Method and apparatus for illuminating an object field imaged by a rectangular image sensor

1. An illuminator apparatus for illuminating an object field imaged by a rectangular image sensor having a first aspect ratio, the apparatus comprising:

an optical fiber having a proximal end disposed to receive a plurality of input light beams, each light beam having differing spectral properties, the optical fiber being operable to transmit the light beams along the fiber to a distal end of the optical fiber;

an integrating element disposed to receive the light beams from the distal end of the fiber and combine the light beams to produce a generally homogenous illumination beam at a rectangular output face of the integrating element; and

an illumination projector operable to project an image of the output face of the integrating element into the object field to produce a generally rectangular illuminated region of the object field substantially corresponding to the portion of the object field imaged by the rectangular image sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the illuminated region of the object field has a second aspect ratio and wherein the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio are substantially equivalent.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the illuminated region is sized to cause the rectangular image sensor to be at least partly overfilled in at least one direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a controller operably configured to:

sequentially activate each light source to cause the object field to be sequentially illuminated by each light beam;

synchronize the image sensor to capture separate image frames while the object field is being illuminated by each light beam; and

combine the captured image frames to produce a combined image of the object field.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the image sensor comprises a plurality of sensor elements each element being responsive to light having spectral properties associated encompassing the spectral properties of the plurality of light beams and wherein the separate image frames are captured using all sensor elements in the plurality of sensor elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of light sources, each light source being operable to generate one of the plurality of light beams.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plurality of light sources comprise two or more of:

a red laser source;

a green laser source;

a blue laser source; and

a tunable laser source.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a controller operably configured to control respective power levels of each of the plurality of light sources to produce a desired spectral illumination characteristic for the illuminated region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the desired spectral characteristic is selected to enhance certain features within the object field.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the image sensor has reduced sensitivity to some spectral components and wherein the desired spectral characteristic is selected to increase a power level associated with spectral components having reduced sensitivity.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the illumination projector comprises a first polarizer to cause the illuminated region to be illuminated by polarized light having a first polarization direction and wherein images captured by the image sensor are captured through a second polarizer having a second polarization direction operable to reduce specular reflections from objects within the object field.

12. A method for illuminating an object field imaged by a rectangular image sensor having a first aspect ratio, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of input light beams having differing spectral properties at a proximal end of an optical fiber;

transmitting the light beams along the fiber to a distal end of the fiber;

coupling the light beams from the distal end of the fiber into an integrating element operable to combine the light beams to produce a generally homogeneous illumination beam at a rectangular output face of the integrating element; and

projecting an image of the output face of the integrating element into the object field to produce a generally rectangular illuminated region of the object field substantially corresponding to the portion of the object field imaged by the rectangular image sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein producing the generally rectangular illuminated region comprises producing a generally rectangular illuminated region having a second aspect ratio and wherein the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio are substantially equivalent.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein producing the generally rectangular illuminated region comprises producing a generally rectangular illuminated region sized to cause the rectangular image sensor to be at least partly overfilled in at least one direction.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the plurality of light beams comprises activating each of a plurality of light sources, each light source being operable to produce one of the plurality of light beams.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein activating comprises activating two or more of:

a red laser source;

a green laser source;

a blue laser source; and

a tunable laser source;

to produce respective light beams in the plurality of light beams.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sequentially activating each light source to cause the object field to be sequentially illuminated by each light beam;

synchronizing the image sensor to capture separate image frames while the object field is being illuminated by each light beam; and

combining the captured image frames to produce a combined image of the object field.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the image sensor comprises a plurality of sensor elements each element being responsive to light having spectral properties encompassing each of the plurality of light beams and wherein the separate image frames are captured using all sensor elements in the plurality of sensor elements.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein actuating each of a plurality of light sources to produce one of the plurality of light beams comprises controlling respective power levels of each of the plurality of light sources to produce a desired spectral illumination characteristic for the illuminated region.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the desired spectral characteristic is selected to enhance certain features within the object field.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the image sensor has reduced sensitivity to some spectral components and wherein the desired spectral characteristic is selected to increase a power level associated with spectral components having reduced sensitivity.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein projecting the image of the output face of the integrating element comprises projecting the image through a first polarizer such that the object field is illuminated by polarized light having a first polarization direction and wherein images captured by the image sensor are captured through a second polarizer having a second polarization direction operable to reduce specular reflections from objects within the object field.