Patent ID: 6765606
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
Apparatus for imaging an object comprising:a beam generator that generates a scanning light beam moveable to illuminate the object from different illumination positions, wherein each illumination position is defined by at least one of the location and orientation of the scanning light beam and wherein at each different illumination position the scanning light beam illuminates a different localized surface region of the object; a controller that positions the beam at successive illumination positions so as to scan the surface of the object and wherein at each illumination position, the controller codes the beam with illumination position data useable to determine the illumination position; an imaging system comprising at least one photosensitive imager that images respective localized surface areas of the object illuminated by the scanning light beam on respective localized image areas of the at least one photosensitive imager and wherein, at said localized image areas, illumination position data is detectable; and coordinate computation circuitry that determines three spatial coordinates of a localized surface area imaged by said at least one photosensitive imager from the location of the localized image area at which said localized surface area is imaged and the illumination position data detected at said localized image area.