IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0623477
(2012-09-20)
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등록번호 |
US-8687073
(2014-04-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- van Hoorebeke, Tristan
- Devitt, John
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출원인 / 주소 |
- L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics Corporation
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대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
31 |
초록
▼
A multi-channel imaging device is provided. The multi-channel imaging device comprises a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band. Subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas. The
A multi-channel imaging device is provided. The multi-channel imaging device comprises a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band. Subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas. The multi-channel imaging device also comprises a lens array comprising a plurality of lens elements configured to image a scene onto the plurality of unit cell image areas. The lens elements and the unit cell image areas define a plurality of unit cells comprising at least one lens element and at least one unit cell image area. Each of the plurality of unit cells is configured to create a complete image of the scene. Additionally, a plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the plurality of unit cells is configured to filter radiation such that each unit cell is dedicated to an image channel is also provided.
대표청구항
▼
1. A multi-channel imaging device comprising: a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band, wherein subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas;a lens array comprising a plurality of
1. A multi-channel imaging device comprising: a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band, wherein subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas;a lens array comprising a plurality of lens elements configured to image a scene onto the plurality of unit cell image areas, wherein: the plurality of lens elements and the plurality of unit cell image areas define a plurality of unit cells;each unit cell comprises at least one lens element and at least one unit cell image area; andeach unit cell is configured to create a complete image of the scene; andlens elements of the plurality of lens elements are arranged within the lens array having an offset relative to a plurality of pixels within the unit cells such that there is a sub-pixel shift of the complete image relative to the complete image provided by adjacent unit cells;a plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the plurality of unit cells configured to filter radiation corresponding to the scene such that each unit cell is dedicated to a dedicated image channel, wherein each unit cell filter spans more than one individual pixel; andan image processing device that extracts one or more low resolution images from one or more unit cells, and one or more high resolution images from multiple unit cells, wherein the one or more high resolution images are based at least in part on the offset of the lens elements corresponding to the multiple unit cells. 2. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dedicated image channel comprises a spectral channel, a panchromatic channel, a polarimetric channel, or a combination thereof. 3. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the one or more low resolution images is a spectral or polarimetric image. 4. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spectral channel comprises a long wavelength spectral channel configured to detect radiation in a long wavelength portion of the predetermined wavelength band, a mid-wavelength spectral channel configured to detect radiation in a mid-wavelength portion of the predetermined wavelength band, or a short wavelength spectral channel configured to detect radiation in a short wavelength portion of the predetermined wavelength band. 5. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-channel imaging device comprises at least one pair of adjacent unit cells dedicated to a spectral-polarimetric channel or a polarimetric channel such that a polarization orientation of the radiation filtered by a first unit cell of the at least one pair of adjacent unit cells is orthogonal to a polarization orientation of the radiation filtered by a second unit cell of the at least one pair of adjacent unit cells. 6. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lens element of each unit cell is configured and positioned to focus the complete image of the scene onto the array of pixels at an image location such that there is a sub-pixel offset between the image location of adjacent unit cells, thereby forming a sub-pixel parallax between complete images provided by adjacent unit cells. 7. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the image processing device detects high spatial content of the scene based at least in part on the sub-pixel parallax between the complete images provided by adjacent unit cells. 8. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the image processing device provides range estimation of a target based on the sub-pixel parallax. 9. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more unit cell filters of the plurality of unit cell filters are configured such that selected unit cells are dedicated to a spectro-polarimetric channel. 10. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more unit cell filters of the plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the spectro-polarimetric channel comprise a thin film spectral filter positioned on the focal plane array and a polarimetric filter positioned on the lens element of the unit cell. 11. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more unit cell filters of the plurality of unit cell filters comprise a thin film filter, a wire grid polarizer, or a combination thereof, that is larger than a pixel pitch dimension of the array of pixels. 12. The multi-channel imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected ones of the plurality of unit cell filters are positioned on the focal plane array, the lens elements of the lens array, or a combination thereof. 13. A method of generating multi-channel imagery of a scene comprising: receiving a plurality of complete images of the scene from a multi-channel imaging device comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band and a lens element, wherein: each of the unit cells is configured to generate a complete image of the scene; andeach of the unit cells is dedicated to an image channel;combining selected images of the plurality of complete images provided by the plurality of unit cells that correspond to a given channel, thereby generating multi-channel image of the scene; andproviding one or more of the plurality of complete images and the multi-channel image. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one pair of adjacent unit cells are dedicated to at least a polarimetric channel such that the polarization orientation of radiation filtered by a first unit cell of the pair of adjacent unit cells is orthogonal to the polarization orientation of radiation filtered by a second unit cell of the pair of adjacent unit cells. 15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: comparing the complete images of unit cells that are dedicated to a given image channel;obtaining a range estimate of a target within the scene based at least in part on the comparison of the images of unit cells dedicated to the given image channel; anddetecting linear polarization of objects within the scene. 16. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein combining the plurality of complete images is performed by an image reconstruction algorithm executed by an image processing device. 17. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein: the lens element of each unit cell is configured and positioned to focus the complete image of the scene onto the array of pixels at an image location such that there is a sub-pixel offset between the image location of adjacent unit cells, thereby forming a sub-pixel parallax between complete images provided by adjacent unit cells; andthe method further comprises detecting high spatial content of the scene based at least in part on the sub-pixel parallax between the complete images of adjacent unit cells. 18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein comparing the complete images of unit cells dedicated to the given image channel further comprises evaluating the sub-pixel parallax between the complete images of unit cells dedicated to the given image channel. 19. A method of generating multi-channel imagery of a scene comprising: receiving a plurality of complete images of the scene from a multi-channel imaging device comprising a plurality of unit cells, each of the unit cells comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band and a lens element, wherein: each of the unit cells is configured to generate a complete image of the scene; andeach of the unit cells is dedicated to an image channel; andthe lens element of each unit cell is configured and positioned to intentionally focus the complete image of the scene onto the array of pixels at an image location such that there is a sub-pixel offset between the image location of adjacent unit cells, thereby forming a sub-pixel parallax between the complete images of adjacent unit cells;combining selected images of the plurality of complete images provided by the plurality of unit cells that correspond to a given channel, thereby generating multi-channel image of the scene; anddetecting high spatial content of the scene based at least in part on the sub-pixel parallax between the complete images of adjacent unit cells. 20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising: comparing the complete images of unit cells that are dedicated to a given image channel;obtaining a range estimate of a target within the scene based at least in part on the comparison of the images of unit cells dedicated to the given image channel; anddetecting linear polarization of objects within the scene.
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