Patent ID: 7507940

Claim:
An apparatus to obtain images of an underwater target which is located in the field-of-view of a video camera in a waterproof container includes a means to determine the distance between the container and the target and a laser to illuminate the target with a laser beam, a pulse from the laser beam being directed to a holographic beam shaper for producing a plurality of laser beams, located between the laser and a diverging lens that combines the laser beams and directs the laser beams from the beam shaper towards the target, so as to provide illumination of the target area which is of an overall uniform density and which comprises a pattern having a height to width ratio that matches that of the field-of-view of the camera, the video camera's shutter being kept closed until the laser beams travel to the target and nearly back to the camera and means then to open the camera's shutter and obtain an image of the target.