Scanner detector array and light diffuser

Claim 1

A detector comprising: an array of detector elements disposed in at least one row and in a plurality of columns, wherein each detector element comprises a lens receptive of light on one face thereof along a light path from a target and outputting light at the other face, a photodetector for generating an electrical signal in response to light received thereon, for receiving the signal generated by the photodetector, wherein the array of detector elements comprises at least one detector module having means mounting a plurality of lenses side-by-side, a common substrate on which the photodetectors and preamplifiers for all of the lenses in the module are mounted with each preamplifier adjacent to a corresponding photodetector, means mounting the common substrate in the at least one detector module comprising a U-shaped frame having a light transparent window at an open side thereof and slots for slidably receiving the common substrate parallel to the window and means connecting the plurality of side-by-side mounted lenses to the common substrate to dispose each photodetector at a fixed distance form the other face of a corresponding lens and facing the other face to receive light passing through the lens.

Claim 9

A method comprising: scanning light along a light path at a target and detecting the light from the target with at least one collecting lens by disposing a light diffuser along the light path between the target and the at least one collecting lens to diffuse light form the target and angularly displacing the at least one collecting lens for the light path by an angle Θ, where 0°<Θ≦45°, such that the only light energy received by the at least one collecting lens is cosine Θ times the light energy from the diffuser.

Claim 10

A method comprising: scanning light along a light path at a target and detecting the light from the target with at least one collecting lens by disposing a light diffuser along the light path between the target and the at least one collecting lens to diffuse light form the target and angularly displacing the at least one collecting lens for the light path by an angle Θ, where 0°<Θ≦45°, such that the only light energy received by the at least one collecting lens is cosine Θ times the light energy from the diffuser.