Patent Document ID: 8237844
Application ID: 11912663
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for obtaining a high-contrast image of an observation area, said observation area including at least one contrast target, light from said contrast target having a spectral profile characterised by a plurality of predetermined spectral bands, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a camera comprising an optical filter having spectral filtering characteristics matching said plurality of predetermined spectral bands; b) obtaining an in-band filtered image of said observation area using said camera, said obtaining an in-band filtered image comprising the substeps of: i. receiving a first multi-band light signal from said observation area; and ii. filtering said first multi-band light signal, said filtering said first multi-band light signal comprising impinging said first multi-band light signal on said filter from an angle selected to provide an alignment of the spectral filtering characteristics of the filter with the plurality of predetermined spectral bands of the contrast target; c) obtaining an out-of-band filtered image of said observation area using said camera, said obtaining an out-of-band filtered image comprising the substeps of: i. receiving a second multi-band light signal from said observation area; and ii. filtering said second multi-band light signal, said filtering said second multi-band light signal comprising impinging said second multi-band light signal on said filter from an angle selected to provide a non-alignment of the spectral filtering characteristics of the filter with the plurality of predetermined spectral bands of the contrast target; and d) subtracting one of said in-band filtered image and out-of-band filtered image from the other to obtain said high-contrast image of the observation area.