Patent Document ID: 8760447
Application ID: 12713609
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of determining a profile of an object surface comprising the steps of: obtaining an image of said object surface with an imager; displaying on a monitor an image of said object surface; determining the three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on said object surface using a central processor unit; determining a reference surface using the central processor unit; determining the three-dimensional coordinates of a reference surface line on said reference surface using the central processor unit; determining a plurality of points on said reference surface corresponding to said plurality of points on said object surface, where object surface-to-reference surface lines extending from said plurality of points on said object surface are perpendicular to said reference surface and intersect said reference surface at said plurality of points on said reference surface using the central processor unit; determining the distances on said reference surface from said plurality of points on said reference surface to said reference surface line using the central processor unit; determining the points on said reference surface on, or within a predetermined distance from, said reference surface line using the central processor unit; determining the three-dimensional coordinates of a surface contour line on said object surface comprising the points on said object surface corresponding to the points on said reference surface on, or within a predetermined distance from, said reference surface line using the central processor unit; and determining said profile of said object surface by determining the distances from said reference surface to said surface contour line using the central processor unit.