Method and system for imaging objects in turbid media using diffusive fermat photons
US5625458A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 3, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 3, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/0073
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for imaging objects in turbid media. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of (a) illuminating the object through the turbid medium with a pulse of light, the light emergent from the turbid medium consisting of a ballistic component, a snake-like component and a diffusive component, the diffusive component including Fermat photons and non-Fermat photons; (b) gating the light emergent from the turbid medium to preferentially select Fermat photons; and (c) forming an image of the object using the gated light. Preferably, a spatial gate is used to preferentially select Fermat photons from the emergent light. This may be done by orienting the source of the illuminating light and a light detector to lie along a most favorable path travelled predominately by Fermat photons. A time gate, such as a streak camera or the like, may be used in addition to the spatial gate to more carefully select Fermat photons from the emergent light. The above-described method may also be used to produce a tomography map of a turbid medium for use in detecting an object located within the turbid medium. This may be done, for example, by providing two or more pa…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.