Patent ID: 7009638

Claim:
A method of acquiring a large area image of a large area object, comprising: acquiring a plurality of small area electronic images of divers portions of a large area object by: focusing multiple, overlapping divers portions of the large area object onto an array of photosensitive elements through multiple, individual lens systems, each of which is fixed in immoveable relation with respect to the array of photosensitive elements and which are positioned in still, non-moving relation to the large area object, in such a manner that each of the overlapping divers portions of the large area object is focused onto the array of photosensitive elements by a respective one of the lens systems; exposing the array of photosensitive elements sequentially to each of the overlapping, divers portions of the large area object without moving the optical paths from the large area object to the array of photosensitive elements; reading the electronic signals out of the photosensitive elements for each such exposure before making the next sequential exposure; forming a mosaic of the small area electronic images by merging the small area electronic images together in such a manner that overlapping areas of adjacent small area electronic images coincide or register with each other; and converting the mosaic of small area electronic images to the large area image of the large area object.