Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Yoshihiko Sugimoto

Hiroshi Matsuda

Yuji Takada

Toshiki Yamane

An optical measurement system for determination of a profile or thickness of an object includes first and second optical heads directing first and second light beams, respectively on first and second points on the surface of the object. Photo-sensors are included respectively in the first and second optical heads for receiving reflected lights from said first and second points and providing first and second outputs which varies in proportion to perpendicular distances from a reference plane to said first and second points on the object's surface. The first and second outputs are transmitted selectively to a single processing circuit through a switch. The processing circuit operates to process the first and second outputs in sequence to measure by triangulation the perpendicular distance of the first and second points from the reference plane and to analyze a surface or thickness of the object based upon thus measured perpendicular distances. With the use of the single processing circuit, the first and second outputs can be processed in the identical conditions to enable reliable determination of the perpendicular distances of the first and second points from the reference plane and therefore accurate analysis of the surface profile or the thickness of the object.

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Hirakata, Japan

Yoshihiko Sugimoto