The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 06, 1999
Osamu Nishikawa, Nakai-machi, JP;
Yoshinori Yamaguchi, Nakai-machi, JP;
Kiwame Tokai, Nakai-machi, JP;
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A shape measuring system reduced in size and cost and high in the light utilization efficiency, as well as a shape measuring method, are disclosed which can measure the distance up to an object accurately without being influenced by external conditions such as a change in reflectance of the surface of the object. A semiconductor laser emits an intensity-modulated illumination light. A plane sensor detects a combined light of both a reflected light from an object and a reference light and outputs a composite light detection signal. The semiconductor laser also emits an illumination light which is a stationary light not intensity-modulated. At this time, a shutter is closed. The plane sensor detects the reflected light from the object and outputs a detection signal thereof. For the composite light detection signal a distance calculator makes correction for eliminating the influence of reflectance of the object on the basis of a detection signal of a reflected stationary light and thereafter calculates the distance up to the object on the basis of the composite light detection signal after the correction.