System and Method for Varying Exposure Time for Different Parts of a Field of View While Acquiring an Image
First Claim
1. A device for masking one or more selected areas of a field of view while capturing an image, comprising:
- an image aperture formed in the device;
a first spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising an array of movable reflective elements, the first SLM being positioned at a first angle with respect to a central axis of image light rays entering the device through the image aperture, and the first SLM positioned such that the image light rays will hit at least some of the reflective elements on the first SLM;
a second SLM comprising an array of movable reflective elements, the second SLM being positioned apart from the first SLM such that, when at least some of the first SLM reflective elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the first SLM reflective elements positioned in the first position of the first SLM will hit at least part of the second SLM; and
an image capturing device for use in recording an image, the image capturing device being located in a position such that, when at least some of the second SLM reflective elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the second SLM reflective elements positioned in the first position of the second SLM will eventually hit at least part of the image capturing device.
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Abstract
A system and method for exposing different parts of a single field of view for various and differing lengths of time while capturing an image is provided. For astrophotography, unwanted light pollution or over-saturation bleeding from nearby or obtrusive stars may be greatly reduced or eliminated while still capturing the image of the nearby brighter star in the same field of view. Also, a system and method for real-time contrast control while capturing an image to optimize signal-to-noise ratio for various parts of the captured image, is provided. An embodiment of the present invention provides such techniques by using spatial light modulator devices, such as a digital micro-mirror device, to controllably mask different portions of light from an image that expose film or a charge-coupled device. A system and method for a way to use a spatial light modulator device as an active and controllable mask for photolithography, is provided.
23 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A device for masking one or more selected areas of a field of view while capturing an image, comprising:
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an image aperture formed in the device;
a first spatial light modulator (SLM) comprising an array of movable reflective elements, the first SLM being positioned at a first angle with respect to a central axis of image light rays entering the device through the image aperture, and the first SLM positioned such that the image light rays will hit at least some of the reflective elements on the first SLM;
a second SLM comprising an array of movable reflective elements, the second SLM being positioned apart from the first SLM such that, when at least some of the first SLM reflective elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the first SLM reflective elements positioned in the first position of the first SLM will hit at least part of the second SLM; and
an image capturing device for use in recording an image, the image capturing device being located in a position such that, when at least some of the second SLM reflective elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the second SLM reflective elements positioned in the first position of the second SLM will eventually hit at least part of the image capturing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 39, 40, 41)
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14. A device for masking one or more selected areas of a field of view while capturing an image, comprising:
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an image aperture formed in the device;
a first digital micro-mirror device (DMD) comprising an array of movable mirror elements, the first DMD being positioned at a first angle with respect to a central axis of image light rays entering the device through the image aperture, and the first DMD being positioned such that the image light rays will hit at least some of the mirror elements on the first DMD;
a second DMD comprising an array of movable mirror elements, the second DMD being positioned apart from the first DMD such that, when at least some of the first DMD mirror element are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the first DMD mirror elements positioned in the first position of the first DMD will hit at least part of the second DMD; and
a charge-coupled device (CCD) comprising an array of photon sensing elements, the CCD being locate in a position so that, when at least some of the second DMD mirror elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the second DMD mirror elements positioned in the second DMD first position will eventually hit at least some of the CCD elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 42, 43, 44)
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18. (canceled)
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19. A device for masking one or more selected areas of a field of view while capturing an image, comprising:
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an image aperture formed in the device;
a first digital micro-mirror device (DMD) comprising a first array of electrically controllable and movable mirror elements, the first DMD being positioned at a first angle with respect to a central axis of image light rays entering the device through the image aperture, and the first DMD being positioned such that the image light rays will hit at least some of the mirror elements on the first DMD;
a second DMD comprising a second array of electrically controllable and movable mirror elements, the second DMD being positioned at a first spaced distance from the first DMD, the second array of mirror elements facing in an opposite direction than the first array of mirror elements, and the second DMD being positioned so that, when at least some of the first DMD mirror elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the first DMD mirror elements positioned in the first position will hit at least some of the second DMD mirror elements; and
a charge-coupled device (CCD) comprising an array of photon sensing elements, the CCD being located in a position so that, when at least some of the second DMD mirror elements are in a first position, at least some of the image light rays reflected from the second DMD mirror elements positioned in the first position will eventually hit at least some of the CCD elements. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25-27. -27. (canceled)
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28. A method of astrophotography, comprising the steps of:
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during a first period of time, reflecting a first part of an image off of a first spatial light modulator (SLM) at a first angle toward a second SLM;
also during the first period of time, reflecting a second part of the image off of the first SLM at a second angle that directs the second part of the image to a first location where the second part of the image will not go to the second SLM;
also during the first period of time, reflecting a third part of the image off of the second SLM at a third angle so that at least some of the third part of the image will eventually strike the image capturing device, wherein the third part of the image comprises a portion of the first part of the image;
also during the first period of time, reflecting a fourth part of the image off of the second SLM at a fourth angle that directs the fourth part of the image to a second location where the fourth part of the image will not go to the image capturing device, wherein the fourth part of the image comprises another portion of the first part of the image;
also during the first period of time, striking at least part of the image capturing device with at least some of the third part of the image; and
during a second period of time, reflecting a fifth part of the image off of the first SLM at a fifth angle so that at least some of the fifth part of the image will eventually strike the image capturing device, wherein the fifth part of the image comprises at least some of the second part of the image, and wherein the fifth angle is about the same as the first angle.
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29. The method of 28, further comprising the steps of:
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also during the first period of time, reflecting a sixth part of the image off of a third SLM at a sixth angle so that at least some of the sixth part of the image will eventually strike the image capturing device, wherein the sixth part of the image comprises a portion of the third part of the image; and
also during the first period of time, reflecting a seventh part of the image off of the third SLM at a seventh angle that directs the seventh part of the image to a third location where the seventh part of the image will not go to the image capturing device, wherein the seventh part of the image comprises another portion of the third part of the image.
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30. The method of 29, further comprising the steps of:
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also during the first period of time, reflecting an eighth part of the image off of a fourth SLM at an eighth angle so that at least some of the eighth part of the image will eventually strike the image capturing device, wherein the eighth part of the image comprises a portion of the sixth part of the image; and
also during the first period of time, reflecting a ninth part of the image off of the fourth SLM at a ninth angle that directs the ninth part of the image to a fourth location where the ninth part of the image will not go to the image capturing device, wherein the ninth part of the image comprises another portion of the sixth part of the image.
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31-36. -36. (canceled)
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37. A method of astrophotography, comprising the steps of:
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during a first period of time, reflecting a first part of an image off of a first digital micro-mirror device (DMD) at a first angle to a second DMD;
also during the first period of time, reflecting a second part of the image off of the first DMD at a second angle that directs the second part of the image to a first light absorption location so that the second part of the image does not go to the second DMD;
also during the first period of time, reflecting a third part of the image off of the second DMD at a third angle so that at least some of the third part of the image will eventually strike a charge-coupled device (CCD), wherein the third part of the image comprises a portion of the first part of the image; and
also during the first period of time, reflecting a fourth part of the image off of the second DMD at a fourth angle that directs the fourth part of the image to a second light absorption location so that the fourth part of the image does not go to the CCD, wherein the fourth part of the image comprises another portion of the first part of the image. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification