US 5,689,441 A · Signal processing techniques based upon optical devices

Abstract

A signal processing system processes an input signal in real time. The system includes a light valve array for selectively attenuating light incident thereupon in response to electronic control signals, a light source for providing illumination, a light-sensitive array for producing electronic output signals representing a processed version of the input signal in response to light incident thereupon, and control circuitry for generating and applying electronic control signals to the light valve array in response to the input signal. The electronic control signals are generated from the input signal and are adapted for implementing an arbitrarily-selected signal processing operation. The light valve array is situated between the light source and the light-sensitive array, such that the light source is selectively attenuated by the light valve array, and such that the selectively attenuated light is incident upon the light-sensitive array.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A signal processing system for processing signals in real time, the system comprising a first light valve device, a second light valve device, a third light valve device, a substantially fixed-output light source, and a charge-coupled device, wherein the first light valve device is positioned between the light source and the second light valve device, the second light valve device is positioned between the first light valve device and the third light valve device, and the third light valve device is positioned between the second light valve device and the charged-coupled device, so as to enable the first, second, and third light valve devices to selectively control the amount of light from the light source which is incident upon the charge-coupled device;

the signal processing system further comprising a delay line, a first driver circuit for driving a light valve device, and a second driver circuit for driving a light valve device, wherein the first light valve device is driven by the output of the delay line, the second light valve device is driven by the first driver circuit, and the third light valve device is driven by the second driver circuit.

In a signal processing system for processing signals in real time, the system comprising a first light valve device, a second light valve device, a third light valve device, a substantially fixed-output light source, and a charge-coupled device, wherein the first light valve device is positioned between the light source and the second light valve device, the second light valve device is positioned between the first light valve device and the third fight valve device, and the third light valve device is positioned between the second light valve device and the charged-coupled device, so as to enable the first, second, and third light valve devices to selectively control the amount of light from the light source which is incident upon the charge-coupled device, the system further comprising a delay line, a first driver circuit for driving a light valve device, and a second driver circuit for driving a light valve device, wherein the first light valve device is driven by the output of the delay line, the second light valve device is driven by the first driver circuit, and the third light valve device is driven by the second driver circuit,

A METHOD FOR PROCESSING SIGNALS comprising the following steps:
(a) illuminating the first light valve device with the light source;
(b) applying a delayed version of an input signal to be processed to the first light valve device, thereby affecting the degree to which various portions of the first light valve device attenuate the illumination from the light source;
wherein the light rays that originate at the light source, traverse the first light valve device and are selectively attenuated by the first light valve device, form a first set of rays, the first set of rays 105 representing an optical version of the input signal to be processed;
(c) illuminating the second light valve device with the first set of rays;
(d) applying a first drive signal to the second light valve device, the first drive signal including a combination of (a) the input signal to be processed, and (b) an output signal representing a processed version of the input signal, such that the first set of rays traverse the second light valve device and are selectively attenuated, forming a second set of rays;
(e) illuminating the third light valve device with the second set of rays;
(f) applying a second drive signal to the third light valve device, the second drive signal representing a weighting function for implementing a specified signal processing operation, wherein the second set of rays traverse the third light valve device and are selectively attenuated, forming third set of rays;
(g) illuminating the charge-coupled device with the third set of rays 145, such that the charge-coupled device converts the third set of rays into corresponding electronic signals representing a processed version of the input signal to be processed.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Signal processing techniques based upon optical devices

Life of this patent

Signal processing techniques based upon optical devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21