Patent ID: 8721525

Claim:
An endoscope system for detecting three-dimensional structures, the system comprising: an endoscope shank having a proximal end and a distal end; at least one fiber-optic extending within the endoscope shank between the proximal and distal ends thereof; at least one radiation source ( 34 ), which emits modulated radiation led to the distal end of the endoscope shank by at least one of the at least one fiber-optic and is applied in a manner such that an object ( 2 ) to be examined by way of the endoscope system is illuminated with the modulated radiation, at least one sensor ( 26 ) with a plurality of sensor elements for detecting the modulated radiation reflected by the object ( 2 ) at different picture points, wherein the at least one sensor ( 26 ) forms a structural unit with a video sensor ( 24 ), an evaluation device ( 35 ) which obtains readings of the detected radiation from the sensor ( 26 ), determines phase differences at the different picture points, and computes a distance of the object ( 2 ) from the at least one sensor ( 26 ) based on the phase differences, and common optics for transmitting a picture of the object ( 2 ) to be examined and the modulated radiation reflected by the object ( 2 ), wherein a separating device or switch-over device ( 22 ) is positioned between an exit side of the common optics and (i) the at least one sensor ( 26 ) and (ii) an eyepiece or the video sensor ( 24 ), and which leads the modulated radiation reflected by the object ( 2 ) to the at least one sensor ( 26 ), and the picture, to the eyepiece or to the video sensor ( 24 ).