IMAGING SYSTEM FOR COMBINED FULL-COLOUR REFLECTANCE AND NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING Russian patent published in 2014 - IPC A61B5/00 G01N21/35 G01N21/00 

FIELD: physics, optics.

SUBSTANCE: invention provides an imaging system for obtaining an image in the visible and infrared ranges. The method involves continuously illuminating an area under observation with blue/green light, as well as with red light and near-infrared (NIR) light; during illumination, the red light and/or NIR light are switched on and off periodically; directing blue and green reflected light and combined red reflected light and luminescent radiation to image signal generators; the signal generators are capable of separately measuring blue reflected light, green reflected light and combined red reflected light and luminescent NIR radiation; periodically switching on and off the red light and/or NIR light synchronously to obtain a red colour image and a NIR image; separately determining the spectral component of the red reflected light and the spectral component of the luminescent NIR radiation based on the image signals of the combined red reflected light and luminescent NIR radiation; outputting on a screen a full-colour image of the area under observation from the blue and green reflected light and the separately determined red light spectral component, and displaying a NIR image from the luminescent NIR radiation spectral component. The system includes a light source, a video camera with signal generators, a controller and a display.

EFFECT: use of the invention improves resolution of the obtained image in the visible and infrared ranges and reduces the number of artefacts caused by movement.

25 cl, 6 dwg