Patent ID: 7460250

Claim:
A method for measuring dimensions of an object, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing a sensor head having a laser line generator and a photodetector; b) projecting a line of laser light from said generator onto the object; c) detecting with said photodetector an image of said line reflected from the object; d) for each of a plurality of points in said image: i. generating a centroid; ii. generating a quality factor for said centroid, wherein said quality factor is indicative of a quality of said centroid; and iii. encoding said centroid and said quality factor in a centroid value; e) transmitting said centroid values from said sensor head; f) receiving said centroid values; g) decoding said centroid values into said centroids and said quality factors; h) comparing said quality factors to quality criteria; i) selecting from said centroids one or more selected centroids based on the comparison; j) for each selected centroid computing a range to the object.