OPTICAL SCANNING METHOD AND APPARATUS USEFUL FOR DETERMINING THE CONFIGURATION OF AN OBJECT

An optical scanning system illuminates the object to be scanned with non-coherent light and laser light simultaneously. A photodetector camera views the object and produces a single output signal indicative of the magnitude of non-coherent light and laser light reflected from the object. These two components of the output signal are then distinguished and used to determine both the length of the object and its thickness relative to a reference location. The accuracy of the length measurement can be refined by correcting for parallax error introduced by the thickness of the object. If the object is moved and successive samples taken, the configuration of the object in three dimensions can be determined.