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US 8,569,684 B2Granted
Infrared sensor control architecture
OwnerSteven J. Olson, Jordan L. Holtinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for optimizing fixed and temporal noise in an infrared imaging system. The system may use correction tables with correction factors, each correction factor indexed to a plurality of system parameters.
Claims9
An infrared imaging system comprising:
- a focal plane array with a plurality of pixels;
- a processor operable at least in part to calculate a bucket fill level for the focal plane array;
- memory including a set of non-uniform correction tables, each table with:
- correction factor values including a gain and an offset;
- and index values unique to the table including a temperature, an integration time and a bucket fill level;
- means for determining the ambient temperature of a scene;
- and
- a calibration paddle;
- where:
- a non-uniform correction table is selected from memory and the correction factor values applied to the plurality of pixels minimizes temporal and fixed noise levels;
- and
- correction factor values are determined at least in part by:
- selecting three parameters of an index including at least two parameters selected from the parameter group of integration time, bucket fill level, and paddle temperature;
- selecting a first set of values for parameters of the index;
- configuring the infrared imaging system with the first set of parameter values;
- projecting a first calibration paddle image on the focal plane array and acquiring one or more images as a first set of images;
- selecting a second set of values for parameters of the index;
- configuring the infrared imaging system with the second set of parameter values;
- projecting a second calibration paddle image on the focal plane array and acquiring one or more images as a second set of images;
- and
- calculating gain and offset values for a pixel from a first linear equation derived from the first set of images and a second linear equation derived from the second set of images.
18 more elements
An infrared imaging system comprising:
- a focal plane array with a plurality of pixels;
- a processor operable at least in part to calculate a bucket fill level for the focal plane array;
- memory including a set of non-uniform correction tables, each table with:
- correction factor values including a gain and an offset;
- and
- index values unique to the table including a temperature, an integration time and a bucket fill level;
- and
- means for determining the ambient temperature of a scene;
- where:
- a non-uniform correction table is selected from memory and the correction factor values applied to the plurality of pixels minimizes temporal and fixed noise levels;
- and
- the system is configured to operate at substantially one target bucket fill value.
9 more elements
An infrared imaging system comprising:
- a focal plane array with a plurality of pixels;
- a processor operable at least in part to calculate a bucket fill level for the focal plane array;
- memory including a set of non-uniform correction tables, each table with:
- correction factor values including a gain and an offset;
- and
- index values unique to the table including a temperature, an integration time and a bucket fill level;
- and
- means for determining the ambient temperature of a scene;
- where:
- a non-uniform correction table is selected from memory and the correction factor values applied to the plurality of pixels minimizes temporal and fixed noise levels;
- selecting a non-uniform correction table includes:
- selecting an integration time;
- acquiring at least one image of a scene using the selected integration time;
- determining the scene temperature;
- calculating a bucket fill value for the at least one acquired image;
- selecting a non-uniform correction table by correlating table index values to:
- the scene temperature;
- the calculated bucket fill value;
- and
- the selected integration time;
- and
- applying the correction factor values of the selected non-uniform correction table to the plurality of pixels;
- calculating a bucket fill value for the at least one acquired image includes:
- selecting one or more pixels from a feature sub-region of the at least one acquire image;
- and
- calculating a bucket fill value for the selected pixels.
23 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.