US5668631A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Measuring system with improved method of reading image data of an object
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-12-19
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Granted: 1997-09-16
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Expires: 2014-12-19
Abstract
Abstract When a scanning start position set signal is input in an area image sensor, the content is transferred to a vertical scanning circuit, and the scan start position is set. Image of a desired row is read by horizontal scanning. Then, one shift signal for vertical scanning is input, the position of scanning is shifted by one row, and horizontal scanning is performed. Thus image of the next row is read. By repeating this operation, a desired strip-shaped image is read. The shape of the object is determined and when a portion is determined to have complicated shape, the image data is input by means of a lens having long focal length, and image data of other portions are input by means of a lens having short focal length. By putting together a plurality of input image data, image data as a whole is generated.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshio Norita
- 👤 Fumiya Yagi
- 👤 Satoru Hirose
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:30
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24; G01B11/25; G01B11/2518; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/50; G06T7/521
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects light toward an object and scans the object with the light, wherein a scanned area where the object is scanned with light can be varied; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein a sensed area is varied; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to automatically change the scanned area on the basis of the current sensed area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
79 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects light toward an object and scans the object with the light, wherein a scanned area where the object is scanned with light can be varied; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein a sensed area is varied; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to automatically change the scanned area on the basis of the current sensed area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensed area is determined by detecting a distance to the object from the system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A measuring system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an auto focus sensor which detects the distance to the object from the system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A measuring system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an object lens located in front of the sensor, and wherein the sensed area is determined by detecting a sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A measuring system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an encoder which detects the sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A measuring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the scanned area by changing a projected direction of the light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the scanned area by controlling a time period when the light projector projects the light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A measuring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light projector scans the object with a slit shaped light, and the system measures a three-dimensional shape of the object on the basis of output signals from the sensor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
65 words
A system, comprising, a light projector which projects light toward an object and scans the object with the light; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein a sensed area is varied; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to automatically change a scanning operation on the basis of the current sensed area.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
65 words
A system, comprising, a light projector which projects light toward an object and scans the object with the light; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein a sensed area is varied; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to automatically change a scanning operation on the basis of the current sensed area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensed area is determined by detecting a distance to the object from the system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an auto focus sensor which detects the distance to the object from the system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an object lens located in front of the sensor, and wherein the sensed area is determined by detecting a sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an encoder which detects the sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller adjusts the scanning operation by adjusting a scanned area scanned by the light projector.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller adjusts the scanning operation by adjusting a scanning speed of the light projector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the light projector scans the object with a slit shaped light, and the system measures a three-dimensional shape of the object on the basis of output signals from the sensor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller adjusts the scanning operation by adjusting a size of the slit shaped light.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
71 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects a slit shaped light toward an object and scans the object with the slit shaped light; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the slit shaped light reflected off the object; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to adjust a size of the slit shaped light off the basis of a sensed area by the sensor.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
71 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects a slit shaped light toward an object and scans the object with the slit shaped light; a sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the slit shaped light reflected off the object; and a controller which controls the light projector so as to adjust a size of the slit shaped light off the basis of a sensed area by the sensor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller further controls an output of the light projector on the basis of the sensed area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller further controls gain of the sensor on the basis of the sensed area.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a diaphragm in front of the sensor, and wherein the controller further controls a size of the diaphragm on the basis of the sensed area.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller further controls an output of the light projector on the basis of sensed amount of the sensor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an object lens located in front of the sensor, and wherein the sensed area is determined by detecting a sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as claimed in claim 23, further comprising an encoder which detects the sensing angle of view of the object lens.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller adjusts the size of the slit shaped light by changing a width of the slit shaped light.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller adjusts the size of the slit shaped light by changing a length of the slit shaped light.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the system measures a three-dimensional shape of the object on the basis of output signals from the sensor.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
139 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects a slit shaped light toward an object and scans the object with the slit shaped light; an area sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied depending on a distance from the area sensor to the object; a distance measuring device which measures a distance to the object from the area sensor; a first calculator which calculates a current sensed area of the area sensor on a basis of the measured distance to the object; a controller which automatically changes a scanning operation of the light projector on the basis of the calculated current sensed area; and a second calculator which calculates a three-dimensional shape of the object on a basis of output signals from the area sensor.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
139 words
A system, comprising: a light projector which projects a slit shaped light toward an object and scans the object with the slit shaped light; an area sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied depending on a distance from the area sensor to the object; a distance measuring device which measures a distance to the object from the area sensor; a first calculator which calculates a current sensed area of the area sensor on a basis of the measured distance to the object; a controller which automatically changes a scanning operation of the light projector on the basis of the calculated current sensed area; and a second calculator which calculates a three-dimensional shape of the object on a basis of output signals from the area sensor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the controller changes the scanning operation by changing a scanned area by the light projector.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the controller changes the scanning operation by changing a scanning speed of the light projector.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
59 words
A system, comprising: a projector which projects radiation toward an object and scans the object with the radiation; a sensor, being apart from the projector, which receives the radiation reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied; and a controller which automatically changes a scanning operation of the projector on a basis of a current sensed area.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
59 words
A system, comprising: a projector which projects radiation toward an object and scans the object with the radiation; a sensor, being apart from the projector, which receives the radiation reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied; and a controller which automatically changes a scanning operation of the projector on a basis of a current sensed area.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
102 words
A system comprising: a light projector which projects a light toward an object; an area sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied depending on a distance to the object; a distance measuring device which measures a distance to the object from the area sensor; a first calculator which calculates the current sensed area of the area sensor on a basis of the measured distance to the object; and a controller which changes a projection area by the light projector on a basis of the calculated current sensed area.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
102 words
A system comprising: a light projector which projects a light toward an object; an area sensor, being apart from the light projector, which receives the light reflected on the object, wherein its sensed area is varied depending on a distance to the object; a distance measuring device which measures a distance to the object from the area sensor; a first calculator which calculates the current sensed area of the area sensor on a basis of the measured distance to the object; and a controller which changes a projection area by the light projector on a basis of the calculated current sensed area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-15 | 2001-03-17 | 2001-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-15 | 2005-03-17 | 2005-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-15 | 2009-03-17 | 2009-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |