Line Scan Technology
Line scan technology involves building up an image, one line at a time, using a line sensor (linear array), which passes in a linear motion over an object, or where the object passes in a linear motion under the sensor.
Most of the basic CCD technology is consistent with area scan cameras, although there are subtle differences and complexities to line-scan image capture which generally make it a more specialist subject. Line-scan technology has been in existence for many years and the most common uses include photocopiers and PC flatbed scanners, which generally have large linear arrays, equal in size to the scanning width.
Although linear arrays have similar pixel sizes to area scan sensors, the line lengths can be much greater. Instead of the maximum 1-2k width common to most mega-pixel area scan sensors, a line-scan sensor can have up to 12K pixels. Therefore, for a given field of view (FOV) a line-scan set-up can give far superior spatial resolution.
Line-scan technology makes it possible to capture images of wide objects at a single pass. Using area scan techniques, a series of images would have to be captured sequentially and then 'stitched' together in software as shown in the picture.
Line-scan technology makes it possible to capture images of wide objects at a single pass. Using area scan techniques, a series of images would have to be captured sequentially and then 'stitched' together in software as shown below.
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