Abstract: This invention relates to adaptive hardware control systems and provides a system architecture for designing different sequences of events for doing various tasks, comprising a plurality of devices, a plurality of modules related to the devices, a plurality of Module Command Timing and Execution Engines for synchronization and control of a plurality of time-controlled and time-identified events among the devices and the modules that result in a selected, defined sequence of events.

Abstract: A system for determining the shape and dimensions of a surface of an object includes a projector for projecting 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, 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 procedure is 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.