Multidimensional imaging using a single point detector for a phase encoded modulated optical carrier
First Claim
1. In an apparatus for imaging attenuation and phase shift characteristics of an object including applying means for applying to a surface of the object a plurality of electromagnetic rays each having a carrier frequency in an optical frequency spectrum, each of said rays modulated by a modulation frequency, and detecting means for detecting the electromagnetic rays after attenuation and phase shifting by each of a plurality of voxels (volume elements of interest),the improvement wherein said voxels are disposed in an array of n dimensions where n is at least equal to 1 and said detecting means comprises only a single optical detecting cell for detecting electromagnetic radiation resulting at a single point from attenuation and phase shift of said plurality of rays by said plurality of voxels, andprocessing means for processing an output signal from said single cell to provide data identifying optical attenuation and phase shift characteristics of each of said voxels thereby to image said plurality of voxels.
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Abstract
Optical imaging of an object utilizes a plurality of amplitude modulated light rays propagating through the object, either sequentially or simultaneously, for detection by a single photodetector. The light rays may propagate geometrically (i.e., directly) or diffusively. Each of the rays is encoded with a different phase to provide sufficient information for decoding the light intensity detected by the photodetector. The rays may be applied simultaneously in an array, in which case different carrier frequencies as well as different phases are applied to the different rays by any of a number of modulators. Alternatively, the rays may be individually applied to the object in a sequence of phase encoded rays. In either case, the single photodetector receives sufficient information to image each of the voxels of interest in the object being imaged. Information may be obtained for different voxels selected for imaging without mechanical scanning.
43 Citations
17 Claims
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1. In an apparatus for imaging attenuation and phase shift characteristics of an object including applying means for applying to a surface of the object a plurality of electromagnetic rays each having a carrier frequency in an optical frequency spectrum, each of said rays modulated by a modulation frequency, and detecting means for detecting the electromagnetic rays after attenuation and phase shifting by each of a plurality of voxels (volume elements of interest),
the improvement wherein said voxels are disposed in an array of n dimensions where n is at least equal to 1 and said detecting means comprises only a single optical detecting cell for detecting electromagnetic radiation resulting at a single point from attenuation and phase shift of said plurality of rays by said plurality of voxels, and processing means for processing an output signal from said single cell to provide data identifying optical attenuation and phase shift characteristics of each of said voxels thereby to image said plurality of voxels.
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16. In an apparatus for imaging attenuation and phase shift characteristics of an object including applying means for sequentially applying to a surface of the object a sequence of intensity modulated electromagnetic rays each having a carrier frequency in an optical frequency spectrum, and detecting means for detecting the electromagnetic rays after attenuation and phase shifting by each of a plurality of voxels (volume elements of interest),
the improvement wherein said voxels are disposed in an array of n dimensions where n is at least equal to 1 and said detecting means comprises only a single optical detecting cell for detecting electromagnetic radiation resulting at a single point from attenuation and phase shift of each of said sequence of rays by said plurality of voxels, and processing means for processing an output signal from said single cell to provide data identifying optical attenuation and phase shift characteristics of each of said voxels thereby to image said plurality of voxels, wherein said applying means comprises modulating means for modulating each of said sequence of electromagnetic rays, thereby producing a sequence of intensity modulated electromagnetic rays, and for sequentially applying said sequence of modulated electromagnetic rays to said surface of said object.
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17. In an apparatus for imaging optical attenuation and phase shift characteristics of an object including applying means for applying to a surface of the object a plurality of electromagnetic rays each having a carrier frequency in an optical frequency spectrum, each of said rays modulated by a modulation frequency, and detecting means for detecting the electromagnetic rays after attenuation and phase shifting by each of a plurality of voxels (volume elements of interest),
the improvement wherein said voxels are disposed in an array of n dimensions where n is at least equal to 1 and said detecting means comprises only a single optical detecting cell for detecting electromagnetic radiation resulting at a single point from attenuation and phase shift of said plurality of rays by said plurality of voxels, and processing means for processing an output signal from said single cell to provide data identifying optical attenuation and phase shift characteristics of each of said voxels thereby to image said plurality of voxels.
Specification