# US 2019/0174111 A1 · Digital image processing systems for three-dimensional imaging systems with image intensifiers and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174111 A1 - Document ID: US20190174111A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/208,204 - Filed: 2018-12-03 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-03 - Assignees: Munro Design & Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Munro Design & Technologies, LLC - Inventors: James F. Munro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174111A1 ## CPC - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/484: Transmitters - G01S 7/4911: Transmitters - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 17/18: wherein range gates are used - G01S 17/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 17/36: with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 17/894: Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar - G06T 1/20: Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining - G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light - G06T 7/55: from multiple images - G06T 7/586: from multiple light sources, e.g. photometric stereo - G06T 7/593: from stereo images - G06T 7/60: Analysis of geometric attributes - H04N 13/156: Mixing image signals - H04N 13/167: Synchronising or controlling image signals - H04N 13/254: in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects - H04N 13/296: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof - H04N 23/72: Combination of two or more compensation controls - H04N 23/75: by influencing optical camera components - G01S 13/342: {using sinusoidal modulation} - G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Methods and systems for the image processing of a three-dimensional imaging system include a multi-processor embodiment wherein the image output by an image sensor is divided amongst the several multi-processors for processing in order to improve the frame rate of the three-dimensional imaging system. Since the frame rate of a three-dimensional imaging system utilizing an image-intensifier is not limited by the amount of useful signal light available for imaging but is instead limited by image processing capacity, this technology provides for the use of multi-core or multi-processor image processing methods to improve the frame rate. Additionally, locating the image processor in close proximity to the image sensor allows for faster image data communication between the image sensor and image processor, which further improves the frame rate of the three-dimensional imaging system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-dimensional (3D) imaging system comprising: an image capture system comprising an image intensifier coupled to an image sensor, the image sensor is configured to capture 2D images based on light reflected from a target; and an image processing computing device adjacent and coupled to the image capture system, the image processing system comprising two or more processors and a memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon, the processors configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: break each of the 2D images into two or more 2D sub-images; allocate and communicate each of the 2D sub-images to one of the processors to execute one or more 3D image processing operations in parallel; collect 3D sub-image data resulting from the execution of the one or more 3D image processing operations from each of the processors; and assemble the collected 3D sub-image data into a unified 3D image of the target. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a field programmable gate array device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU) device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a multi-core CPU device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 20 cm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 8 cm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 4 cm. ### Claim 9 A method for making a three-dimensional (3D) imaging system comprising: providing an image capture system comprising an image intensifier coupled to an image sensor, the image sensor is configured to capture 2D images based on light reflected from a target; and coupling an image processing computing device that is adjacent the image capture system to the image capture system, the image processing system comprising two or more processors and a memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon, the processors configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to: break each of the 2D images into two or more 2D sub-images; allocate and communicate each of the 2D sub-images to one of the processors to execute one or more 3D image processing operations in parallel; collect 3D sub-image data resulting from the execution of the one or more 3D image processing operations from each of the processors; and assemble the collected 3D sub-image data into a unified 3D image of the target. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a field programmable gate array device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU) device ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the image processing computing device comprises a multi-core CPU device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 20 cm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 8 cm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the image processing computing device and the image sensor are separated by a distance less than 4 cm.