Abstract: This invention provides accurate, high quality images for the identification of the surface characteristics of an object, that may be used as an input to suitable industrial process. It involves acquiring a first raw scan of a portion of a target object across a scan line in a scan zone with a first camera and simultaneously acquiring a second raw scan of the same portion of the target object across the scan line in the scan zone with a second camera. The raw scans are converted to digital and then processed with flattening coefficients derived from measurements of variations in illumination. The first and second cameras sets of flattened image data are then gridized to compensate for parallax, make them orthographic sets of image data that can be compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis with a known or measured geometric profile of the target. A selection of enhanced pixel value for a surface coordinate can then be made, based on both sets of data.

Abstract: A 3D machine vision scanning system having a scanner head for obtaining raw scan data from a target object, an information extraction module that processes and reduces the raw scan data into target object information that is to be used for automated control decisions in an industrial process, and a communication interface for transmitting the target object scan information to a controller.

Abstract: A three-dimensional machine vision scanner head for obtaining raw scan data from a target object and an integrated scan information extraction module that performs data reduction and passes to a controller selected summary target object scan information that is significant for automated control decisions in an industrial process. The scanner head contains a laser light emitter, reflected laser light detector and a communication interface for transmitting the target object scan information from the information extraction module to the controller.

Abstract: This invention provides accurate, high quality images for the identification of the surface characteristics of an object, that may be used as an input to suitable industrial process. It involves acquiring a first raw scan of a portion of a target object across a scan line in a scan zone with a first camera and simultaneously acquiring a second raw scan of the same portion of the target object across the scan line in the scan zone with a second camera. The raw scans are converted to digital and then processed with flattening coefficients derived from measurements of variations in illumination. The first and second cameras sets of flattened image data are then gridized to compensate for parallax, make them orthographic sets of image data that can be compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis with a known or measured geometric profile of the target. A selection of enhanced pixel value for a surface coordinate can then be made, based on both sets of data.

Abstract: A sensor concentrating system centralizes communication between multiple parameter sensing devices and an application host. As a peripheral device, the sensor concentrating unit establishes a temporal correspondence between range data acquired from multiple optical range sensors with position data acquired from a shaft encoder. The parameter data are read and sampled according to a user specified criteria such as the time division multiplexing technique. The sampled data is correlated with a data tag generated by the sensor concentrating unit. The correlated data is packeted transmitted from the sensor concentrating unit to a downstream application host for subsequent analysis. The sensor concentrating unit also provides operating parameters for individual parameter sensing devices.

Abstract: A scan head for a surface profile scanner includes two spaced laser projectors and two spaced CCD cameras, aligned with one another, for scanning an object such as a log or board moving along a sawmill production line and for determining the location of points on the surface of the scanned object, thereby generating data from which the surface profile of the object can be computed. For log scanning, the projectors both project coded light patterns. For board scanning, one projector projects a coded light pattern and the other a fan of uncoded light. The lasers and cameras are grouped in two pairs, one pair at each end of the scan head, preferably with the cameras bracketing the lasers, such that four sets of reflection data are available, through time-division multiplexing, in order to enable recognition of the image of the pattern reflected from the object and to optimize data readings from triangulation (to calculate the distances from the scan head to a series of points on the object).

Abstract: A sensor concentrating system centralizes communication between multiple parameter sensing devices and an application host. As a peripheral device, the sensor concentrating unit establishes a temporal correspondence between range data acquired from multiple optical range sensors with position data acquired from a shaft encoder. The parameter data are read and sampled according to a user specified criteria such as the time division multiplexing technique. The sampled data is correlated with a data tag generated by the sensor concentrating unit. The correlated data is packeted transmitted from the sensor concentrating unit to a downstream application host for subsequent analysis. The sensor concentrating unit also provides operating parameters for individual parameter sensing devices.

Abstract: A co-planar system for determining the shape and dimensions of a surface of an object includes a projector for projecting in a selected plane onto the object a spatially coded pattern of radiation, e.g., light. The system also includes a receiving device capable of imaging the reflected pattern in the selected plane, and a discriminator for determining which portion of the reflected pattern corresponds to which portion of the projected pattern. By this means, a received signal representing less than the complete reflection from the projected pattern can be correlated with a discrete portion of the scanned object. The object is moved relative to the selected plane and the procedure repeated to obtain enough reliable data to generate a reasonably reliable surface profile. The resulting set of received signals and correlations are used to calculate the shape and dimensions of the object.