Speckle Pattern Distance Measurement System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional contact distance measurement methods can damage objects, while non-contact methods lack reliability, especially in precise applications.

Innovation Solution

A 3D non-contact distance measurement system using a light source module to project a speckle pattern onto reference planes and an object, with an image capture device generating reference and object image information, and a processing module comparing similarity scores to determine the object's position, ensuring high reliability by ignoring results below a threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If contact distance measurement is used to achieve high precision, then measurement precision is improved, but the object may be damaged by probes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoidobject damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical contact measurement system with an optical measurement system. Instead of using physical probes that touch the object surface, the system uses a light source to project speckle patterns and captures reflected light through an image sensor, thereby eliminating mechanical contact and preventing object damage while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates an optical copy (speckle pattern) of the object surface by projecting structured light. The speckle pattern serves as a virtual replica of the surface topology, allowing measurement of distance and shape information without physical contact. The image sensor captures this optical copy to derive measurement data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Object-affected harmful factors

If non-contact distance measurement is used to avoid object damage, then object safety is improved, but measurement reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject damageVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of light structure from simple illumination to speckle pattern projection. The speckle pattern introduces high-frequency spatial variations in light intensity that create distinctive reflection signatures. By analyzing changes in these optical parameters (speckle pattern distortion, intensity distribution), the system achieves reliable non-contact measurement with improved signal discrimination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes intensity variations (optical contrast changes) in the speckle pattern reflection. The speckle pattern creates a characteristic distribution of bright and dark regions that change predictably with distance and surface orientation. By detecting these intensity pattern changes, the system achieves reliable measurement without contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Device complexity

If simple illumination is used for non-contact measurement, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the illumination parameter from uniform light to speckle pattern light. This parameter change in the light structure provides rich spatial frequency information in the reflection, enabling precise distance and surface measurement. The speckle pattern acts as a natural encoding that enhances measurement precision without requiring complex mechanical or optical mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables precise and reliable 3D non-contact distance measurement, suitable for various applications without damaging objects, by using a speckle pattern to compute object positions accurately.

Implementation Method 1

a light source module 102, capable of projecting a light beam with a speckle pattern to a plurality of reference planes 122, 124, 126 and an object 132, so that images with the speckle pattern are shown on the reference planes 122, 124, 126 and a surface of the object 132

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpeckle pattern: Interference

Data Source

PatentUS8891830B2Method, system and processing software for distance measurement using speckle patterns

Publication Date: 2014.11.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A distance measurement system and method are provided. The distance measurement method first projects a light beam with a speckle pattern to reference planes and an object to allow the reference planes and a surface of the object each have an image of the speckle pattern, the speckle pattern having a plurality of speckles. Next, images of the speckle pattern reflected by the reference planes are captured to generate reference image information, and an image of the speckle pattern reflected by the surface of the object is captured to generate an object image information. A processing module which may be a processing software can compare the object image information with the reference image information to obtain several similarity scores. If the most the most similarity score is greater than a threshold value, the processing module identifies the corresponding reference plane, thereby computing the position of the object.