Apparatus and method for stereoscopic endoscopy
First Claim
1. Apparatus for stereoscopic imaging comprising a system for forming and relaying an image of an object field and means having a single pupil through which said object field is viewed characterised in that displacement means is provided between said single pupil and said object field, said displacement means being effective to create a first virtual pupil providing a first view point of said object field and a second virtual pupil spaced from said first virtual pupil providing a second view point of said object field spaced from said first view point;
- said first virtual pupil being a virtual image of said single pupil for light polarised in a first direction and said second virtual pupil being a virtual image of said single pupil for light polarised in a second direction distinct from said first direction, so that substantially every point of said single pupil is provided with light corresponding to both of said view points.
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for providing stereo-image pairs, typically for use in endoscopy. A birefringent optical component creates two virtual pupils to provide spaced view points of an object field through a single real pupil, the light from each of the two view points having a respectively different polarization. The birefringent component may be in the form of a calcite slab or comprise liquid crystal material. By suitable orientation of two such components with respect to each other, the path lengths for the two polarizations of light may be made equivalent and rotation of the planes of polarization of this light through 90 degrees by means disposed between the birefringent components can improve the performance of the system. The rotation device may comprise a half-wave plate or a layer of liquid crystal material. By tilting the slab of calcite, the observer may be provided with a change in view point and, thereby, some motion parallax. In one embodiment of the invention, a polarizing beam splitter directs light corresponding to each of the two view points to respectively different CCD'"'"'s, following its passage through the single pupil.
25 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for stereoscopic imaging comprising a system for forming and relaying an image of an object field and means having a single pupil through which said object field is viewed characterised in that displacement means is provided between said single pupil and said object field, said displacement means being effective to create a first virtual pupil providing a first view point of said object field and a second virtual pupil spaced from said first virtual pupil providing a second view point of said object field spaced from said first view point;
- said first virtual pupil being a virtual image of said single pupil for light polarised in a first direction and said second virtual pupil being a virtual image of said single pupil for light polarised in a second direction distinct from said first direction, so that substantially every point of said single pupil is provided with light corresponding to both of said view points.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for viewing a stereoscopic image comprising forming and relaying an image of an object field through a single pupil characterised by providing displacement means intermediate said single pupil and said object field;
- creating a first virtual pupil and thereby providing a first view point of said object field and a second virtual pupil spaced from said first virtual pupil thereby providing a second view point of said object field spaced from said first view point; and
providing substantially the whole of said single pupil with light polarised differently for each of said view points. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- creating a first virtual pupil and thereby providing a first view point of said object field and a second virtual pupil spaced from said first virtual pupil thereby providing a second view point of said object field spaced from said first view point; and
Specification