Patent US2450244A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3889055A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3889055A
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Optical method and apparatus for the area measurement of opaque objects
Assignee: International Imaging Systems
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Filing: 1974-05-13
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Granted: 1975-06-10
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Expires: 1994-05-13
Abstract
Abstract A television camera scans the surface of an opaque object whose surface area is to be measured and also scans an opaque reference standard with a known surface area, video outputs being obtained from the two objects with time lengths proportional to the area scanned. The video signal obtained from the measured object is used to gate pulses from a pulse source with a known pulse rate to a first pulse counter, the pulse count being proportional to the area of the measured object. The video signal obtained from the reference standard is used to gate pulses from said pulse source to a second pulse counter, the pulse count being proportional to the known area of the reference object. A predetermined pulse count is established in a register circuit which accurately reflects the actual known area of the reference object. The pulse count in the second counter is compared with the predetermined pulse count and any difference therebetween is used to create an error signal. The error signal is used to correct the pulse rate from said pulse source to bring the count in the second counter into agreement with the predetermined registered count, thus making the pulse count in the first counter more nearly reflect the actual surface area of the measured area.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert F Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
The method for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising the steps of; scanning the opaque measured object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of the object and scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period proportional to the area of said reference object, passing a flow of pulses from a pulse source with a controllable pulse rate to a first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to a second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second time period being proportional to the area of said reference object, comparing the pulse count obtained from said reference object scan with an established predetermined pulse count directly proportional to the surface area of said reference object to obtain an error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said established pulse count, and controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said pulse source in response to said error signal to maintain said actual count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said established predetermined count.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
237 words
The method for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising the steps of; scanning the opaque measured object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of the object and scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period proportional to the area of said reference object, passing a flow of pulses from a pulse source with a controllable pulse rate to a first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to a second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second time period being proportional to the area of said reference object, comparing the pulse count obtained from said reference object scan with an established predetermined pulse count directly proportional to the surface area of said reference object to obtain an error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said established pulse count, and controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said pulse source in response to said error signal to maintain said actual count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said established predetermined count.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of scanning the measured and reference opaque objects comprises scanning with a television camera over a plurality of successive frames.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
273 words
Apparatus for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising, means for scanning the measured opaque object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of The object and for scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period directly proportional to the area of said reference object, a pulse source with a controllable rate of pulses, a first pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted by said counter during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, a second pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second period being proportional to the area of said reference object, a source of a predetermined pulse count which is directly proportional to the known surface area of said reference object, means for comparing the pulse count in said second counter obtained from said reference object scan with said predetermined pulse count to obtain an error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said predetermined pulse count, and means for controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said pulse source in response to said error signal to maintain said actual pulse count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said predetermined pulse count.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
273 words
Apparatus for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising, means for scanning the measured opaque object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of The object and for scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period directly proportional to the area of said reference object, a pulse source with a controllable rate of pulses, a first pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted by said counter during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, a second pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second period being proportional to the area of said reference object, a source of a predetermined pulse count which is directly proportional to the known surface area of said reference object, means for comparing the pulse count in said second counter obtained from said reference object scan with said predetermined pulse count to obtain an error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said predetermined pulse count, and means for controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said pulse source in response to said error signal to maintain said actual pulse count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said predetermined pulse count.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
289 words
Apparatus for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising, means comprising a television camera for scanning the opaque measured object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of the measured object and for scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period directly proportional to the area of said reference object, a pulse source comprising a voltage controlled oscillator, a first pulse counter, means including a gate responsive to said video signal for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted by said counter during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, a second pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second time period being proportional to the area of said reference object, a source of a predetermined pulse count which is directly proportional to the known surface area of said reference object, means for comparing the pulse count in said second counter obtained from said reference object scan with said determined pulse count to obtain a voltage error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said predetermined pulse count, and means for controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said voltage controlled oscillator in response to said voltage error signal to maintain said actual pulse count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said predetermined pulse count.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
289 words
Apparatus for measuring the surface area of an opaque object comprising, means comprising a television camera for scanning the opaque measured object to produce a video signal output having a first time period directly proportional to the area of the measured object and for scanning an opaque reference object with a known surface area to produce a video signal output having a second time period directly proportional to the area of said reference object, a pulse source comprising a voltage controlled oscillator, a first pulse counter, means including a gate responsive to said video signal for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said first counter during said first time period, the pulses counted by said counter during said first time period being proportional to the area of said measured object and serving as a measure of said area, a second pulse counter, means for passing a flow of pulses from said pulse source to said second counter during said second time period, the pulses counted during said second time period being proportional to the area of said reference object, a source of a predetermined pulse count which is directly proportional to the known surface area of said reference object, means for comparing the pulse count in said second counter obtained from said reference object scan with said determined pulse count to obtain a voltage error signal output where said actual pulse count from said reference object during said scan differs from said predetermined pulse count, and means for controlling the rate of said pulses produced from said voltage controlled oscillator in response to said voltage error signal to maintain said actual pulse count from said reference object scan substantially equal to said predetermined pulse count.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3049588A
Cited
US3679820A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-09 | 1978-12-09 | 1979-06-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-09 | 1982-12-09 | 1983-06-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-09 | 1986-12-09 | 1987-06-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |