Graphic overlay for measuring dimensions of features using a video inspection device

1. A method for measuring a feature, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a monitor an image of a viewed object;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object using a central processor unit;

placing one or more measurement cursors on the image using a pointing device;

determining a measurement point corresponding to the location of at least one measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining an edge plane using the central processor unit, wherein the edge plane passes through the measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the edge plane using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the edge plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying an edge plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the edge plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

2. A method for measuring a feature, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a monitor an image of a viewed object;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object using a central processor unit;

placing a first measurement cursor and a second measurement cursor on the image using a pointing device;

determining a first measurement point corresponding to the location of the first measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a second measurement point corresponding to the location of the second measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a three-dimensional line between the first measurement point and the second measurement point using the central processor unit;

determining a first edge plane using the central processor unit, wherein the first edge plane is normal to the three-dimensional line and passes through the first measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a first edge plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the first edge plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

determining a second edge plane using the central processor unit, wherein the second edge plane is normal to the three-dimensional line and passes through the second measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the second edge plane using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the second edge plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a second edge plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the second edge plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a two-dimensional image.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a three-dimensional view of the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first measurement point is a point on the surface of the viewed object corresponding to the location of the first measurement cursor.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane is a perpendicular distance.

8. A method for measuring a feature, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a monitor an image of a viewed object;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object using a central processor unit;

placing a first measurement cursor, a second measurement cursor, and a third measurement cursor on the image using a pointing device;

determining a first measurement point corresponding to the location of the first measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a second measurement point corresponding to the location of the second measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a third measurement point corresponding to the location of the third measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a three-dimensional reference line between the first measurement point and the second measurement point using the central processor unit;

determining a three-dimensional length line between the third measurement point and the three-dimensional reference line using the central processor unit;

determining a first edge plane using the central processor unit, wherein the first edge plane is normal to the three-dimensional length line and passes through the first measurement point and the second measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a first edge plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the first edge plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

determining a second edge plane using the central processor unit, wherein the second edge plane is normal to the three-dimensional length line and passes through the third measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the second edge plane using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the second edge plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a second edge plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the second edge plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a two-dimensional image.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a three-dimensional view of the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more reference surface points from the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object using a pointing device; and

determining a reference surface using the central processor unit, wherein the reference surface is determined based on the one or more of the reference surface points;

wherein the first measurement point is a point on the reference surface corresponding to the location of the first measurement cursor.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the first edge plane is a perpendicular distance.

14. A method for measuring a feature, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a monitor an image of a viewed object;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object using a central processor unit;

selecting one or more reference surface points from the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object using a pointing device;

determining a reference surface using the central processor unit, wherein the reference surface is determined based on the one or more of the reference surface points;

placing a measurement cursor on the image using the pointing device;

determining a measurement point corresponding to the location of the measurement cursor using the central processor unit;

determining a depth plane using the central processor unit, wherein the depth plane is parallel to the reference surface and passes through the measurement point;

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the depth plane using the central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the depth plane to a predetermined distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a depth plane graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the depth plane that is below the predetermined distance threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of displaying a depth color gradient overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object that are deeper than the depth plane, wherein a color of the pixel for a point on the surface is based on the distance between the point on the surface of the viewed object and the depth plane.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:

determining a distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the reference surface using a central processor unit;

comparing the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the reference surface to a predetermined reference surface distance threshold using the central processor unit; and

displaying a reference surface graphical overlay on pixels in the image associated with the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object having a distance to the reference surface that is below the predetermined reference surface distance threshold.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a two-dimensional image.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the image of the viewed object is a three-dimensional view of the plurality of points on the surface of the viewed object.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the measurement point is a point on the surface of the viewed object corresponding to the location of the measurement cursor.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the distance between the plurality of points on a surface of the viewed object and the depth plane is a perpendicular distance.