Patent ID: 8111907
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: G01B,G01C

Abstract:
1. A method for inspecting geometrical shapes of objects to determine selected dimensions thereof and comparing the dimensions to specifications for the objects, with dimensions determined based on data characterizing such objects obtained through stereoscopic photographs taken by a pair of cameras with fields of view intersecting to thereby provide a photographic event measurement volume that includes at least a portion of each of such objects being photographed, the method comprising: ascertaining that consistent data is obtained from each of the stereoscopic photographs taken by the pair of cameras at each of a plurality of selected different camera pair locations about a selected ascertainment target, preparing an object to be inspected for being photographed by the pair of cameras including positioning reference point targets at selected locations thereon, operating the pair of cameras to take stereoscopic photographs at each of a selected sequence of different camera pair positions about the object to be inspected with the cameras oriented differently with respect to the object to be inspected at each of these positions such that a portion of the object to be inspected is in the photographic event measurement volume at each of those positions including the reference point targets thereat, these photographic event measurement volumes each overlapping at least one other and cumulatively encompassing the object to be inspected, processing the data obtained from the stereoscopic photographs to provide a representation of the scan basis geometrical shape of the object to be inspected, orienting the scan basis geometrical shape of the object to be inspected in the representation thereof to allow a comparison of dimensions of predetermined portions of the scan basis geometrical shape thereof with the dimensions of those corresponding portions of the specified geometrical shape of the object to be inspected in a representation thereof, and comparing the scan basis geometrical shape of the object to the specifications for the object to determine whether the shape dimensions satisfy tolerances for the specification.