Patent Document ID: 10041783
Application ID: 15057943
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A three-dimensional shape measurement apparatus that measures a three-dimensional shape of a specimen in a non-contacting manner, the three-dimensional shape measurement apparatus comprising: a confocal microscope that irradiates the specimen with light emitted from a laser source and that generates a plurality of confocal microscope images based on intensity values of light reflected from the specimen; and a processor that is configured to: perform a process for estimating a height of each of a plurality of measurement points on the specimen based on the intensity values of light reflected from the specimen in the plurality of confocal microscope images, calculate, for each of the measurement points, (i) a first score based on information on the intensity values, (ii) a second score based on the estimated height of the measurement point, and (iii) one total score from at least the calculated first score and the calculated second score, for evaluating the reliability of measurement data; evaluate the reliability of the measurement data for each measurement point, based on the calculated total score for the measurement point; and process the measurement data according to a result of evaluating the measurement data for each of the measurement points by use of the total score to generate a height data distribution image of the specimen based on the processed measurement data, wherein, in processing the measurement data to generate the height data distribution image, the processor at least one of (i) deletes measurement data determined to be invalid based on the result of the evaluation from the height data distribution image, (ii) generates the height data distribution image such that the measurement data determined to be invalid is displayed in a specified color representing invalid data so as to be distinguishable from measurement data determined to be valid, and (iii) subjects pixels of the height data distribution image which correspond to measurement points whose measurement data is determined to be invalid to data interpolation based on measurement data determined to be valid of measurement points around the measurement point whose measurement data is determined to be invalid.