Imaging apparatus
First Claim
1. Imaging apparatus for generating an optically sectioned image of a specimen, the imaging apparatus comprising:
- a first light source;
a second light source;
a fiber optic bundle having a first end and a second end and arranged such that scattered first source light that has been scattered from said specimen when illuminated by the first light source and scattered second source light that has been scattered from said specimen when illuminated by the second light source is collected at the second end and is guided to the first end;
a lens system for focusing light from the second end of the fiber optic bundle onto said specimen and for focusing light scattered from said specimen to the second end of the fiber optic bundle; and
an analyzer for receiving light from the first end of the fiber optic bundle scattered first source light and scattered second source light and for extracting an optically sectioned image of said specimen from both the scattered first source light and the scattered second source light wherein the fiber optic bundle is adapted to apply structure to light from the first light source that is guided by the fiber optic bundle to said specimen and wherein the second light source and the fiber optic bundle are arranged such that either the fiber optic bundle applies a structure to light from the second light source incident on said specimen which is different to the structure applied by the fiber optic bundle to light from the first light source or the fiber optic bundle applies no structure to light from the second light source incident on said specimen.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The confocal imaging apparatus includes first and second light sources (6, 7) located at opposite ends of a fibre optic bundle (1). One end of the fibre optic bundle (4) is located adjacent the object to be imaged the opposite end of the fibre optic bundle (2) is located adjacent a camera (3) that records the images received from the fibre optic bundle (4). An analyser (10) is used to extract a confocal image from the image of the object produced using the illumination from the first light source (6) and the image of the object produced using illumination from the second light source (7). The imaging apparatus is particularly suited to endoscopy applications and is able to provide video rate confocal images.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. Imaging apparatus for generating an optically sectioned image of a specimen, the imaging apparatus comprising:
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a first light source;
a second light source;
a fiber optic bundle having a first end and a second end and arranged such that scattered first source light that has been scattered from said specimen when illuminated by the first light source and scattered second source light that has been scattered from said specimen when illuminated by the second light source is collected at the second end and is guided to the first end;
a lens system for focusing light from the second end of the fiber optic bundle onto said specimen and for focusing light scattered from said specimen to the second end of the fiber optic bundle; and
an analyzer for receiving light from the first end of the fiber optic bundle scattered first source light and scattered second source light and for extracting an optically sectioned image of said specimen from both the scattered first source light and the scattered second source light wherein the fiber optic bundle is adapted to apply structure to light from the first light source that is guided by the fiber optic bundle to said specimen and wherein the second light source and the fiber optic bundle are arranged such that either the fiber optic bundle applies a structure to light from the second light source incident on said specimen which is different to the structure applied by the fiber optic bundle to light from the first light source or the fiber optic bundle applies no structure to light from the second light source incident on said specimen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification