Importance

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Abstract

A laser beam is projected through the optical system of an endoscope and scanned in raster fashion by means of a scanning head at a proximal end of the endoscope tube. The beam is projected from a distal end of the endoscope tube so as to be scanned over an object. Light reflected from the object is detected and used to form a television image. The range of the object is measurable in a ranging mode of the apparatus in which the depth of focus of the projected laser beam is reduced using a zoom lens at the distal end of the endoscope and the focus distance of the projected beam varied until an in-focus position is detected by analysis of the reflected position is detected by analysis of the reflected light. Detection of the in-focus position relies on characteristics of laser speckle, a selected portion of the object being scanned in ranging mode to detect maximum modulation in the speckle pattern which occurs when the focus distance corresponds to the range of the object. Range and object size information may then be included in a television image of the object.

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First Claim