IP Library Granted Patent US 11,209,264
Granted Patent B2
US 11,209,264 · App. 16/778,649 · Granted Dec 28, 2021

Reflection refuting laser scanner

Inventors: Alexander James Lonsberry (Cleveland Heights, OH); Andrew Gordon Lonsberry (Columbus, OH)
Assignee: Path Robotics, Inc.
G01B11/2513G01B11/2518
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,209,264
App. No.
16/778,649
Granted
Dec 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some embodiments described herein relate to optical systems and methods for determining the shape and/or size of objects that include projecting a pattern of light onto the object. The pattern of light can be configured such that first-order reflections can be distinguished from second- and/or higher-order reflections, which can be rejected. Thus, even in instances in which the pattern of light is reflected onto the object multiple times, the original, or first-order, reflection can be detected, distinguished, and/or used for laser triangulation. In some embodiments, a pattern of light that does not have reflection and/or rotational symmetry is projected onto the object, such that second-order and/or higher-order reflections can be distinguished from the first-order reflection.

Claims (59)

1. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code configured to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive an indication of a predetermined pattern emitted by a light source, the predetermined pattern not possessing reflection symmetry;

receive, from a detector, a representation of a part illuminated by the light source;

identify a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in the representation of the part based on a comparison to an expected pattern of a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern;

identify a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in the representation of the part based on a determination that the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern is a mirror image of the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern; and

filter the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern from the representation of the part; and

define a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on deviations in the first order reflection of the predetermined pattern after filtering the second-order reflection.

2. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the part is from a plurality of representations of the part, the code further comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive, from the detector, the plurality of representations of the part, each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part having a different portion of the part illuminated by the light source; and

identify a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part,

the three-dimensional model defined based on deviations in the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern from the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part.

3. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern does not possess reflection symmetry.

4. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern does not possess rotational symmetry.

5. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined pattern does not possess reflection symmetry.

6. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code configured to be executed by a processor, the code further comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive an indication of a predetermined pattern emitted by a light source, the predetermined pattern not possessing reflection symmetry;

receive, from the detector, a plurality of representations of the part, each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part having a different portion of the part illuminated by the light source;

identify a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part based on a comparison to the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern;

identify a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in at least a subset of the plurality of representations of the part based on a determination that the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern is a mirror image of the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern;

filter second-order reflections of the predetermined pattern from the plurality of representations of the part prior to defining the three-dimensional model; and

define a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on deviations in the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in each representation of the part from the plurality of representations of the part.

7. A system, comprising:

a light source configured to project a predetermined pattern that has a linear portion and a non-symmetric portion and lacks reflection symmetry;

a detector configure to capture an image of a part illuminated by the light source; and

a compute device communicatively coupled to the detector, the compute device configured to:

process the image of the part to remove a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern based on deviations in the non-symmetric portion of the predetermined pattern from an expected pattern of a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern, and

generate a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on deviations from linear in the linear portion of the predetermined pattern in a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in the image of the part.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined pattern does not possess rotational symmetry.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the light source is configured to scan the predetermined pattern over the part;

the image is from a plurality of images of the part;

the detector is configured to capture the plurality of images of the part, a different portion of the part illuminated by the light source in each image from the plurality of images; and

the compute device is configured to generate the three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on a first order-reflection of the predetermined pattern in each image from the plurality of images.

10. A system, comprising of claim 7 , wherein:

a light source configured to scan a predetermined pattern that lacks reflection symmetry over the part;

a detector configure to capture a plurality of images of the part, a different portion of the part illuminated by the light source in each image from the plurality of images; and

a compute device communicatively coupled to the detector, the compute device configured to:

process at least a subset of images from the plurality of images to remove a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern; and

generate a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on a first order-reflection of the predetermined pattern in each image from the plurality of images.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the compute device is configured to generate the three-dimensional model based on deviations in the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern from an expected pattern of a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern.

12. A method, comprising:

receive, from a detector, an image of a part illuminated by a light source that is configured to project a predetermined pattern that lacks reflection symmetry;

identify a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in the image based on a comparison to an expected pattern of a first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern;

identify a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern in the image based on a determination that the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern is a mirror image of the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern; and

filter the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern from the image.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein filtering the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern defines a filtered image, the method further comprising:

defining a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on the filtered image.

14. The method of claim 12 , the method further comprising:

defining a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on deviations in the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern from the expected pattern of the first-order reflection.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the image is from a plurality of images, the method further comprising:

scanning the predetermined pattern over the part;

receiving, from the detector, the plurality of images, a different portion of the part illuminated by the predefined pattern in each image from the plurality of images;

for at least a subset of images from the plurality of images, identify a second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern and filter the second-order reflection of the predetermined pattern to define a filtered image from a plurality of filtered images; and

defining a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on the plurality of filtered images.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined pattern lacks rotational symmetry.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the predefined pattern has a linear portion and an asymmetric portion;

the second-order reflection is identified based on deviations in the asymmetric portion of the predefined pattern from the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern, the method further comprising:

defining a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the part based on deviations in the linear portion of predefined pattern from the expected pattern of the first-order reflection of the predetermined pattern.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2026
From: TRIPLEPOINT PRIVATE VENTURE CREDIT INC.
To: PATH ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 074700/0957 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2026
From: PATH ROBOTICS, INC.
To: TRINITY CAPITAL INC.
Reel/Frame 074519/0513 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2024
From: PATH ROBOTICS, INC.
To: TRIPLEPOINT PRIVATE VENTURE CREDIT INC.
Reel/Frame 068789/0005 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2021
From: LONSBERRY, ALEXANDER JAMES; LONSBERRY, ANDREW GORDON
To: PATH ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 054873/0961 →