Patent ID: 8410978
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A shape measurement instrument comprising: a plurality of transmitters configured to generate signals expressed as an orthogonal function system or a quasi-orthogonal function system, and radiate the signals having different waveforms or phases; a receiver configured to receive the signal reflected from a target object; a correlation unit configured to obtain a correlation waveform of a waveform of the signal received by the receiver and the signal radiated by the transmitter radiating the received signal of the plurality of transmitters; and a shape estimation unit configured to extract a quasi-wavefront based on a plurality of the correlation waveforms obtained by the correlation unit, and estimate a shape of the target object based on a relationship between the quasi-wavefront and the shape of the target object, wherein the transmitter has a transmitting antenna configured to transmit the signal, the receiver has a receiving antenna configured to receive the signal, the receiving antenna being provided at a location different from that of the transmitting antenna, the location of the transmitting antenna is (2X, 0) and the location of the receiving antenna is (0, 0), a location of a scattering point on a boundary of the target object which contacts an ellipse whose focuses are (2X, 0) and (0, 0) and whose major axis has a length of 2Y is (x, y), and a derivative dY/dX is Y′, the shape estimation unit converts a location relationship (X, Y) between a time delay and the location of the transmitting antenna to the location (x, y) of the scattering point by: thereby estimating the shape of the target object.