation of the interference pattern and a stored representation of an interference pattern may be performed. If a match exists, the device may be identified based on the stored representation of the interference pattern. Otherwise, a representation of the interference pattern may be stored and a unique identifier may be assigned to the stored representation of the interference pattern. | 12-30-2010 |
20110001984 | Apparatus for imaging the inner surface of a cavity within a workpiece - An apparatus for imaging the inner surface of a cavity in a workpiece has an optical system including a panoramic field of view that is linked to an imager and a downstream evaluation device by an image communication link. The apparatus furthermore has an illumination system including a light source to illuminate an imaging region of the inner surface, which region has been captured by the optical system. According to the invention, the illumination system is disposed in such a way relative to optical system, and for which the beam path is selected in such a way, that a first axial section of the imaging region is able to be illuminated under brightfield illumination, while simultaneously a second axial region spaced apart from the first axial region is able to be illuminated under darkfield illumination. | 01-06-2011 |
20110043825 | MEASURING APPARATUS - A measuring apparatus measuring a surface shape of a target includes a projection optical system to radiate a line beam on the target, an imaging device to acquire a reflected line beam reflected from the target, an optical imaging system to cause the reflected line beam to form an image on a receiving surface of the imaging device to acquire a shape of the line beam on the target, and a splitting mechanism to split the reflected line beam so as to acquire the shape of the line beam on the target at different positions in an extending direction of the line beam and guide the split reflected line beams to the imaging device. A plurality of segments are set on the receiving surface while each segment in which at least one region is set as a reception region is partitioned into a plurality of regions, and the optical imaging system causes the split reflected line beams to form images on the reception regions in the different segments, respectively. | 02-24-2011 |
20110063625 | Method and apparatus for real-time determination of curvature and azimuthal asymmetry of a surface - An apparatus for measuring a curvature of a surface ( | 03-17-2011 |
20110069320 | INSPECTING SYSTEM AND INSPECTING METHOD - An object of the present invention is to apply a phase shift method to a workpiece having a rough surface to accurately detect an abnormal concave-convex irregularity. Therefore, in an inspecting system of the present invention, an image of a stripe pattern reflected on an inspection target surface is detected at a shallow angle, and one or more continuous unit stripes of a unit stripes reflected image is specified among from the stripe pattern reflected images existing in a predetermined distance range counted from the edge in a closer side to the workpiece. Then, the phase of the specified unit stripes reflected image is varied to apply a phase shift method and scan the inspection target surface with the unit stripes reflected image to thereby detect the abnormal concave-convex irregularity. | 03-24-2011 |
20110080595 | SURFACE SHAPE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - An apparatus for measuring a shape of a surface, comprises a measurement head which measures a direction of a normal from the surface to a reference point by detecting test light obtained when light that passes through the reference point is emitted, is reflected by the surface, and returns to the reference point, a scanning mechanism which scans the measurement head, and a processor which calculates the shape of the surface based on the direction of the normal measured using the measurement head and a position of the reference point. | 04-07-2011 |
20110122420 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A HEIGHT OF A NUMBER OF SPATIAL POSITIONS ON A SAMPLE - The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a height of a number of spatial positions on a sample, defining a height map of a surface of said sample. The method can involve irradiating the surface of the sample with light including a spatial periodic pattern in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis and moving parallel to the pattern, scanning the surface in the direction of the optical axis for each position of the surface and detecting the light reflected by the sample by a detector during the scanning. In any scanning position, only a single image is taken, and the scanning speed has a predetermined relation to the phase of the periodic pattern. Analyzing an output signal of the detector can involve, for each spatial position of the detector, determining of an amplitude of the signal detected during the scanning and determining a scanning location where the amplitude is maximal. | 05-26-2011 |
20110199619 | MEASURING STATION FOR HIGH-GLOSS SURFACES - The invention relates to a method of measuring a profile of a reflecting face of a work piece, in particular a reflecting face of an end ( | 08-18-2011 |
