Patent ID: 8294809

Claim:
A system for measuring the dimensions of an object by simultaneously detecting measures of distances to a plurality of sections of the object, said system comprising: an object positioning system, a pulsed light source transmitting light and illuminating the object with a single light pulse and said pulsed light source including a sampler which samples and stores analog samples of said light pulse; and at least one 3-D sensor comprising: optics for receiving collected light reflected from the object; a focal plane array of light detecting elements, for converting the collected light incident upon each light detecting element into an electrical signal, said focal plane array providing a plurality of electrical signals to a readout array in direct electrical contact with said, focal plane array, said readout array, comprising: a plurality of unit cell electronics, each comprising: circuitry to determine samples of said electrical signals; storage elements for storing the samples; and circuitry to cause the storage of the samples to start and stop; and drive electronics providing power and timing to said readout array and said light detecting elements; and output electronics for providing an output from said readout array, wherein said output electronics outputs the measures of the distances to the sections of the object, and wherein said at least one 3-D sensor creates a three-dimensional image of the object by using the measures of the distances when the single light pulse is transmitted by the said pulsed light source.