Patent ID: 6298152
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: G01B,G06T

Abstract:
An image recognition system using a light-section method, in which a linear light is projected onto an object to be measured, to form a light image on the surface of the object and the light image is then picked up to obtain three dimensional data associated with the object, the system comprising:(a) light projector means controlled to be turned ON and OFF to intermittently project a linear light onto the object;(b) image pickup means for processing an image of the object onto which a linear light has been projected by the light projector means, the image pickup means including an automatic aperture control mechanism for automatically adjusting a diaphragm aperture according to a picked-up image;(c) image processing means for processing an image picked up by the image pickup means to obtain three-dimensional configuration data on the object; and(d) controller means for controlling an ON/OFF state of the light projector means such that the light projector means is put in the ON state to project a linear light onto the object between a time when a measuring command is issued and a time just after light has been converged by the automatic aperture control mechanism of the image pickup means, and controlling the image processing means to process an image picked up by the image pickup means just after the convergence of light by the automatic aperture control mechanism, so as to obtain three dimensional configuration data on the object.