20110261369 | Surface shape measurement apparatus and method - Apparatus for indicating the departure of a shape of an object ( | 10-27-2011 |
20120026512 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS USING MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS - An apparatus ( | 02-02-2012 |
20120044505 | SURFACE INSPECTING APPARATUS AND SURFACE INSPECTING METHOD - A surface inspecting apparatus rotates a semiconductor wafer | 02-23-2012 |
20120069354 | Vision recognition system for produce labeling - A vision recognition system is provided for use with a high speed, automatic produce labeling machine. The system uses laser profiling to direct a sheet of light transversely to the longitudinal axis of a produce feed conveyor. The sheet of light periodically impacts, and generates laser profiles of, the surfaces of the produce items, such as pears, being fed by the conveyor to one or more labeling machines. The laser profiles are used to generate real world (x,y) coordinates of the domes of the incoming produce items, which are passed to the labeling machine or machines. Real world height (or z) coordinates may also be created and passed to the labeler. | 03-22-2012 |
20120086952 | Providing Thermal Compensation for Topographic Measurement at an Elevated Temperature Using a Non-Contact Vibration Transducer - A mechanism for providing thermal compensation when measuring surface topography at an elevated temperature using a non-contact vibration transducer, such as a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Thermal compensation is provided to a detector output signal to correct for thermal diffraction of a reflected portion of a beam of radiant energy directed at a surface of a test object. The thermal compensation is based on a calculated deviation between the detector output signal r | 04-12-2012 |
20120099116 | THICKNESS VARIATION MEASURING DEVICE, SYSTEM USING SAME, SURFACE MICROSCOPE USING SAME, THICKNESS VARIATION MEASURING METHOD, AND SURFACE IMAGE ACQUIRING METHOD USING SAME - Provided are an apparatus for measuring a thickness change, a system using the apparatus, a morphology microscope using the apparatus, a method of measuring a thickness change, and a method of acquiring a morphology image by using the measuring method, by which a minute thickness change may be precisely and accurately measured or a morphology image may be acquired by using an inexpensive and simple configuration. The apparatus includes a light source for irradiating beam onto a target object; a curved reflector for reflecting the beam reflected on the target object and incident onto the curved reflector; and a sensing unit for sensing the beam reflected on the curved reflector. | 04-26-2012 |
20120113435 | APPARATUS FOR GENERATING THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE OF OBJECT - A non-contact laser triangulation scanning apparatus for generating a three-dimensional image of the surface of an object based on the 3D surface position and surface contrast information. The apparatus comprises a laser source, a first optical unit, a second optical unit, a photosensitive positional detector having a plurality of sensor elements, and an incident light measurement device. According to generated timing signals having a predetermined time interval, a reset timing of the sensor elements of the photosensitive positional detector is controlled. The incident light measurement device measures an amount of a certifying laser light after one timing signal. An amount of a measurement laser light is determined dependent on the measured amount of the certifying laser light. The three-dimensional image is generated by combining position data derived from signals of the positional detector with contrast data derived at least from signals of the incident light measurement device. | 05-10-2012 |
20120140244 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - A method for optically scanning and measuring an environment of a laser scanner includes the steps of emitting an emission light beam by a light emitter, reflecting the emission light beam by a mirror into the environment, wherein several complete revolutions are made during rotation of the measuring head, receiving a reception light beam by a light receiver via the mirror, which reception light beam is reflected by an object in the environment of the laser scanner , and determining for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance of the center to the object, wherein the measuring head makes more than half a revolution for the scan, and wherein at least some measuring points are doubly determined. | 06-07-2012 |
20120170053 | APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF AN OBJECT - In an apparatus for measuring the dimensions of an object, an opto-electronic sensor system includes an illumination device which sends light towards the object and a receiving device which receives light reflected from the object. In particular, the apparatus includes means for optically splitting the field of view of the opto-electronic sensor system into a plurality of sectors. Each of these sectors covers at least a partial view of the object under inspection from a unique viewing point. The arrangement of the optical splitting means is selected so that based on the respective field of view and the location of the actual or virtual viewing point of each sector the area on the object surface which is visible from at least one of said viewing points is maximized. The apparatus uses only one opto-electronic sensor, but obtains multi-perspective imaging of the object. | 07-05-2012 |
