Hyperspectral camera
AssigneeNorsk Elektro Optikk AS
InventorAndrei L. Fridman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical system for a hyperspectral camera and a hyperspectral camera comprising such an optical system are disclosed. The optical system comprises fore optics (1000), an image sensor (1800), a slit (1500), relay optics (1200), a first optical element (2000) positioned before the slit (1500), where the first optical element (2000) is defocusing light in a direction parallel to the slit (1500) while keeping focus in a direction perpendicular to the slit (1500); and a second optical element (2100) positioned after the slit (1500), where the second optical element (2100) is compensating the defocus of the depicted scene introduced by the first element (2000).
Claims20
An optical system for a hyperspectral camera, where the optical system comprises:
- fore optics (1000) being an optical subsystem arranged for creating an image of a scene that is being depicted;
- an image sensor (1800);
- a slit (1500) comprising a slit surface and a slit opening through the slit (1500), the slit opening
- forming a stripe on the slit surface, where the stripe has a length along a centre of the stripe and a width across the stripe perpendicular to each point of the centre of the stripe, where the total length is at least an order of magnitude greater than the maximum width, where the slit (1500) is arranged for blocking light from the scene with the exception of light passing through the slit opening, effectively cutting a narrow area out of the scene;
- relay optics (1200) comprising a dispersive element (1250), the relay optics (1200) being an optical subsystem arranged for projecting an image of the narrow area of the scene onto the image sensor (1800) with light from the narrow scene being spectrally dispersed in a direction perpendicular to the tangent of the stripe;
- wherein the optical system further comprises:
- a first optical element (2000) positioned before the slit (1500), the first optical element (2000) having a form that defocuses light in a direction parallel to the tangent of the stripe while keeping focus in a direction perpendicular to the tangent of the stripe;
- and
- a second optical element (2100) positioned after the slit (1500), the second optical element (2100) compensating the defocus introduced by the first element (2000).
Method for improving image quality of a hyperspectral camera, comprising the following steps:
- defocusing light from a scene in a direction parallel to a tangent of an opening in a slit (1500) before the light from the scene reaches the slit (1500);
- cutting a narrow area out of the scene by blocking light from the scene by a surface of the slit (1500), and only allowing light from the narrow area to pass through an opening in the slit (1500);
- compensating for the defocusing after the light from the narrow area has passed the slit;
- and
- spectrally dispersing the light from the narrow area after the compensating, and projecting a spectrally dispersed image of the narrow area onto an image sensor (1800).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.