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Abstract

An optical fiber bundle having a coherent, partially coherent, or non-coherent fiber array is made to exhibit an improved image. The output end of the bundle is abutted against or imaged upon an array of sensors. A beam of light having a diameter small compared to the fiber diameter is moved along a path in a manner to traverse the entire input face of the bundle during an initialization procedure. During the initializing procedure radiation exits from consecutive fibers in positions which correspond to one or more sensors of the array. The addresses of those sensors are determined in each instance and stored to be used during later scanner operations to interrogate the sensor array in an address sequence corresponding to the input end positions of the fibers thus associating the spatial relationship of sensors with corresponding fiber inputs. The arrangement permits even a non-coherent fiber optic bundle to produce a coherent image and a coherent or partially coherent fiber optic bundle to produce an improved image.

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