Patent ID: 7433110

Claim:
A three-dimensional light ray input apparatus for inputting light from a three-dimensional object which is present on a plane consisting of x-y axes in an orthogonal coordinate system and which has a depth in a z-axis direction, said apparatus comprising: a first optical element, a second optical element, a focusing element, an imaging element, and a recording portion, wherein each of said first and second optical elements has a length in a y-axis direction, wherein said imaging element is capable of imaging a two-dimensional image, wherein said first and second optical elements move together in an x-axis direction and scan light from the object, wherein said first optical element distributes light rays from surroundings of the object onto said second optical element, wherein light focused on said second optical element is brought to a focus on said imaging element by said focusing element, wherein said imaging element images (i) said light brought to a focus, (ii) light, which is present at each position in the x-axis direction on said second optical element is at a position on said imaging element that corresponds to each position in the x-axis direction, and (iii) light, which is present at each position on the second optical element in the y-axis direction, at a position on the imaging element that corresponds to each position in the y-axis direction, and wherein said recording portion records images imaged by said imaging element in the order of the scanning.