Camera having distortion correction
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorRoland Andrew Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lightweight camera is provided that includes a lightweight lens system that has a reduced number of lenses. Reducing the number of lenses produces a lighter camera, but produces a distorted local image. The distorted local image is captured by the lightweight camera, and is preferably transmitted to a remote station. The remote station then performs image processing on the distorted image to remove at least some of the distortion in the image. Preferably, a Massively Parallel Richardson-Lucy (MPRL) algorithm is used to identify and remove distortion from the image. Also, motion, temperature and inter-detector difference distortion is detected and corrected.
Claims40
A system for electronically capturing an infrared image, comprising:
- a lens system;
- an array of detectors for capturing a distorted image produced by the lens system and by motion of said array of detectors relative to the infrared image;
- a transmitter for transmitting said distorted image;
- and
- a remote station for receiving the distorted image transmitted by said transmitter, said remote station capable of at least partially correcting said distorted image using image processing techniques.
A radiation detector device, comprising:
- an array infrared of radiation detector elements having outputs that vary as a function of the amount of infrared radiation striking said detector elements;
- a lens having some distortion disposed over said detector array;
- a selector for selecting each of said detector elements and outputting a detector output that corresponding to said selected detector element;
- and
- a transmitter for transmitting signals that corresponds to each of said detector outputs to a remote station;
- and
- wherein some distortion is disposed over said detector array due to relative motion between a source of infrared radiation and said detector array.
(Amended) A system for sending a plurality of infrared radiation detector output values and receiving said sent infrared radiation detector output values, comprising:
- a remote camera system, the remote camera system having an array of infrared radiation detector elements, each infrared radiation detector element producing an output that is related to the amount of infrared radiation that strikes the corresponding detector element, said remote camera system further including a lens system having distortion disposed over said detector array that may form a distorted image on said detector array, said remote camera system may have motion relative to a source of the infrared radiation that may form a distorted image on said detector arrays, said remote camera system further having a selector for selecting said detector elements and outputting a detector element output, said remote camera system further including a transmitter for transmitting signals that correspond to said detector element outputs;
- and
- a receiving system having a receiver for receiving said transmitted signals, and an image processor for at least partially correcting said distorted image.
A method for capturing and processing an image, comprising:
- receiving an image using a lens system which may have motion relative to a source of the image causing distortion, the lens system and the motion producing a distorted image;
- capturing the distorted image using an array of infrared detectors;
- transmitting the captured distorted image;
- receiving the distorted image at a remote station;
- and
- processing the distorted image at the remote station to remove at least some distortion in the distorted image.
A lightweight camera and system comprising:
- a camera comprising:
- at least one lens having a nonplanar focal plane;
- a substantially planar infrared detector array situated proximate to the nonplanar focal plane of said lens;
- and
- a transmitter connected to said detector array;
- and
- a receiver for receiving wireless signals from said transmitter;
- and
- a processor connected to said receiver;
- and
- wherein:
- an image detected by said detector has some nonplanar-to-planar focal plane distortion and said detector has some motion relative to a source of the image resulting in some forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array;
- and
- said processor reduces the distortion.
A lightweight camera and system comprising:
- an IVP camera system;
- an accelerometer inertial system;
- a transmitter;
- supporting electronics connected to said IVP camera system, accelerometer inertial system and transmitter;
- and
- a motherboard;
- and
- wherein said IVP camera system, accelerometer inertial system, transmitter and supporting electronics are situated on said motherboard.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.