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Topographical object detection system

  • US 5,986,746 A
  • Filed: 03/26/1997
  • Issued: 11/16/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A device for producing an image of a topographic surface having ridges and valleys, said device comprising:

  • light producing means for producing light rays;

    a light transmitting substrate capable of transmitting the light produced by said light producing means;

    a topographic surface illuminating region for physical placement of an object having a topographical surface;

    an image detection means for detecting an image of said topographical surface;

    an optical element affixed to a portion of said light transmitting substrate and being disposed between said topographical surface illuminating region and said image detection means, said optical element embodying a light diffracting grating;

    wherein said topographic surface illuminating region and said optical element are each disposed substantially along a common optical axis; and

    wherein during the operation of said device,(1) light rays produced by said light producing means, propagate within said light transmitting substrate towards and into said optical element and are diffracted by said light diffracting grating,(2) diffracted light rays produced by said light diffracting grating, propagate directly towards said topographical surface illuminating region and fall incident upon and are intensity modulated by the ridges and valleys of said topographical surface, and(3) at least a portion of the intensity modulated light rays produced from said ridges and valleys of said topographical surface propagate back at an angle less than the critical angle of said light transmitting substrate through said light transmitting substrate and said optical element and fall incident upon said image detection means, whereupon an image of said topographical surface is detected.

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