Spatially selective detection using a dynamic mask in an image plane

1. A three-dimensional laser scanner instrument for acquiring three-dimensional geometric data of a scene, said three-dimensional laser scanner instrument comprising an illumination system for generating a light beam and for scanning an illumination point of said light beam through said scene, a light detection system comprising at least one light detector, said light detection system being arranged to receive light from said scene, and an optical system for imaging light scattered in or reflected from said scene onto said light detection system;

characterized in that light detection system comprises a controllable filter element for dynamically discriminating light impinging from selected regions of said scene and a control unit operatively connected to said controllable filter element and to said illumination system, wherein in operation of said scanner instrument, said filter element is controlled by said control unit so as to guide only light impinging from a selected, spatially delimited region around said illumination point in said scene onto said at least one light detector.

2. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a size and/or a shape of said selected, spatially delimited region around said illumination point is dynamically adjustable.

3. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said filter element is arranged geometrically in or close to an imaging plane of said optical system.

4. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said light beam is projected onto said scene along a first optical pathway and wherein said light scattered in or reflected from said scene is imaged onto said light detection system along a second optical pathway, and wherein said first pathway and said second pathway are separate from each other.

5. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said controllable filter element comprises one or more mechanical diaphragm blade(s) of appropriate shape(s), said one or more mechanical diaphragm blade(s) being provided with an electronically controlled mechanical actuation device.

6. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said controllable filter element comprises at least one liquid crystal panel, said liquid crystal panel comprising an array of individually controllable pixels to control blocking and transmission of light in different areas of said panel.

7. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said controllable filter element comprises at least one panel based on LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) technology comprising an array of individually controllable pixels and a polarization selective optical element.

8. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 7 , wherein said polarization selective optical element comprises a polarization beam splitter.

9. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said controllable filter element comprises an array of micromechanical mirrors, said micromechanical mirrors being arranged and configured such that the orientation of said micromechanical mirrors with respect to the image plane can be individually switched.

10. The three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a calibration mechanism configured and adapted to calibrate and align the controllable filter element with the light beam generated by said illumination system.

11. Method for operating a three-dimensional laser scanner instrument, said three-dimensional laser scanner instrument comprising an illumination system for generating a light beam and for scanning an illumination point of said light beam through said scene, a light detection system comprising at least one light detector, said light detection system being arranged to receive light from said scene, and an optical system for imaging light scattered in or reflected from said scene onto said light detection system, said method comprising the steps of dynamically discriminating light impinging from selected regions of said scene by means of controllable filter element by controlling said filter element so as to guide only light impinging from a selected, spatially delimited region around said illumination point in said scene onto said at least one light detector.

12. Method for operating a three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 11 , wherein said controllable filter element is controlled for blocking of return light signal from atmospheric scattering at short range during the operation of the instrument under bad atmospheric conditions.

13. Method for operating a three-dimensional laser scanner instrument according to claim 12 , wherein the visibility range in bad atmospheric conditions is determined based on an evaluation of a light intensity distribution in the image of the trace of the laser beam due to light scattering in the atmosphere.