20120188559 | DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY SCANNING AND MEASURING AN ENVIRONMENT - In a laser scanner for optically scanning and measuring an environment, the scanner having a center which defines for a scan the stationary reference system of the scanner and the center of the scan, a light emitter which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam reflected by an object in the environment of the scanner, a control and evaluation unit which determines, for a multitude of measuring points of the scan, at least the distance between the center of the scan and the object, the scanner, for registering a scene with several scans having different centers, being movable between the centers of the scans, and a scanner mouse for registering the path followed by the scanner between the different centers of the scans, the scanner mouse optically registering the movement of the laser scanner relative to a reference surface. | 07-26-2012 |
20120218563 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR POSITION DETERMINATION AND SURFACE MEASUREMENT - In an embodiment a method for position determination of an object ( | 08-30-2012 |
20120262726 | SHAPE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - Disclosed is a shape measurement device including: a light irradiation unit which irradiates linear light onto a work; an imaging element which images reflected light reflected by the work; and an image-forming lens which forms an image of the reflected light reflected by the work on an imaging plane of the imaging element, and a light irradiation plane of the light irradiation unit, a principal plane including a principal point of the image-forming lens, and the imaging plane of the imaging element satisfy a Scheimpflug principle. The shape measurement device further includes: an image obtaining region selection unit which divides the imaging plane of the imaging element into a plurality of regions, and selects, as an image obtaining region, a region for use in measurement from the plurality of regions in response to at least one of measurement accuracy and a size of a measurement range. | 10-18-2012 |
20130120760 | AMBIENT LIGHT REJECTION FOR NON-IMAGING CONTACT SENSORS - A sensor for capturing images of skin topology is provided having a platen, and a one or two-dimensional array of light sensing pixel elements for receiving light representative of skin topology when skin, such as finger(s), are present upon the platen. Such sensor being improved by structures, layers, or methods for reducing or blocking ambient light which would hinder the light sensing pixel elements from sensing the light representative of skin topology. The sensors are non-imaging contact sensors as they have platen to contact skin to be imaged, and do not require optics, such as lenses for focusing and/or magnification, to enable proper capture of light representative of skin topology on the sensor's light sensing pixel elements. | 05-16-2013 |
20130155418 | NON-CONTACT SENSOR HAVING IMPROVED LASER SPOT - A non-contact sensing system acquiring three-dimensional information includes a laser light source and fiber generating a Gaussian optical beam. A movable mirror is angularly adjusted to scan the beam to an area of illumination. A lens package between the light source and the movable mirror focuses the optical beam to under-fill a movable mirror optical surface and control an optical beam scanned volume. The optical beam reflected by the movable mirror is redirected using a fold mirror orthogonal to an optical beam orientation. The optical beam is maintained Gaussian by the mirrors and lenses. An imaging device having a field of view intersecting the area of illumination receives optical beam image data reflected from the area of illumination. A control module communicating with the imaging device receives an object location in the imaging device field of view from the image data and reports object location data to a coordinate system. | 06-20-2013 |
20130188199 | NORMAL VECTOR TRACING ULTRA-PRECISION SHAPE MEASUREMENT METHOD | 07-25-2013 |
20130222815 | CHROMATIC RANGE SENSOR INCLUDING MEASUREMENT RELIABILITY CHARACTERIZATION - A method of categorizing the reliability of measurement data in a chromatic range sensor (e.g., an optical pen) which uses chromatically dispersed light to measure the distance to a surface. In one embodiment, the system performs a number of predetermined reliability checks which determine the reliability categories for the sets of measurement data. The reliability categories may be stored as metadata with the respective workpiece height measurements that are determined from the associated measurement data. The reliability categories may be reported to the user (e.g., as graphical reliability category indicators that accompany a graphical display of the measurement data). With these reliability categories, the user may make informed decisions regarding the measurement data (e.g., deciding to filter out data that is associated with certain reliability categories, making adjustments to the setup to achieve improved measurements, etc.). | 08-29-2013 |
