US Patent 10507088 Imaging apparatus with simplified optical design

Embodiments are directed to an imaging apparatus, which in an embodiment includes a light source to provide light, optics, a translation mechanism and a detector. The optics include focusing optics to perform focusing of the light onto a non-flat focal surface and to direct the light toward a three dimensional object. The translation mechanism adjusts a location of at least one lens of the focusing optics to displace the non-flat focal surface. The detector measures intensities of returning light that is reflected off of the three dimensional object, wherein the intensities of the returning light are measured for a plurality of locations of the at least one lens for determination of positions of a plurality of points of the three dimensional object. Detected positions of one or more of the plurality of points are adjusted to compensate for the non-flat focal surface.