US4948258A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Structured illumination surface profiling and ranging systems and methods
Assignee: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation Inc
•
Filing: 1988-06-27
•
Granted: 1990-08-14
•
Expires: 2008-06-27
Abstract
Abstract Range and/or profile of a test surface, particularly a submarine surface, are determined by passing a laser beam through a holographic grating structured to emit a divergent light beam defining a two dimensional array of dots in a predetermined pattern and projecting such beam on the test surface. A receiving device, e.g., video camera, ascertains the positions of the dots in the pattern reflected from the test surface and comparison is made of such positions relative to the positions of the respective dots previously reflected in like manner from a datum surface. The values of the displacements of test surface dots from datum surface dots are used to determine the range or orientation of the test surface relative to the grating or the profile of the test surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank M. Caimi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/88; G01S17/89; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24; G01B11/2441; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/46; G01S7/00; G01S7/48; G01S7/481; G01S7/4814
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A structured illumination method for determining characteristics of a surface which comprises: projecting a beam of collimated rays from a ray source along a longitudinal axis, converting said beam into a divergent array of spaced dots of said rays in a predetermined pattern by passage of said beam through a holographic grating that intersects said longitudinal axis, projecting at least a portion of said divergent array of spaced dots onto a test surface remote from said grating a distance of R p +dR, forming an image of the pattern of dots reflected from said test surface in recorder means that substantially intersects said longitudinal axis at a distance R F +dR along said axis from said test surface, with the proviso that R p shall not equal R F , projecting a similar divergent array of spaced dots onto a datum surface remote from said grating a distance of R p , forming an datum image of the pattern of dots reflected from said datum surface in recorder means that substantially intersects said longitudinal axis at a distance R F along said axis from said test surface, comparing the positions of said dots in said test image to the positions of the respective dots in said datum image to obtain values of the displacements of individual dots in said test image from the respective individual dots in said datum image, and using said individual dot displacement values to determine one or more characteristics of said surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A structured illumination method for determining characteristics of a surface which comprises: projecting a beam of collimated rays from a ray source along a longitudinal axis, converting said beam into a divergent array of spaced dots of said rays in a predetermined pattern by passage of said beam through a holographic grating that intersects said longitudinal axis, projecting at least a portion of said divergent array of spaced dots onto a test surface remote from said grating a distance of R p +dR, forming an image of the pattern of dots reflected from said test surface in recorder means that substantially intersects said longitudinal axis at a distance R F +dR along said axis from said test surface, with the proviso that R p shall not equal R F , projecting a similar divergent array of spaced dots onto a datum surface remote from said grating a distance of R p , forming an datum image of the pattern of dots reflected from said datum surface in recorder means that substantially intersects said longitudinal axis at a distance R F along said axis from said test surface, comparing the positions of said dots in said test image to the positions of the respective dots in said datum image to obtain values of the displacements of individual dots in said test image from the respective individual dots in said datum image, and using said individual dot displacement values to determine one or more characteristics of said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said characteristics are the distance of said recorder means to said test surface and the orientation of said longitudinal axis relative to said test surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said characteristics are the profile of said test surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein R P =0.9R F .
Claim 6
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for determining characteristics of a surface using structured illumination which comprises: a ray source for projecting a beam of collimated rays along a longitudinal axis, a holographic grating that intersects said longitudinal axis for converting said beam into a divergent array of spaced dots of said rays in a predetermined pattern and project at least a portion of said divergent array of spaced dots onto a surface remote from said grating, recorder means positioned substantially on said longitudinal axis a distance R F +dR from said test surface different from the distance R P +dR of said grating to said test surface for recording a test image of the pattern of dots reflected from said test surface, means for comparing the positions of said dots in said test image to the positions of the respective dots in a preselected datum image previously reflected and recorded in like manner from a datum surface positioned at a distance R F from said recorder means and a distance R P from said grating to obtain values of displacements of said test image dots from the respective datum image dots, and means using said displacement values to determine one or more characteristics of said surface.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for determining characteristics of a surface using structured illumination which comprises: a ray source for projecting a beam of collimated rays along a longitudinal axis, a holographic grating that intersects said longitudinal axis for converting said beam into a divergent array of spaced dots of said rays in a predetermined pattern and project at least a portion of said divergent array of spaced dots onto a surface remote from said grating, recorder means positioned substantially on said longitudinal axis a distance R F +dR from said test surface different from the distance R P +dR of said grating to said test surface for recording a test image of the pattern of dots reflected from said test surface, means for comparing the positions of said dots in said test image to the positions of the respective dots in a preselected datum image previously reflected and recorded in like manner from a datum surface positioned at a distance R F from said recorder means and a distance R P from said grating to obtain values of displacements of said test image dots from the respective datum image dots, and means using said displacement values to determine one or more characteristics of said surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said characteristics are the distance of said recorder means to said test surface and the orientation of said longitudinal axis relative to said test surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said characteristics are the profile of said test surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device of claim 5 wherein R P =0.9R F .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4330212A
Cited
US4294544A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-08-13 | 1994-02-12 | 1994-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-13 | 1998-02-12 | 1998-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-13 | 2002-02-12 | 2002-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |