Apparatus for Detecting Three-Dimensional Configuration of Object Employing Optical Cutting Method

This application is related to a copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/424,979 by Yasuo Inoue and Tadashi Nishimura, filed on the same day as the present application, having a title of "APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONFIGURATION OF OBJECT EMPLOYING OPTICAL CUTTING METHOD".

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the three-dimensional configuration of an object employing an optical cutting method.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 3 schematically shows a conventional apparatus for measuring the three-dimensional configuration of an object by an optical cutting method. The apparatus includes a laser source 1 and a rotary mirror 3 disposed ahead of the laser source 1, with a cylindrical lens 2 disposed therebetween. An object 4 to be measured is placed ahead of the rotary mirror 3. An image sensor 5 is disposed in opposition to the object 4. A determination section 6 is connected to the image sensor 5, and a memory section 7 is connected to the determination section 6. The apparatus further includes an optical lens 8 for forming an image of the object 4 on the image sensor 5, which is disposed between the object 4 and the image sensor 5.

An optical detector 9 is disposed in the vicinity of the rotary mirror 3 in order to detect a reference angle of the mirror 3. A counter 10 is connected to the optical detector 9, and the output of the counter 10 is connected to the memory section 7 via a data bus 11. A data processor 13 is connected to the memory section 7 via a data bus 12.

The image sensor 5 has a plurality of pixels 5a which are arranged on an X-Y plane when the axis connecting the image sensor 5 and the object 4 is assumed to be a Z axis. The determination section 6 and the memory section 7 have a plurality of comparators 6a and a plurality of memories 7a, respectively, which are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with each of the pixels 5a of the image sensor 5.

The conventional apparatus having the above-described construction operates in the following manner. A laser beam is radiated from the laser source 1 and, simultaneously, the rotary mirror 3 is rotated about the Y axis at an angular velocity .omega.. The laser beam radiated from the laser source 1 is diverged in the direction of the Y axis by the cylindrical lens 2, and it is then reflected by the rotary mirror 3, whereupon it forms a slit-shaped irradiation beam 14. The irradiation beam 14 rotates at the angular velocity .omega. as the rotary mirror 3 rotates. When the irradiation beam 14 passes through the optical detector 9, a detection signal is output from the optical detector 9 to the counter 10. Upon receiving this signal, the counter 10 starts to measure time. Thereafter, time data indicative of the time t reached every moment is momently output from the counter 10 to the memory section 7 via the data bus 11.

When the rotary mirror 3 further rotates and the slit-shaped irradiation beam 14 irradiates the object 4, the irradiation beam 14 scans the surface of the object 4 as the beam simultaneously forms an optical cutting line 15 on the surface of the object 4. At this time, an image 16 of the optical cutting line 15 is projected onto the image sensor 5 through the optical lens 8. Each comparator 6a of the determination section 6 makes a determination on the basis of an output signal from the corresponding pixel 5a of the image sensor 5 as to the passage of the image 16 of the optical cutting line 15 through the corresponding pixel 5a. When each comparator 6a determines that the image 16 of the optical cutting line 15 has passed the corresponding pixel 5a, the comparator6a outputs a trigger signal to the associated memory 7a of the memory section 7, whereby the time data that is on the data bus 11 at this time is stored in the memory 7a.

When items of data which are each indicative of the time t reached at the time of the passage of the image 16 of the optical cutting line 15 through each of the pixels 5a have been stored into the corresponding memories 7a in this way, these items of data, each indicative of the passage time, are read by the data processor 13 via the data bus 12. Because the angle .alpha. by which the slit-shaped irradiation beam 14 deviates from the reference angle at a time t reached is expressed by: .alpha.=.omega., it is possible to express the irradiation beam 14 in the form of a plane equation in which the time t reached is used. Furthermore, a point on the image 16 projected on the image sensor 5 corresponds to one point on the surface of the object 4, and these points are positioned on the same line passing through the center of the optical lens 8. Therefore, from the equation expressing this line and a plane equation expressing the irradiation beam 14, the spatial coordinates of a certain point on the object 4 which corresponds to one point of the image 16 being projected on the image sensor 5 are calculated. The configuration and the position of the object 4 are calculated by the data processor 13 employing the above-described method.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the memories 7a of the memory section 7 has to be connected with the data bus 11 through which time data is input to the memory 7a from the counter 10, and also with the data bus 12 through which time data stored in the memory 7a is output to the data processor 13. In order to transmit practically usuable time data, it is necessary to use, as each of these data buses, a 16-bit data bus or a data bus of a similar capacity. Therefore, each of the memories 7a must be connected with at least thirty-two signal lines, and this leads to very complicated wiring arrangement. This in turn leads to very complicated manufactured of the entire three-dimensional configuration detecting apparatus.

