APPARATUS AND METHODS EMPLOYING DUAL TARGET AUTO EXPOSURE

The invention relates to an apparatus and method employing dual target auto exposure. An image acquisition apparatus is disclosed comprising: an illumination subsystem operative to project an illumination pattern; the imaging subsystem that includes an image sensor array and an imaging assembly operative to focus an image onto the image sensor array; a memory; and a processor including the memory of program codes. The memory and the program code are configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: acquire a first plurality of images based on a first control parameter, wherein the first control parameter includes a first exposure value and at least one first other value; acquire a second plurality of images based on a second control parameter having a different value from the first control parameter, where the second control parameter includes a second exposure value and at least one second other value, and where the acquisition of the first plurality of images is crossed with the acquisitio