| CPC G01N 21/954 (2013.01) [G01N 2021/9546 (2013.01)] | 4 Claims |
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1. A measurement system for measuring measurement targets, the system comprising:
an optical probe array including an m-number of optical probe groups arranged, each including an n-number of optical probes, where n and m are each an integer of two or greater;
an m-number of optical signal selectors, each signal selector comprising an optical switch including n-number of optical input channels, and each signal selector optically coupled and corresponding to one of the optical probe groups to simultaneously receive a plurality of optical signals provided by the n-number of the optical probes of the corresponding optical probe group, and to select and output one of the optical signals provided by the n-number of the optical probes of the corresponding optical probe groups, wherein each optical signal selector is connected to its corresponding optical probes via optical signal transfer input paths, and wherein each optical signal selector comprises an optical output terminal connected to a respective optical signal transfer output path, such that the system includes m-number of optical signal transfer output paths;
an m-number of optical split couplers each corresponding to one of the optical signal selectors, and configured to split each of the optical signals output from the corresponding optical signal selectors into a first optical signal and a second optical signal, resulting in m-number of first optical signals and m-number of second optical signals;
a selection switch optically coupled to the m-number of optical split couplers to receive the m-number of first optical signals, wherein the control circuit controls operation of the selection switch such that the selection switch is configured to select and output one of the m-number of first optical signals provided by the m-number of the optical split couplers;
a spectroscope configured to resolve the selected first optical signal output from the selection switch; and
a control circuit configured to control switching behavior of the optical signal selectors;
wherein each of the n-number of the optical probes is simultaneously and optically connected to each of the measurement targets to simultaneously provide the plurality of optical signals to its corresponding optical signal selector; and
wherein the control circuit controls the optical signal selectors to repeat a selection of the optical signals until the optical signals output from all of the optical probes included in the respective optical probe groups are selected.
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