Patent ID: 6150666
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: A61C,G01B,G02B

Abstract:
A system for the simultaneous polyfocal imaging of a surface profile of any object, comprising:a light source for illuminating the object;at least one optical element for focusing light signals returning from the surface of the object;a detector for detecting the light signals;a processor for digitizing and processing the detected light signals; anda beam output coupler for simultaneously separating light returning from different image planes of the object and feeding the separated light to the detector, the beam output coupler being arranged in a detection beam path downstream of the optical element, the beam output coupler being configured as an arrangement of at least two pin holes in series,wherein the beam output coupler defines a first pin hole located at a first focal point and a second pin hole located next in the series at a second focal point, andwherein a first portion of the light returning from the different image planes is masked out at the first pin hole and the light remaining is reflected to the second pin hole, andwherein a portion of the reflected light is masked out at the second pin hole and the light remaining is reflected.