Computationally enhanced low-performance infrared focal plane arrays
AssigneeSivananthan Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsRichard Edward Pimpinella, Christopher Frank Buurma, Nigel D. Browning
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Abstract
A method uses inpainting, whereby the ability to optimize the reconstruction of images at high resolution and sensitivity with minimal pixels is hard wired into the IRFPA. By combining several of these systems, or by selecting different pixels in the array to form images of different colors, hyperspectral images and 3-D tomograms can also be obtained with a significantly smaller number of pixels.
Claims8
A method of acquiring an image, comprising the steps of:
- illuminating an infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) with electro-magnetic (EM) radiation of a desired infrared wavelength;
- identifying best responding pixels;
- using the best responding pixels, forming a sub-sampled acquisition;
- and
- reconstructing the image from the sub-sampled acquisition using inpainting.
An infrared imaging system comprised of a focal plane array, readout electronics and a computing system in which the pixels are computationally enhanced during operation by during manufacturing of the infrared imaging system, illuminating the focal plane array with electro-magnetic (EM) radiation of a desired infrared wavelength;
- identifying best responding pixels for the desired infrared wavelength and forming a mapping of the best responding pixels for the infrared imaging system;
- and
- during operation, using the mapping, forming a sub-sampled acquisition of the best performing pixels;
- and
- reconstructing the image from the sub-sampled acquisition using inpainting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.