Heterodyne starring array active imager

    公开(公告)号:US10587347B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-10

    申请号:US16548757

    申请日:2019-08-22

    摘要: A heterodyne starring array active imager for producing an image. The imager comprises a light source intermittently illuminating a scene and an array of light collecting sites imaging the scene, each one comprising: a coupling component optically coupling scene light into a first waveguide and a local oscillator light coupled into a second waveguide. The first and second waveguides coupled to a third waveguide such that the scene light and local oscillator light propagate into the third waveguide. A square law photo detector associated with each light collecting site receives the merged light for heterodyning the scene light and the local oscillator light. Components receive and process the heterodyned light from the photo detectors to produce a frame signal for each light collecting site. A read-out device produces an array signal responsive to the frame signal from each light collecting site.

    HETERODYNE STARRING ARRAY ACTIVE IMAGER
    3.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20200067603A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-02-27

    申请号:US16548757

    申请日:2019-08-22

    摘要: A heterodyne starring array active imager for producing an image. The imager comprises a light source intermittently illuminating a scene and an array of light collecting sites imaging the scene, each one comprising: a coupling component optically coupling scene light into a first waveguide and a local oscillator light coupled into a second waveguide. The first and second waveguides coupled to a third waveguide such that the scene light and local oscillator light propagate into the third waveguide. A square law photo detector associated with each light collecting site receives the merged light for heterodyning the scene light and the local oscillator light. Components receive and process the heterodyned light from the photo detectors to produce a frame signal for each light collecting site. A read-out device produces an array signal responsive to the frame signal from each light collecting site.

    Focal plane arrays using an orthogonal code readout

    公开(公告)号:US12074595B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-27

    申请号:US17679047

    申请日:2022-02-23

    IPC分类号: H03K17/968 H04B10/69

    CPC分类号: H03K17/968 H04B10/69

    摘要: This Orthogonal Code Readout (OCR) electronically expands the dynamic range of CMOS active pixels by adding digital electron wells. The dynamic range of an active pixel is not limited by in-pixel capacitance. When employed as a thermal array readout, OCR simplifies thermal detector array fabrication by eliminating the need for large electron well capacitors. OCR also improves digital quantization beyond that provided by hardware digitizers.

    Fusion of thermal and reflective imagery

    公开(公告)号:US10922802B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-02-16

    申请号:US16559622

    申请日:2019-09-03

    摘要: A system for fusing a direct image and a reflective image. The system comprises a first image sensor sensing the direct image from a scene where the direct image comprises direct image pixels. A second image sensor senses the reflective image from the scene where the reflective image comprising reflective image pixels. A component spatially registers the direct image pixels and the reflective image pixels. A digital processor fuses an intensity value of each direct image pixel and an intensity value of an aligned or registered reflective image pixel to generate a fused pixel value, where a plurality of fused pixel values forms a fused image that is displayed on a monitor.

    Color Night Vision Goggle
    6.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20200074603A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-05

    申请号:US16558419

    申请日:2019-09-03

    摘要: A method for generating a color image. The method comprises collecting a color image of a scene, the color image comprising three color slice images, each one comprising color image pixels, and collecting an achromatic image of the scene, the achromatic image comprising achromatic image pixels. The achromatic image having a higher resolution than the color image. The achromatic image is presented on a first screen comprising a white phosphor. The color slice images are processed to reduce noise, to increase a signal-to-noise ratio, to increase contrast, and/or to normalize the pixel intensity values in each color slice. The color image is presented on a semi-transparent screen or display. The semi-transparent screen is situated between an observer and the achromatic image on the first screen. An optical component is used to view an image on the first screen through the semi-transparent second screen.

    Color night vision goggle
    7.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11120534B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-09-14

    申请号:US16558419

    申请日:2019-09-03

    摘要: A method for generating a color image. The method comprises collecting a color image of a scene, the color image comprising three color slice images, each one comprising color image pixels, and collecting an achromatic image of the scene, the achromatic image comprising achromatic image pixels. The achromatic image having a higher resolution than the color image. The achromatic image is presented on a first screen comprising a white phosphor. The color slice images are processed to reduce noise, to increase a signal-to-noise ratio, to increase contrast, and/or to normalize the pixel intensity values in each color slice. The color image is presented on a semi-transparent screen or display. The semi-transparent screen is situated between an observer and the achromatic image on the first screen. An optical component is used to view an image on the first screen through the semi-transparent second screen.

    Heterodyne starring array active imager with spread spectrum illuminator

    公开(公告)号:US10727952B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-07-28

    申请号:US16813032

    申请日:2020-03-09

    IPC分类号: H04B10/00 H04J14/00 H04B10/64

    摘要: A heterodyne starring array active imager for producing an image. The imager comprises a light source and a component for segregating the light into frequency bands, each band intermittently illuminating a region of a scene and an array of light collecting sites, each comprising: a coupling component optically coupling scene light into a first waveguide and a local oscillator light coupled into a second waveguide. First and second waveguides coupled to a third waveguide with scene light and local oscillator light propagating into the third waveguide. A square law photo detector at each light collecting site receives the merged light for heterodyning the scene light and the local oscillator light. Components receive and process the heterodyned light from the photo detectors to produce a frame signal for each light collecting site. A read-out device produces an array signal responsive to the frame signal from each light collecting site.

    RESOLUTION ENHANCEMENT OF COLOR IMAGES
    9.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20200074592A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-05

    申请号:US16558745

    申请日:2019-09-03

    IPC分类号: G06T3/40 G06T5/50

    摘要: A system for creating and displaying a color image having a higher resolution than a source color image. The system comprising a first sensor for sensing electromagnetic energy in a first spectral band to generate an achromatic image of achromatic image pixels. A second sensor for sensing electromagnetic energy in a second spectral band to generate a color image comprising a triad of color pixels. A digital processor interpolates the color triad pixels to achieve a count of color triad pixels equal to a count of achromatic image pixels. The digital processor fuses each color triad pixel, pixel by pixel, with an achromatic image pixel to produce fused color pixels. A display responsive to the fused color pixels displays a color image of the scene.

    PLANE WAVE IMAGER WITH SYNTHETIC APERTURE CAPABILITY

    公开(公告)号:US20200370878A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-11-26

    申请号:US16916027

    申请日:2020-06-29

    IPC分类号: G01B9/02 H04N5/33 G01J3/28

    摘要: Plane Wave Imagers (PWI) directly sense the amplitude and phase of electromagnetic waves and do not require a lens to image a scene. PWI's can also be used in the exit pupil of an afocal lens. PWI's are implemented in CMOS using silicon waveguide technology. Since the wavelength of light ranges from less than one to tens of microns, PWI's fabricated on silicon are essentially flat plates, making a PWI a thin and light structure. A CMOS PWI can operate in the visible, near infrared, short wave infrared, and mid wave thermal spectral bands. Benefits of using a PWI include the ability to achieve large optical aperture performance by digitally processing the outputs of multiple small aperture PWI's that are not necessarily precisely optically aligned. Enhanced scene resolution can be obtained by collecting imagery from several adjacent positions and then digitally combining the digital data into one large dataset.