A similar problem is encountered particularly when the image sensor 5, the determination section 6, and the memory section 7 are laminated and are formed as a single chip, although the adoption of this arrangement makes it possible to obtain a device possessing excellent applicability. If each of the pixels 5a of the image sensor 5 has a side length of, e.g., 50 .mu.m, while the wiring involves a line or space width of, e.g., 1 .mu.m, each of the memories 7a, to which at least thirty-two signal lines have to be connected, must have a width of 64 .mu.m at least, such a memory being greater than a single pixel 5a. Thus, it has been difficult to achieve a device, such as that described above, without employing a complicated structure, for instance, a structure where wiring layers are formed into multiple layers.

The present invention has been made to overcome the above-described problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for detecting the three-dimensional configuration of an object employing an optical cutting method that has simple wiring arrangement and can be manufactured with ease.

An apparatus for detecting the three-dimensional configuration of an object employing an optical cutting method in accordance with the present invention comprises: light projecting means for pulse-flashing slit-shaped light and for causing the light to scan the object at a predetermined speed; an image sensor disposed in opposition to the object and having a plurality of pixels; an optical system for forming on the image sensor an image of an optical cutting line formed on the surface of the object by the slit-shaped light; counting means for counting the number of pulses of the image of the optical cutting line that has been detected by each of the pixels of the image sensor; time calculating means for calculating the time at which the image of the optical cutting line has passed each of the pixels of the image sensor, on the basis of the number of pulses of the image of the optical cutting line that has been counted by the counting means with respect to each of the pixels; and configuration calculating means for calculating the three-dimensional configuration of the object on the basis of the time of passage of the image of the optical cutting line through each of the pixels, the time having been calculated by the time calculating means, and on the basis of the scanning speed of the slit-shaped light.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for detecting the three-dimensional configuration of an object employing an optical cutting method, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a current diagram showing a specific example of essential parts of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional three-dimensional configuration detecting apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a light projecting means 21 is provided for pulse-flashing slit-shaped light, for causing the light to irradiate an object 22 of detection, and for causing the irradiating light to scan the surface of the object 22. Specifically, the light projecting means 21 comprises members corresponding to the laser source 1, the cylindrical lens 2, and the rotary mirror 3, which constitute the conventional apparatus shown in fig. 3, and also comprises a control circuit (not shown) for causing the laser source 1 to pulse-oscillate.

An image sensor 24 is disposed in such a manner as to oppose the object 22, with an image-forming optical system 23 disposed therebetween. The image-forming optical system 23 includes an optical lens and is operable to form, on the image sensor 24, an image of an optical cutting line formed on the surface of the object 22 of detection by the slit-shaped irradiation light. The image sensor 24 has a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally on an X-Y plane normal to a Z axis connecting the image sensor 24 and the object 22, this construction being similar to that of the image sensor 5 shown in FIG. 3. The image sensor 24 detects an image of the optical cutting line as the image is being formed thereon by the image-forming optical system 23.

A counting means 25 is connected to the image sensor 24. The counting means 25 counts the number of pulses of the image of the optical cutting line that has been detected by each of the pixels of the image sensor 24.

A time calculating means 26 is connected to the counting means 25, and is operable to calculate the time at which the image of the optical cutting line has passed each of the pixels of the image sensor 24, on the basis of the number of pulses of the image of the optical cutting line that has been counted by the counting means 25 with respect to each of the pixels. Furthermore, a configuration calculating means 27 is connected to the time calculating means 26, and is operable to calculate the three-dimensional configuration of the object 22 using the time of passage of the optical cutting line through each of the pixels that has been calculated by the time calculating means 26. Each of the time calculating means 26 and the configuration calculating means 27 comprises a computer such as a microprocessor.