20130229667 | Apparatus and Method for Determining Inner Profiles of Hollow Devices - In one aspect, an apparatus for determining an internal profile of a measured device is provided, which method in one embodiment may include: a housing having a first axis, a measuring device configured to emit a light beam along a second axis offset from the first axis; a deflection device configured to direct the emitted light beam to an inner surface of the measured device; and a driver configured to rotate the measuring device about the first axis. | 09-05-2013 |
20130265588 | CIRCUMFERENTIAL LASER CRAWLER - An automated motorized assembly may be utilized to move a laser reflector on inside or outside surfaces, along edges of barrel shape structures. The laser reflector may be used to reflect laser signals back to a laser tracker metrology system locked in on the laser reflector. The laser tracker may follow the laser reflector as it moves along an edge of a barrel shape structure, acquiring circumferential data. The laser reflector may be moved to different positions to enable obtaining different circumferential rows of data. The automated motorized assembly may comprise a movement component that ensures consistent, continued, and/or tight movement along the traversed edge. The movement component may comprise a plurality of wheels and/or rollers, and one or more motors for driving at least some of the wheels and/or rollers. The automated motorized assembly may be controlled by user input, which may be communicated wirelessly. | 10-10-2013 |
20130308139 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING SURFACES IN A HIGHLY PRECISE MANNER - A device and a method for measuring at least one surface section of an object that is mounted on a carrier includes at least one reference object that can be fixed relative to the carrier, and a holder that can be moved relative to the reference object in at least one first direction and on which a reference body and a distance measuring device are arranged. The reference body and the distance measuring device are mounted in a rotatable manner relative to each other. The distance measuring device is designed to determine a first distance to a first point of the surface section of the object and a second distance to a second point of the reference body wherein the second point corresponds to the first point. | 11-21-2013 |
20140043621 | SURFACE FEATURES CHARACTERIZATION - Provided herein is an apparatus, including a photon detector array configured to receive photons scattered from features in a surface of an article; and a characterization means for characterizing the features in the surface of the article, wherein the characterization means contrasts signals from the photon detector array corresponding to two sets of photons scattered from features in the surface of the article, and the two sets of photons respectively originate from photon emitters at different locations. | 02-13-2014 |
20140055794 | SHAPE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS, AND SHAPE MEASUREMENT METHOD - A shape measurement apparatus includes a distance measurement meter configured to emit and receive the beam in relation to the object; a beam deflection mechanism configured to deflect the beam from the distance measurement meter; and a control unit configured to determine at least one of a maximum beam deflection angle due to the beam deflection mechanism and the distance between a detected surface and the beam deflection mechanism when the beam is incident perpendicularly to the detected surface of the object, so that an error of a first measurement error that depends on a change in a spot diameter of the beam on the detected surface and a second measurement error that depends on an incidence angle on the detected surface of the beam is no more than a threshold value of a permitted error. | 02-27-2014 |
20140104622 | SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING THE SHAPE OF MOTOR VEHICLES - A system for obtaining the external shape of motor vehicles can be applied to car-washing apparatuses. The system is able to reproduce the external shape of motor vehicles. The system has means for detecting the outer shape of a motor vehicle, a central operating control unit, and software means for handling and processing data loaded on the central operating control unit. | 04-17-2014 |
20140153001 | GIMBALED SCANNING MIRROR ARRAY - An optical scanning device includes a substrate, which is etched to define an array of two or more parallel micromirrors and a support surrounding the micromirrors. Respective spindles connect the micromirrors to the support, thereby defining respective parallel axes of rotation of the micromirrors relative to the support. One or more flexible coupling members are connected to the micromirrors so as to synchronize an oscillation of the micromirrors about the respective axes. | 06-05-2014 |
