Imaging method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for characterizing a transparent medium, comprising (a) transmitting light from a point light source two times through said transparent medium and then through a lens onto a detector array to form an image of said transparent medium, wherein at least one converging mirror directs light to a point at a position substantially near the optical center of the lens;
- and (b) analyzing said image to characterize optical properties of said transparent medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to imaging apparatus and method for detecting optical properties of transparent media. The present invention superimposes, either optically or electronically, at least two images of the transparent media in order to obtain the optical properties. By superimposing the images, the present invention is capable of detecting various optical properties of the transparent medium in a single configuration.
35 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing a transparent medium, comprising
(a) transmitting light from a point light source two times through said transparent medium and then through a lens onto a detector array to form an image of said transparent medium, wherein at least one converging mirror directs light to a point at a position substantially near the optical center of the lens; - and
(b) analyzing said image to characterize optical properties of said transparent medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25)
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18. A method for characterizing a transparent medium, comprising
(a) passing light from a point light source through said transparent medium onto a converging mirror; -
(b) reflecting light from said converging mirror back through said transparent medium and through a lens onto a detector array to form an image of said transparent medium, wherein light from said mirror converges to a point at a position substantially near the optical center of the lens; and
(c) analyzing said image to characterize optical properties of said transparent medium.
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19. A method of characterizing a transparent medium, comprising,
superimposing two or more images of a transparent medium wherein each image is generated by reflecting light emitted from a point light source from a converging mirror such that the light converges to a single point substantially near the center of a lens with said light transmitting through said transparent medium either before or after reflecting from the mirror, wherein the two or more images are formed, each having unique focal planes, such that one of the unique focal planes corresponds to the transparent medium.
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28. An apparatus for detecting optical characteristics in a transparent medium, comprising
(a) a point light source for transmitting light through said transparent medium; -
(b) a converging mirror for reflecting said light back through said transparent medium and to a point at a position substantially near the optical center of the lens;
(c) a detector array for receiving an image from said lens; and
(d) an analyzing device for analyzing said image to determine optical properties of said transparent medium. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for superimposing two or more images of a transparent medium, comprising:
two or more imaging systems, each system having a point light source for transmitting light through a transparent medium, a converging mirror positioned such that light from the point light source converges to a point substantially near a center of an imaging lens, and a detector array for receiving an image from said lens, wherein each system generates an image, each image having unique focal planes, such that one of the unique focal planes corresponds to the transparent medium. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
Specification