Next, operation will be described.

First, the light projecting means 21 operates in such a manner that slit-shaped irradiation light is pulsed-flashed at a predetermined frequency as the light is simultaneously rotated at a predetermined angular velocity .omega., and the light is caused to scan the surface of the object 22 of detection. The slit-shaped irradiation light forms an optical cutting line on the surface of the object 22, and an image of the optical cutting light is formed on the image sensor 24 by the image-forming optical system 23. At this time, since the irradiation light is pulse-flashed, the image of the optical cutting line being formed on the image sensor 24 also undergoes pulsed flashing. As a result, when an image of the optical cutting line is detected by each of the pixels of the image sensor 24, a pulse-shaped detection signal is output from each of the pixels. At this time, however, since the image of the optical cutting line being formed on the image sensor 24 simultaneously moves as the scanning irradiation light moves, a pulse-shaped detection signal is output from each of the pixels only during the period in which the image of the optical cutting line is passing the pixel.

On the basis of the pulse-shaped detection signal output from each of the pixels of the image sensor 24, the counting means 25 counts the number of pulses of the image of the optical cutting line that has been detected by each of the pixels.

In this way, when the scanning of the object 22 by the slit-shaped irradiation light has been completed, the time calculating means 26 calculates the time at which the image of the optical cutting line has passed each of the pixels, on the basis of the number of pulses of the image that has been counted by the counting means 25 with respect to each of the pixels. Since the slit-shaped irradiation light is pulse-flashed at a predetermined frequency, a number of pulses of an image detected by one pixel of the image sensor 24 indicates the period of time required for the image of the optical cutting line to pass through the pixel. Therefore, when it is assumed that the image of the optical cutting line moves on the image sensor 24 and in the X axis direction as the irradiation light proceeds with scanning, the time at which the image has passed each of the pixels can be calculated by summing up all the numbers counted with respect to those pertinent pixels which are, among the entire pixels arranged in a row extending in the X axis direction, each particular pixel and those positioned upstream thereof.

After the time of passage of the image of the optical cutting line through each of the pixels of the image sensor 24 has been calculated, the configuration calculating means 27 calculates, from a plane equation expressing the slit-shaped irradiation light and from an equation expressing the line connecting each of the pixels and the center of the image-forming optical system 23, the spatial coordinates of each of various points on the surface of the object 22, thereby detecting the configuration of the object 22.

As described above, according to this embodiment, because the time at which the image of the optical cutting line passes through each of the pixels of the image sensor 24 is calculated by counting the number of pulses of the image detected by each of the pixels, there is no need to provide a data bus which has been conventionally provided to input time data with respect to the each of the pixels. Therefore, the circuit arrangement of the apparatus can be much simplified.

FIG. 2 shows a specific example of the arrangement of a circuit including the image sensor 24, and the counting means 25. The image sensor 24 has N pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N which each comprises, e.g., a photo-sensor and which form one pixel row extending in the direction of the X axis. Each of the pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N is connected to each of the respective first input terminals of difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N. The difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N have their respective second input terminals connected to a reference voltage source 33 via a reference voltage supply line 33a, the voltage source 33 being connected commonly to these difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N. The respective output terminals of the difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N are each connected to counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N, which are in turn connected to decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N. A resetting circuit 36 is connected to each of the counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N via a resetting signal line 36a. The difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N, the reference voltage source 33, the coumters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N, the decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N, and the resetting circuit 36 form the counting means 25. FIG. 2 illustrates a circuit solely corresponding to one pixel row extending in the X axis direction, for instance, to a jth row of pixels. In practice, a plurality of circuits having the same arrangement are arranged in the Y axis direction. However, each of the reference voltage source 33, and the resetting circuit 36 is provided commonly with respect to all the two-dimensionally arranged difference amplifiers and the counters.

Next, the operation of this specific example will be described.

