Stereo-examination systems and stereo-image generation apparatus as well as a method for operating the same

Abstract

A stereo-examination system for imaging an object 8 is proposed, comprising an objective arrangement 3 having an optical axis 5 and an object plane 7 for positioning the object 8 to be imaged, wherein the objective arrangement 3 receives an object-side beam bundle 11 emanating from the object plane 7 into a solid angle region 9 and converts the same into an image-side beam bundle 13 , a selection arrangement for selecting at least a pair of partial beam bundles 19, 20 from the image-side beam bundle 13 , and an image transmission apparatus 51, 52 for generating a representation of images of the object 8 provided by the partial beam bundles 19, 20. The stereo-examination system is distinguished in that the selection arrangement is provided for displacing a beam cross-section of at least one of the two partial beam bundles 19, 20 relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle 13 , a controller 49 being provided for controlling the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle 19, 20 in circumferential direction about the optical axis 5.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A stereo-examination system, comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane, wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle, wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis,    wherein the selection arrangement comprises a pulsed light source.    
   
   
       15 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 14 , wherein the selection arrangement comprises a reflector displaceable about the optical axis.  
   
   
       16 . A stereo-examination system, comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane, wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle, wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis,    wherein the image transmission apparatus comprises at least a pair of cameras, wherein each camera is allocated to a partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles to generate a representation of the image provided by said partial beam bundle.    
   
   
       17 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 16 , wherein the selection arrangement comprises the image transmission apparatus, and the pair of cameras are rotatable about a rotational axis to displace the two selected partial beam bundles relative to the beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle.  
   
   
       18 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 16 , wherein the pair of cameras are fixedly positioned relative to the objective arrangement, and the selection arrangement comprises two controllable beam deflectors respectively allocated to the pair of cameras to supply each of the two partial beam bundles to the respectively allocated camera.  
   
   
       19 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 16 , wherein the pair of cameras are fixedly positioned relative to the objective arrangement, and the selection arrangement comprises an optical system rotatable about a rotational axis to supply each of the two partial beam bundles to the camera allocated thereto.  
   
   
       20 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 19 , wherein the rotatable optical system is an image-rotating optical system comprising a Dove prism or/and a Schmidt-Pechan prism.  
   
   
       21 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 16 , wherein a beam dividing arrangement for supplying the image-side beam bundle to several selection arrangements is provided, a separate image transmission apparatus being allocated to each selection arrangement.  
   
   
       22 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 21 , wherein the selection arrangement comprises a rotatable stop having a decentral aperture.  
   
   
       23 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising an illumination apparatus for illuminating the object through the beam dividing arrangement.  
   
   
       24 . A stereo-examination system, comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis    wherein, in the direction of the optical axis, the selection arrangement comprises two controllable beam deflectors and a stop, the stop being disposed between the two controllable beam deflectors or one of the two controllable beam deflectors being disposed between the stop and the other one of the two controllable beam deflectors.    
   
   
       25 . A stereo-examination system comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis    wherein the selection arrangement comprises a facet mirror or a facet prism, a controllable beam deflector.    
   
   
       26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . A stereo-examination system, comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane, wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle, wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis,    wherein the image transmission apparatus comprises at least three cameras, wherein a partial beam bundle is directed to each camera, said partial beam bundle being fixed relative to the other cameras, and wherein the selector arrangement selects from the at least three cameras different pairs for generating the representation to displace the at least one beam cross-section about the optical axis.    
   
   
       28 - 34 . (canceled)  
   
   
       35 . A stereo-examination system, comprising: 
 an objective arrangement having an optical axis and an object plane, wherein the objective arrangement is configured to receive an object-side beam bundle emanating from the object plane into a solid angle region and to convert the object-side beam bundle into an image-side beam bundle;    a selection arrangement for selecting a first pair and a second pair of partial beam bundles from the image-side beam bundle, wherein the selection arrangement is configured to displace a beam cross-section of at least one partial beam bundle of the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles relative to a beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle;    an image transmission apparatus for generating representations of images provided by the first pair and the second pair of partial beam bundles; and    a controller configured to control the selection arrangement to displace the beam cross-section of the at least one partial beam bundle in a circumferential direction about the optical axis,    further comprising an illumination apparatus comprising a beam coupler for superposing a cross-section of an illumination beam to the beam cross-section of the image-side beam bundle, the illumination apparatus being controllable such that the cross-section of the illumination beam does substantially not overlap with the beam cross-sections of the partial beam bundles.    
   
   
       36 . The stereo-examination system according to  claim 35 , wherein the illumination apparatus comprises a field of a plurality of selectively switchable mirrors.  
   
   
       37 . A stereo-image generation apparatus for generating at least a pair of representations of an object for observation by at least one user, comprising: 
 a detector arrangement for detecting radiation emanating from a region of the object into at least two solid angle regions and for providing radiation data corresponding to the detected radiation,    a position detection apparatus for detecting a first position of the user relative to a fixed point in a user coordinate system,    a selection arrangement for determining the at least two solid angle regions dependent upon an azimuth or/and an elevation of the user position in the user coordinate system, and    a display apparatus for displaying a first representation for a left eye of the user and for displaying a second representation for a right eye of the user dependent upon the radiation data.    
   
   
       38 . The stereo-image generation apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the detector arrangement and the selection arrangement comprise a stereo-examination system.  
   
   
       39 . A stereo-image generation method for generating at least a pair of representations of an object for observation by at least one user, comprising: 
 detecting a first position of the user relative to a fixed point in a user coordinate system,    detecting radiation emanating from a region of the object into at least two solid angle regions and providing radiation data corresponding to the recorded radiation,    supplying the radiation data to a display and displaying a first representation for a left eye of the user and displaying a second representation for a right eye of the user, and subsequently:    detecting a second position of the user relative to the fixed point and:    if an azimuth of the second position has changed as compared to an azimuth of the first position: displacing at least one of the two solid angle regions azimuthally about an axis or/and    if an elevation of the second position has changed as compared to an elevation of the first position: displacing at least one of that the two solid angle regions elevationally with respect to the axis.