Apparatus for measuring three-dimensional configurations

An endoscope apparatus for measuring three-dimensional configurations comprising:

• measuring light generating means (23, 24, and 22) for generating simultaneously a plurality of measuring lights at different modulation frequencies;
• measuring light projecting means (20, 25, 9, and 14) for spatially separating said plurality of measuring lights such that they are projected simultaneously onto the whole surface of an object to be measured;
• light receiving means (11) for receiving the measuring lights reflected from the object;
• signal processing means (35 and 326) that preliminarily stores specific distance position information which is supplied with an output signal from said light receiving means to derive the distance to the object, wherein said signal processing means (35 and 326) has a plurality of separator circuits (42 or 53) for separating frequency components from the output signal from said light receiving means (11);
• a plurality of peak position detector circuits (43) coupled to output terminals of said separator circuits and which are supplied with outputs of the separator circuits operating at a same center frequency,
• a distance calculating circuit (44) coupled to said peak position detector circuits, and
• a three-dimensional configuration memory (45) coupled to said distance calculating circuit, said distance calculating circuit storing specific distance position information;
• and an endoscope unit (6) that transmits the measuring light from said measuring light generating means to the object and which transmits the reflected lights from the object to said light receiving means.