LIGHTWEIGHT INFRARED CAMERA
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An infrared camera system comprising:
- a lightweight infrared camera having a focusing optical system, a plurality of radiation detector elements, each detector element providing a raw output signal that is related to the level of radiation striking the detector element, and a transmitter coupled to said plurality of radiation detector elements for transmitting the raw detector output signals; and
a remote receiver for receiving the transmitted raw detector output signals.
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Abstract
A lightweight camera or detector that does not require a shutter, chopper or thermoelectric stabilizer. Lightweight materials and lightweight packaging techniques are used, and in some embodiments, some or all of the calibration, compensation and processing hardware are moved from the camera itself to a remote station. Such a shutterless, lightweight, IR camera, which may operated at ambient temperature, can be mounted on a micro air vehicle (MAV) or the like, with the raw IR sensor data received and processed by a ground station.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An infrared camera system comprising:
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a lightweight infrared camera having a focusing optical system, a plurality of radiation detector elements, each detector element providing a raw output signal that is related to the level of radiation striking the detector element, and a transmitter coupled to said plurality of radiation detector elements for transmitting the raw detector output signals; and
a remote receiver for receiving the transmitted raw detector output signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A lightweight infrared camera, comprising:
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a focusing optical system;
a plurality of detector elements having outputs varying as a function of the amount of radiation striking said detector elements;
a selector for selecting a particular detector element and outputting a detector element output corresponding to the selected detector element; and
a transmitter coupled to said selector for transmitting a signal corresponding to the detector element output. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A lightweight camera, comprising:
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a ceramic motherboard;
a microbolometer array for providing an output signal, the microbolometer array mounted to the ceramic motherboard; and
a lens supported by a frame, the frame mounting the lens a set distance from said microbolometer array. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification