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US 10,379,324 B2Granted
Adaptive optical zoom systems and methods
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsMatthew E. L. Jungwirth, Saad J. Bedros, Alan Cornett, Robert C. Becker
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Abstract
Adaptive optical zoom systems and methods are described herein. One example of a method for adaptive optical zoom includes receiving an image at a focal plane array through a number of variable focal length elements, determining a quality of the image, and altering an amperage of the number of variable focal length elements to increase the quality of the image.
Claims23
A system, comprising:
- multiple variable focal length elements aligned to receive an image of multiple objects;
- a focal plane array, wherein the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array are aligned in a single linear direction;
- a computing device coupled to the multiple variable focal length elements to:
- determine a distance between a first object of the multiple objects and the focal plane array and utilize the distance to determine a focal length for a first variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array;
- determine a distance between a second object of the multiple objects and the focal plane array and utilize the distance to determine a focal length for a second variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array;
- capture a number of images, altering the focal length of each of the multiple variable focal length elements for each image;
- compare image quality factors of each of the captured images
- determine an optimal focal length for each of the multiple variable focal length elements to increase the image quality factors for the object based on the comparison of image quality factors;
- and
- set the focal length of each of the multiple variable focal length elements to the optimal focal length for each of the multiple variable focal length elements.
7 more elements
A method for adaptive optical zoom, comprising:
- receiving an image of multiple objects at a focal plane array through an aperture and multiple variable focal length elements, wherein the focal plane array, the aperture, and the multiple variable focal length elements are aligned in a single linear direction;
- determining a distance between a first object and the focal plane array and utilizing the distance to determine a focal length for a first variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array,
- determining a distance between a second object and the focal plane array and utilizing the distance to determine a focal length for a second variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array;
- and
- determining an optimal focal length for each of the number of variable focal length elements to increase a number of image quality factors for the object based on the comparison of image quality factors.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- multiple variable focal length elements aligned to focus an image of multiple objects through an aperture on a focal plane array, wherein the focal plane array, the multiple variable focal length elements, and the aperture are aligned in a single linear direction;
- a computing device coupled to each of the multiple variable focal length elements and to the focal plane array, wherein the computing device includes instructions to:
- determine a distance between a first object of the multiple objects and the focal plane array and utilize the distance to determine a focal length for a first variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array;
- determine a distance between a second object of the multiple objects and the focal plane array and utilize the distance to determine a focal length for a second variable focal length element of the multiple variable focal length elements and the focal plane array;
- capture a number of images, altering the focal length of each of the multiple variable focal length elements for each image by altering an amperage applied to each of the multiple variable focal length elements for each image;
- compare image quality factors of each of the captured images;
- determine an optimal focal length and corresponding amperage for each of the multiple variable focal length elements to increase the image quality factors for the first and second objects based on the comparison of image quality factors;
- provide the corresponding amperage to each of the multiple variable focal length elements;
- and
- alter an amperage of the multiple variable focal length elements based on the determined distance to increase the quality of the image.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.