At the start of scanning by slit-shaped irradiation light, the resetting circuit 36 outputs a resetting signal to the counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N, whereby the value held by each of the counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N is reset to its initial value 0. The irradiation light forms an optical cutting line on the surface of the object 22 of detection, and an image of the optical cutting line is formed on the image sensor 24. It is assumed here that, as the irradiation light scans the surface of the object 22, the image of the optical cutting line moves on the image sensor 24 and in the direction of the X axis from the pixel 31.sub.1 to the pixel 31.sub.N.

When the ith pixel 31i, among the pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N, detects an image of the optical cutting line, a detection signal output from this pixel 31i is compared by the associated difference amplifier 32i with a reference voltage Vref supplied from the reference source 33. If the level of the detection signal is greater than the reference voltage Vref, the difference amplifier 32i determines that the pixel 31i has detected the image of the optical cutting line, and outputs a high-level signal. By this action, the associated counter 34i increments its count value by 1. Since the image of the optical cutting line undergoes pulsed flushing each time the image flashes, the difference amplifier 32i makes a determination as to the level of the detection signal and outputs a signal to the counter 34i. As a result, the number of pulses of the flashing image is counted by the counter 34i during the period in which the image of the optical cutting line is passing the pixel 31i.

In this way, the numbers of the image of the optical cutting line detected by the pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N are counted by the corresponding counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N. Thereafter, the numbers counted by the counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N are each transmitted to the time calculating means 26 via the associated decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N. At this time, the decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N are sequentially designated by means of an address line Xj indicating that these decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N correspond to the jth pixel row and by means of address lines Y.sub.1 to Y.sub.N each pertaining to the Y direction. The numbers counted are each transmitted via a data bus 37, such as a 16-bit data bus.

Descriptions will now be given below concerning an example of a time calculating operation by the time calculating means 26. The period of time which elapses during one scanning operation by the irradiation light is expressed as TO, the count value of the counter 34i connected to the ith pixel 34i is expressed as ni, and the flashing period of pulses is expressed as t. It is assumed that the first pulse and the last pulse in one scanning operation are detected by the first pixel 31i and the nth pixel 31.sub.N, respectively. The total number of times of pulse-flashing during one scanning operation is expressed as TO/t. The total of the numbers counted by the counters from the first counter 34.sub.1 to the ith counter 34i is expressed as .SIGMA.nk, while the total sum of the numbers counted by the N counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N is expressed as .SIGMA.nk. It is considered that a case is possible where an image of the optical cutting line is formed on a plurality of adjacent pixels. In such cases, the following relationship stands: .SIGMA.nk>TO/t. From the above-stated facts, the time point Ti at which the image of the optical cutting line passes the ith pixel 31i is expressed by the following equation if the scanning operation is started at a time point0:

On the basis of the passage time Ti calculated from the equation (1), the spatial coordinates of each of various points of the object 22 of detection are calculated by the configuration calculating means 27.

By virtue of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, it suffices if each of the pixels arranged in one row extending in the X axis direction is connected with the data bus 37, such as a 16-bit data bus, the reference voltage supply line 33a, the resetting signal line 36a, and the address line Xj, in other words, with nineteen signal lines in total. Accordingly, if wiring is effected with a line or space width of 1 .mu.m, one pixel row has a wiring width of 38 .mu.m. This enables both the counting means 25 and the image sensor 24, e.g., an image sensor having pixels each with a side length of 50 .mu.m to be laminated and formed as a single chip with ease.

Various elements of the circuit shown in FIG. 2, such as the pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N, the difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N, the counters 34.sub.1 to 34.sub.N, and the decoders 35.sub.1 to 35.sub.N, may not be laminated, and they may alternatively be arranged two-dimensionally.

When the object 22 of detection is smaller than the scanning range of the irradiation light, only part of the pulses during one scanning operation is detected by part of the pixels 31.sub.1 to 31.sub.N. In this case, an arrangement, such as the following, may be adopted. A common output line is extended from the difference amplifiers 32.sub.1 to 32.sub.N and is connected to the time calculating means 26. The time calculating means 26 measures the period of time elapsed from the time at which a part of the pixel row detects a pulse for the first time to the time at which a part of the same detects a pulse for the last time. The thus measured time is used in place of TO in the equation (1).