Optics: measuring and testing – Range or remote distance finding – With photodetection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-11-27
Buczinski, Stephen C. (Department: 3662)
Optics: measuring and testing
Range or remote distance finding
With photodetection
C250S339020, C250S339050, C250S342000, C356S141100, C356S141500, C356S005010, C356S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323941
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains in general to the electronic detection of images using both passive detection and active illumination and more particularly to a sensor assembly for detecting a combined image from these multiple sources.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several technologies exist for electronically collecting images. A common electronic imaging technique is the use of a television camera to collect visible optical wavelength images that become electronic signals that can be processed and stored. This type of imaging is inexpensive, can record color and can have high image resolution. However, such imaging has severe limitations under adverse conditions such as darkness, haze, dust, and clouds. It is often very important in military applications to be able to obtain an image of targets under such adverse conditions.
Another type of image collection has been developed using infrared radiation. Infrared detectors can collect images at wavelengths that can pass through optical barriers such as haze and smoke and can also produce images during hours of darkness. The technology of infrared imaging has been developed such that relatively high resolution images can be collected and such images can be collected which have multiple wavelengths that correspond to colors within the visible optical band. Infrared imaging suffers performance degradation when thermal contrast is low, such as during a rain storm.
A still further technology for imaging is termed LADAR. This stands for laser detection and ranging. This technology uses a laser that generates very short pulses of laser light. The travel time of the laser pulse from the laser to the target and back to a detector can be measured. This makes possible the determination of the range from the laser to the target. While LADAR imaging can be quite effective, it has limitations as well.
Therefore, there exists a need for a sensor assembly with improved image collection capabilities under adverse conditions where the detected image can provide as much information as possible about potential targets in the field of the image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A selected embodiment of the present invention is a sensor assembly for detecting a combined passive and active image for subsequently producing passive and active image data sets. The sensor assembly collects an image of the scene passively with an imager that generates a passive image data set of the scene. The passive image data set comprises a plurality of picture elements, each of which has an x (horizontal) and y (vertical) coordinate, and further has passive intensity data for the scene. A laser beam is directed at the scene and laser beam reflections are collected by the sensor assembly with the imager generating an active image data set of the scene. The active image data set comprises a plurality of picture elements wherein each element has x and y coordinates, active intensity data, and z (distance) data for the scene. The picture elements of the passive image data set are substantially registered in x and y coordinate alignment with the picture elements of the active image data set for the scene.
In another embodiment of the present invention, data from the passive image data set are subsequently combined with those of the active image data set to produce a multi-dimension image data set which has a plurality of picture elements. Each picture element has an x and y coordinate. Each picture element of the multi-dimension image data set further includes the passive intensity data from the passive image data set picture element having corresponding x and y coordinates, and the active intensity and z data from the active image data set picture element having corresponding x and y coordinates.
Methods corresponding to both sensor assembly embodiments are also claimed.
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Dodd Mark Alan
Evans Bruno J.
Jenkins Gary Kim
Buczinski Stephen C.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
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