Patent Document ID: 9124877
Application ID: 13694782
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for acquiring stereoscopic images of a location, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one optical instrument comprising at least one channel, wherein the at least one instrument is capable of acquiring a plurality of optical views corresponding to a left view and a right view of a stereoscopic image of the location; (b) providing a first and a second optical path corresponding to the at least one channel and having a first and a second respective optical axes, wherein the first and the second optical paths are spaced a first interpupillary distance apart and are capable of providing a first and a second respective view of a stereoscopic image to the at least one instrument, and the first and second respective views correspond to a left view and a right view of a stereoscopic image of the location; (c) setting the first and the second respective optical axes of each respective optical path, thereby aligning a vergence of the first and second respective optical axes to coincide at a first point in the location at a first desired distance; (d) acquiring a first left and a first right respective view of a first stereoscopic image of the location; (e) adjusting at least two of: i. a focus of the first and second optical paths simultaneously and identically, ii. a magnification of the first and second optical paths simultaneously and identically; iii. an iris of the first and second optical paths simultaneously and identically, iv. at least one of the first and second respective optical axes of the first and second optical paths, thereby aligning the vergence of the first and second respective optical axes to coincide at a second point in the location at a second desired distance, and v. the interpupillary distance; and (f) acquiring a second left and a second right respective views of a second stereoscopic image of the location, wherein the adjusting is achieved without producing one or more substantially abrupt transitions in or between the first and the second respective views of the first and second stereoscopic images of the location.