# US 8,569,684 B2 · Infrared sensor control architecture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,684 B2 - Document ID: US8569684B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/762,113 - Filed: 2010-04-16 - Published: 2011-05-12 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-06 - Applicants: Steven J. Olson; Jordan L. Holt - Inventors: Steven J. Olson; Jordan L. Holt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569684B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/673: by using reference sources - H04N 23/20: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only - H10F 39/184: {Infrared image sensors} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging system of claim 1 where 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging system of claim 1 where the correction factor values are determined at least in part by: configuring the infrared imaging system to a selected integration time and bucket fill level; acquiring at the focal plane array a first set of one or more images of a blackbody at a first temperature; acquiring at the focal plane array a second set of one or more images of a blackbody at a second temperature; and calculating gain and offset values for each pixel from two or more linear equations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging system of claim 1 where the system is configured to operate at substantially one target bucket fill value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The infrared imaging system of claim 4 where the bucket fill values of the correction table index are the target bucket fill value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The infrared imaging system of claim 2 where 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 acquired image; and calculating a bucket fill value for the selected pixels. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The infrared imaging system of claim 7 where the bucket fill values of the correction table index are the target bucket fill value. ### Claim 9 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.