Fusion night vision system

• US 20070235634A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Insight Technology Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Andrew, Moody, Scott, Tejada, John, Hohenberger, Roger, Ottney, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/214.VT
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0275 Control or determination of height or distance or angle information for sensors or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0859 Sighting arrangements, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0129 comprising devices for correcting parallax
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A fusion night vision system having image intensification and thermal imaging capabilities includes an edge detection filter circuit to aid in acquiring and identifying targets. An outline of the thermal image is generated and combined with the image intensification image without obscuration of the image intensification image. The fusion night vision system may also include a parallax compensation circuit to overcome parallax problems as a result of the image intensification channel being spaced from the thermal channel. The fusion night vision system may also include a control circuit configured to maintain a perceived brightness through an eyepiece over a mix of image intensification information and thermal information. The fusion night vision system may incorporate a targeting mode that allows an operator to acquire a target without having the scene saturated by a laser pointer. The night vision system may also include a detector, an image combiner for forming a fused image from the detector and a display, and a camera aligned with image combiner for recording scene information processed by the first detector.

Claims

1. A fusion night vision system, comprising:

a housing;

a first focus ring rotatably coupled to the housing and aligned with a first channel for processing information in a first range of wavelengths;

a second channel for processing information in a second range of wavelengths;

a magnet fixed to the first focus ring;

a sensor coupled to the housing and disposed in close proximity to the magnet; and

a processor electrically coupled to and responsive to the sensor.

2. The fusion night vision system of claim 1, wherein the first range of wavelengths is approximately 400 nm to approximately 900 nm and the second range of wavelengths is approximately 7,000 nm to approximately 14,000 nm.

3. The fusion night vision system of claim 1, further comprising a display for projecting an image to an operator.

4. The fusion night vision system of claim 3, wherein the display has a plurality of individual pixels arranged in rows and columns.

5. The fusion night vision system of claim 3, wherein the processor causes an image of a target to be shifted in the display in response to the rotational position of the first focus ring.

6. The fusion night vision system of claim 1, wherein the first channel has an image intensification tube and the second channel has a focal plane array.

7. The fusion night vision system of claim 1, further comprising an image combiner for combining information from the first channel with information from the second channel for viewing by an operator.

8. The fusion night vision system of claim 7, wherein the image combiner is a beam splitter and the sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

9. The fusion night vision system of claim 7, wherein the image combiner is a selected one of a digital fusion mixer and an analog fusion mixer.

10. The fusion night vision system of claim 1, wherein the first channel has an objective focus and an image intensification tube and the second channel has an objective focus and a focal plane array.

11. A method of displaying information in a fusion night vision system, comprising the steps of:

acquiring information representative of a scene from a first channel, the first channel configured to process information in a first range of wavelengths;

acquiring information representative of the scene from a second channel, the second channel configured to process information in a second range of wavelengths;

acquiring distance to target information by a rotational position of a focus ring aligned with the first channel;

locating information from the first channel on a display based on the distance to target information.

12. The method of displaying information of claim 11, wherein a processor causes an image of a target to be shifted in the display in response to a rotational position of the focus ring.

13-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A fusion night vision system, comprising:

a housing;

a focus ring rotatably coupled to the housing and aligned with a first channel for processing information in a first range of wavelengths;

a second channel for processing information in a second range of wavelengths;

a potentiometer mechanically coupled to the focus ring; and

a processor electrically coupled to and responsive to the potentiometer.

89. The fusion night vision system of claim 88, wherein the potentiometer is a linear potentiometer and its output impedance relates to a distance to target.

90. The fusion night vision system of claim 88, wherein the potentiometer is a rotary potentiometer and its output impedance relates to a distance to target.

91. The fusion night vision system of claim 88, further comprising a first detector at least partially disposed within the first channel;

a second detector at least partially disposed within the second channel; and

a display coupled to the second detector for projecting information.

92. The fusion night vision system of claim 91, further comprising a camera at least partially disposed within the housing for capturing scene information from the second detector.

93. The fusion night vision system of claim 92, further comprising an image combiner configured to combine the information from the first detector and the display while simultaneously allowing the camera to capture scene information.

94. The fusion night vision system of claim 91, wherein the first detector is an image intensification tube and processes information in the first range of wavelengths from approximately 400 nm to 900 nm and the second detector processes information in the second range of wavelengths from approximately 7,000 nm-14,000 nm.

95. The fusion night vision system of claim 93, wherein the image combiner is a beam splitter.

96. The fusion night vision system of claim 91, further comprising a data-in port for receiving data to be displayed in the display and a data-out port for exporting scene information to a remote location.

97. The fusion night vision system of claim 92, wherein the camera is disposed within the housing without encroaching the eye relief.

98. The fusion night vision system of claim 92, wherein the camera records scene information from the first detector without significant compromising the high-resolution imagery of the first detector.