Abstract: The confocal imaging system and method involve the imaging of a specimen under observation by projecting a light pattern of illumination spots simultaneously on the specimen. This is accomplished by a pattern array unit which transforms light from a light source into a desired pattern of illumination spots, and reflects or rejects light outside the pattern. Light detected from the specimen is confined to a pattern conforming to the pattern of the illumination spots by the same pattern array unit which rejects light beyond the pattern, and rejected light from the pattern array unit is transmitted back to the light source. Image signals are created from the received light and stored, and the stored image signals are combined to form a complete image frame.

Abstract: The confocal imaging system and method involve the imaging of a specimen under observation by projecting a light pattern of illumination spots simultaneously on the specimen. This is accomplished by a pattern array unit which transforms light from a light source into a desired pattern of illumination spots. Light detected from the specimen is confined to a pattern conforming to the pattern of the illumination spots by a detector masking unit which rejects light beyond the pattern. Image signals are created from the received light and stored, and the stored image signals are combined to form a complete image frame.