20140198321 | SURFACE SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - In related art, consideration is not given to that a spatial distribution of scattered light changes in various direction such as forward/backward/sideways according to a difference in micro roughness. Particularly, although a step-terrace structure appearing on an epitaxial growth wafer produces anisotropy in the scattered light distribution, consideration is not given to this point in the related art. The invention includes a process in which light is illuminated to a sample surface, plural detection optical systems mutually different in directions of optical axes detect a spatial distribution of scattered light, and a spatial frequency spectrum of the sample surface is calculated. | 07-17-2014 |
20140313519 | DEPTH SCANNING WITH MULTIPLE EMITTERS - Mapping apparatus includes a transmitter, which is configured to emit, in alternation, at least two beams comprising pulses of light along respective beam axes that are mutually offset transversely relative to a scan line direction of a raster pattern. A scanner is configured to scan the two or more beams in the raster pattern over a scene. A receiver is configured to receive the light reflected from the scene and to generate an output indicative of a time of flight of the pulses to and from points in the scene. A processor is coupled to process the output of the receiver so as to generate a 3D map of the scene. | 10-23-2014 |
20140368835 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPE MEASURING APPARATUS - A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus includes a light source, a digital mirror device applying stripe pattern light alternately including a light portion and a dark portion with which information about the height of an inspection target portion can be acquired by reflecting light emitted from the light source, and an imaging portion imaging the inspection target portion to which the stripe pattern light is applied. The digital mirror device includes a plurality of mirrors arranged in a diamond pattern. | 12-18-2014 |
20150015894 | DETERMINING GEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF REFLECTIVE SURFACES - Illustrative embodiments of determining geometric characteristics of reflective surfaces are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a method of determining geometric characteristics of reflective surfaces includes sensing electromagnetic waves with a sensor, where the electromagnetic waves have been reflected off a reflective surface of a specimen from a target structure including a feature point. The method further includes determining a displacement of the feature point of the target structure indicated by the sensed electromagnetic waves relative to reference data indicating a reference location for the feature point and determining a surface slope of a point of the reflective surface based on the determined displacement of the feature point of the target structure. | 01-15-2015 |
20150131108 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING RAILROAD TIES - A system for inspecting railroad ties in a railroad track includes a light generator, an optical receiver and a processor. The light generator is oriented to project a beam of light across the railroad track while moving along the railroad track in a travel direction. The optical receiver is oriented to receive at least a portion of the beam of light reflected from the railroad track and configured to generate image data representative of a profile of at least a portion of the railroad track. The processor is configured to analyze the image data by applying one or more algorithms configured to find boundaries of a railroad tie and determine one or more condition metrics associated with the railroad tie. | 05-14-2015 |
20150146216 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY MEASURING THE INTERIOR OF A PIPE - The invention relates to a method and a device for optically measuring the interior of a seamless pipe which is manufactured by rolling or of a pipe which is welded with a longitudinal seam and is manufactured from sheet-metal plates shaped to form half-shells or from a shaped sheet-metal plate or from a metal strip which is unwound from a coil, comprising a sensor means ( | 05-28-2015 |
20150308812 | WAFER MAPPING APPARATUS AND LOAD PORT INCLUDING SAME - The left-right span between a light projection section | 10-29-2015 |
20150308813 | NON-CONTACT COORDINATE MEASURING SYSTEM - Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to non-contact coordinate measuring systems, apparatuses, and methods. An apparatus according to the present disclosure can include a laser assembly slidably coupled to a track and configured to emit a first laser beam onto an exterior surface of a component, wherein the track is coupled to a machine for manufacturing the component; a laser encoder configured to detect the first laser beam emitted from the laser assembly and reflected from the exterior surface of the component; and a computer system coupled to the laser encoder and configured to render a geometric profile of the exterior surface of the component based on the first laser beam detected with the laser encoder. | 10-29-2015 |
20150323320 | FLYING SENSOR HEAD - The present disclosure provides a system and method of optical inspection of substrates that have relative large variations in topography. The present disclosure provides a system wherein optical components of the optical inspection system can be automatically moved vertically towards or away from the substrate during optical inspection of the substrate. The system moves the optics in a controlled and precise manner, thereby enabling accurate on-the-fly inspection of substrates having a large variation in topography. | 11-12-2015 |
