United Sciences, LLC

Ivex Corporation

Daleco/ivex Partners, Ltd.

Keith A Blanton

John E Tumblin

Karol Hatzilias

Wess Eric Sharpe

William Mark Finlay

Stefan T Posey

Michael J Sinclair

Apparatus and methods for optical scanning, including an optical probe capable of motion for optical scanning with respect to both the interior and the exterior of a scanned object, the optical probe also including light conducting apparatus disposed so as to conduct scan illumination from a source of scan illumination through the probe; light reflecting apparatus disposed so as to project scan illumination radially away from a longitudinal axis of the probe with at least some of the scan illumination projected onto the scanned object; optical line forming apparatus disposed so as to project scan illumination as a line of scan illumination with at least some of the scan illumination projected onto the scanned object; and a lens disposed so as to conduct, through the probe to an optical sensor, scan illumination reflected from the scanned object.

Optical scanning and measurement

Optical scanning with an optical probe composed of an elongated cylinder of transparent material mounted upon an optical scanner body; one or more sources of scan illumination mounted in the probe distally or proximally with respect to the scanner body and projecting scan illumination longitudinally through the probe; a radially-reflecting optical element mounted in the probe having a conical mirror on a surface of the radially-reflecting optical element, the mirror oriented so as to project scan illumination radially away from a longitudinal axis of the probe with at least some of the scan illumination projected onto a scanned object; a lens mounted in the probe between the radially-reflecting optical element and the scanner body and disposed so as to conduct to an optical sensor scan illumination reflected from the scanned object.

Illumination for optical scan and measurement

A method and apparatus for simulating movement within a multi-dimensional space by selecting and reproducing a particular one of a plurality of selectable sequences of video images subsequent to a given sequence of video images. The apparatus comprises an interactive random access video disc system for storing the sequences of video images. Video image windowing means provides as a video output only a predetermined 'window' portion of each retrieved video image. The window portion of an ending image of a given retrieved sequence substantially duplicates the window portion of a starting image of a retrieved sequence reproduced immediately subsequent to the given sequence, thereby providing a relatively imperceptible transition between sequences. A method for numbering frames on the video disc ensures that a jump between images in any sequence or to an image in a subsequent sequence can be accomplished within a predetermined number of tracks and within a predetermined time, in order to prevent pauses or blankings of the output video images.

Method of selectively retrieving video images from a video reproducer

A method and apparatus for simulating movement within a multidimensional space by sampling a prestored panoramic image. The image formed by sampling is displayed on a CRT display screen. Each of the stored images represents the view derived from data stored as a panoramic projection of a flat world in an imaginary space, selected as a function of an observer's position within the imaginary space and orientation with respect to that space. The preferred embodiment selects prestored panoramic image data which has been mapped to a geometric projection surface called a 'keypoint'. The apparatus includes a random access video disc system for storing the keypoint data. The method involves mapping each pixel on the display screen to the imaginary space and thence to the keypoint projection surface in order to retrieve pixel information for display. Each keypoint projection surface represents an entire 360.degree. panoramic view of the imaginary world for all possible orientations of the observer with respect to the closest keypoint.

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Alpharetta, GA, United States of America

Keith A Blanton