Patent ID: 7495748

Claim:
A method to provide a three dimensional (3D) image of a target by scannerless loss modulated flash color range imaging, the method comprising: providing a continuously emitting light source adapted to provide illumination comprising at least three wavelengths; modulating by a first loss modulator operated at a modulation frequency, each of the at least three wavelengths; imparting a phase delay onto each of the at least three wavelengths, thereby creating phase delayed light comprising the at least three wavelengths; illuminating the target with the phase delayed light; demodulating by a second loss modulator operated at the modulation frequency, backscattered phase delayed light from the target; obtaining with an array detector, unmodulated images of intensity distributions for each of the at least three wavelengths comprising the backscattered phase delayed light from the target, wherein the modulation frequency is substantially equal to zero; obtaining with an array detector, modulated images of the intensity distributions for each of the at least three wavelengths comprising the backscattered phase delayed light from the target, wherein the modulation frequency is not equal to zero; determining range information to the target based upon comparison of the unmodulated and the modulated images of the intensity distributions of the at least three wavelengths comprising the backscattered phase delayed light from the target; and, generating the three dimensional (3D) image of the target based upon the determined range information.