Patent ID: 6201889
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: G01B,G01N,G06T

Abstract:
An apparatus for sampling data corresponding to a property of an object and generating a feedback code indicating the quality of the sampled data, said apparatus comprising(a) an input probe for generating-digital data points at a plurality of sample points on the surface of the object, each digital data point comprising a property value and a position value corresponding to a particular sample point;(b) an output device arranged to provide the feedback code; and(c) a processor electrically connected to said input probe and said output device and arranged to analyze the digital data and provide a feedback code indicating the quality of the digital data points, wherein said processor is programmed to(i) assign each digital data point to one of a plurality of discrete compartments based on the position value of the data point, each compartment corresponding to a unique location on the object and comprising zero, one, or more digital data points;(ii) determine a quality value for each of said compartments based on the quality of the digital data points assigned to that compartment and assign to each compartment a feedback code representing said quality value; and(iii) transmit said feedback code to the output device.