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:
Oct. 01, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 18, 2010
Maarten Jozef Jansen, Casteren, NL;
Maarten Jozef Jansen, Casteren, NL;
Mitutoyo Corporation, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining a height map of a surface of an object. The apparatus can include positioning means for the object, a light source, an optical detector for converting the received light into electrical signals, first optics for directing light from the light source to the surface and for directing the light from the surface to the optical detector, a beam splitter located between the first optics and the surface, a reference mirror, second optics located between the beam splitter an the mirror for directing the light from the beam splitter to the mirror and from the mirror to the beam splitter, scanning means, processing means that converts the signal from the optical detector into a height map. The beam splitter can be a polarizing beam splitter. A controllable polarization controller can be located between the light source and the first optics.