Panoramic time delay and integration video camera system

A panoramic camera system comprising:

• a lens for focusing light from a field of view onto an array of light sensitive elements, the array of light sensitive elements being defined by a plurality of lines of light sensitive elements;
• a rotor for rotating the field of view about an axis of rotation such that the field of view rotates through 360.degree. around the axis of rotation;
• a clocking signal generator for generating clocking signals in accordance with the rotating of the field of view about the axis of rotation;
• a control for controlling the light sensitive array such that lines of data are shifted across the lines of light sensitive elements in the array from line to line toward an end line of light sensitive elements in coordination with the clocking signals from the clocking signal generator;
• a panoramic video memory for storing electronic image data representative of a 360.degree. panoramic view around the axis of rotation;
• a memory updating means for updating the panoramic memory in real time with the lines of data from the light sensitive array, each line of data overlaying a previous data line corresponding to a common angular orientation within the 360.degree. panoramic view;
• a data retrieval means for retrieving a selectable portion of the electronic image data stored in the panoramic video memory;
• a scan converter clocked independently of the clocking signals from the clocking signal generator for converting the selected selectable portion of the electronic image data retrieved from the panoramic memory into appropriate format for display on a video monitor with timing independent of said clocking signals;
• an operator adjustable control for controlling the data retrieval means for sweeping the selected portion of the electronic image data to be retrieved independent of rotation of the field of view, whereby the operator selectively sweeps the video monitor display along the 360.degree. panoramic view independent of movement of the rotor.

A camera system comprising:

• a lens for focusing light from a field of view onto an array of light sensitive elements, the array of light sensitive elements being defined by a plurality of parallel lines of light sensitive elements;
• a motor for rotating the field of view about an axis of rotation such that the light focused by the lens is swept across the array of light sensitive elements in a direction orthogonal to the lines of light sensitive elements;
• an encoder for producing an encoder output signal which is proportional to an angular velocity with which the field of view is rotating about the axis of rotation;
• a phase-locked loop for converting the encoder output signal into a clocking signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the angular velocity with which the field of view about the axis of rotation;
• a time delay and integration control for controlling the light sensitive element array such that the lines of electronic data are progressively shifted across the lines of light sensitive elements in accordance with the clocking signal;
• a memory for storing the electronic data from the light sensitive array which represents only most recently collected data at each position within the field of view;
• a data retrieval means for retrieving an operator selectable portion of the electronic image data from the memory, the data retrieval means being clocked independently of the clocking signal;
• a scan converter for converting the retrieved portion of the electronic image data from the panoramic memory into a video display format.

A camera system comprising:

• a lens for focusing light from a field of view onto an array of light sensitive elements, the array of light sensitive elements being defined by a plurality of parallel lines of light sensitive elements;
• a motor for rotating the field of view about an axis of rotation such that the light focused by the lens is swept across the array of light sensitive elements in a direction orthogonal to the lines of light sensitive elements;
• an encoder for producing an encoder output signal which is proportional to an angular velocity with which the field of view is rotating about the axis of rotation;
• a phase-locked loop for converting the encoder output signal into a clocking signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the angular velocity with which the field of view about the axis of rotation;
• a field of view adjusting means for selectively changing a focal length of the lens;
• an adjusting means operatively connected with the phase-locked loop for altering a frequency of the clocking signals in accordance with changes in the focal length of the lens;
• a time delay and integration control for controlling the light sensitive element array such that the lines of electronic data are progressively shifted across the lines of light sensitive elements in accordance with the clocking signal;
• a memory for storing the electronic data from the light sensitive array as an image representation of a view around the axis of rotation;
• a scan converter for converting at least a portion of the electronic image data from the panoramic memory into a video display format.

A camera system comprising:

• a lens for focusing light from a field of view onto an array of light sensitive elements, the array of light sensitive elements being defined by a plurality of parallel lines of light sensitive elements;
• a motor for rotating the field of view about an axis of rotation such that the light focused by the lens is swept across the array of light sensitive elements in a direction orthogonal to the lines of light sensitive elements;
• an encoder for producing an encoder output signal which is proportional to an angular velocity with which the field of view is rotating about the axis of rotation;
• a phase-locked loop for converting the encoder output signal into a clocking signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the angular velocity with which the field of view about the axis of rotation;
• a time delay and integration control for controlling the light sensitive element array such that the lines of electronic data are progressively shifted across the lines of light sensitive elements in accordance with the clocking signal;
• a memory for storing the electronic data from the light sensitive array as an image representation of a view around the axis of rotation;
• a plurality of scan converters for independently converting individually selectable portions of the electronic data stored in the panoramic memory into appropriate format for concurrent display on each of a plurality of video monitors.

A panoramic camera system comprising:

• a first lens for focusing light from a first field of view onto a first light sensitive element array;
• a second lens for focusing light from a second field of view on a second light sensitive element array;
• a sweeping means for sweeping the first and second fields of view to view in directions spanning 360.degree. about an axis of rotation;
• a first clock for clocking the first light sensitive element array such that lines of data are shifted along the first light sensitive element array in coordination with sweeping about the axis of rotation;
• a second clock for clocking the second light sensitive element array such that lines of data are shifted along the second light sensitive element array in coordination with the sweeping about the axis of rotation;
• a memory means for storing the electronic data representing at least a first panoramic view extending a full 360.degree. around the axis of rotation;
• a first memory updating means connected with the first light sensitive element array for selectively updating lines of the electronic data stored in the memory means with the lines of data from the first light sensitive element array;
• a second memory updating means connected with the second light sensitive element array for selectively updating lines of the electronic data stored in the memory means with the lines of data from the second light sensitive element array.

A method of providing a video display of a selected portion of a panoramic region, the method comprising:

• with a lens, focusing light from a field of view onto an array of light sensitive elements, the array of light sensitive elements being defined by a plurality of lines of light sensitive elements;
• rotating the lens and light sensitive element array together about an axis of rotation, the array of light sensitive elements being mounted in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation;
• monitoring an angular velocity with which the lens and light sensitive element array are rotating about the axis of rotation;
• generating clocking signals in accordance with the monitored angular rotation, the clocking signals having a frequency which varies in accordance with the monitored angular rotation and a focal length of the lens;
• clocking the array of light sensitive elements with the clocking signal such that lines of data are shifted from each line of light sensitive elements to an adjacent line of light sensitive elements in coordination with the rotating of the lens and the light sensitive element array about the axis of rotation;
• storing each line of data from the light sensitive element array as a column of data in a memory which stores the columns of electronic data, which columns of electronic data taken together, represents a most recently collected image of a panoramic view around the axis of rotation;
• retrieving a selected portion of rows of the electronic image data from the panoramic memory;
• sweeping the selected portion of the electronic image data along the panoramic memory;
• converting the retrieved row portions of electronic data into a human-readable display on the monitor.