20160003613 | CHROMATIC CONFOCAL SYSTEM - A system for determining surface topography of a three-dimensional structure is provided. The system can include an illumination unit configured to output a two-dimensional array of light beams each comprising a plurality of wavelengths. An optical assembly can focus the plurality of wavelengths of each light beam to a plurality of focal lengths so as to simultaneously illuminate the structure over a two-dimensional field of view. A detector and a processor are used to generate data representative of the surface topography of the three-dimensional structure based on the measured characteristics of the light reflected from the structure. | 01-07-2016 |
20160016274 | MEASUREMENT DEVICE FOR MACHINING CENTER - A computer numerical control (CNC) machining center is provided. The CNC machining center includes a spindle configured to receive a cutting tool having a tool mount. A tool magazine is provided having a plurality of holders, each holder configured to receive a tool having the tool mount. A primary induction power supply operably coupled to the spindle. A non-contact three-dimensional (3D) measurement device having the tool mount is provided. The 3D measurement device is movable between one of the tool magazine holders and the spindle. The 3D measurement device having a secondary induction power supply configured to generate electrical power to operate the 3D measurement device when the 3D measurement device is coupled to the spindle. | 01-21-2016 |
20160054119 | SHAPE MEASUREMENT DEVICE, STRUCTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEM, SHAPE MEASUREMENT METHOD, STRUCTURE PRODUCTION METHOD, AND SHAPE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM - The time and labor required to set an extraction region of point cloud data is decreased. A shape measuring apparatus includes a projecting unit that projects a measurement beam onto a measurement region of a measurement target, an imaging unit that captures an image of the measurement target onto which the measurement beam is projected, a movement mechanism that relatively moves the projecting unit or the imaging unit with respect to the measurement target so that a position of the measurement region of the measurement target changes, and an extraction region setting unit that sets an extraction region for image information used for calculating a position of the measurement target from capture images captured by the imaging unit, on the basis of positions of images of the measurement beam captured by the imaging unit when the measurement beam is projected onto different measurement regions. | 02-25-2016 |
20160123896 | APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING CURVATURE - An apparatus for inspecting curvature, including: a radiation unit radiating a plurality of rays of light having different focal lengths onto a surface of an target material; and an inspection unit inspecting the surface of the target material using the rays of light reflected from the target material. The apparatus can inspect the curvature or the bending of the surface of a target material at a high speed and with high accuracy. | 05-05-2016 |
20160131473 | Shape Measuring Method and Device - The purpose of the present invention is to provide a shape measuring device and method, wherein the separation of light from one distance sensor increases measurement precision without increasing the size of the device. The present invention provides “a shape measuring device comprising: a distance sensor that radiates a laser toward a measurement target and detects the reflected light so as to calculate the distance to a measurement point; a separation unit that separates the light from the distance sensor into a plurality of light rays; a rotation unit that rotates the distance sensor and the measurement target relative to each other; and a data processing unit that integrates measurement results obtained from the distance sensor for the distances to a plurality of measurement points.” | 05-12-2016 |
20160202047 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPE MEASURING DEVICE AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPE MEASURING METHOD | 07-14-2016 |
20160377416 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ASSESSMENT OF SURFACES - Devices and methods for assessing topography of a reflective surface are provided. The methods comprise directing an arrayed light source onto the reflective surface to produce a reflected light pattern; and observing the reflected light pattern without the use of a computer to detect the presence of one or more topographical features of the reflective surface. The devices comprise an arrayed light source and a portable support operatively connected to the arrayed light source by an adjusting element. The presence of one or more topographical features of the reflective surface to are noted by an observer without the use of a computer. Defects may be discerned by the presence of a swirl in a reflected light pattern. | 12-29-2016 |