VISIBLE LIGHT AND IR COMBINED IMAGE CAMERA
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of displaying visible-light (VL) images and infrared (IR) images, the method comprising:
- providing a camera having a VL lens with a VL sensor, an IR lens with an IR sensor, and a display, the VL lens and the IR lens being located on the camera such that an optical axis of the VL lens is offset from, and generally parallel to, an optical axis of the IR lens so the VL sensor and the IR sensor sense a VL image and an IR image, respectively, of a target scene from different points of view causing a parallax error;
focusing the IR lens on the target scene, with the focusing of the IR lens operating to bring the VL image into register with the IR image to correct the parallax error; and
displaying at least a portion of the VL image in register with at least a portion of the IR image on the display.
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Abstract
Methods, camera, and a computer-readable medium for registering on a camera display infrared and visible light images of a target scene taken from different points of view causing a parallax error.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of displaying visible-light (VL) images and infrared (IR) images, the method comprising:
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providing a camera having a VL lens with a VL sensor, an IR lens with an IR sensor, and a display, the VL lens and the IR lens being located on the camera such that an optical axis of the VL lens is offset from, and generally parallel to, an optical axis of the IR lens so the VL sensor and the IR sensor sense a VL image and an IR image, respectively, of a target scene from different points of view causing a parallax error; focusing the IR lens on the target scene, with the focusing of the IR lens operating to bring the VL image into register with the IR image to correct the parallax error; and displaying at least a portion of the VL image in register with at least a portion of the IR image on the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of displaying visible-light (VL) images and infrared (IR) images, the method comprising:
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providing a camera having a VL lens with a VL sensor, an IR lens with an IR sensor, and a display, the VL lens and the IR lens being located on the camera such that an optical axis of the VL lens is offset from, and generally parallel to, an optical axis of the IR lens so the VL sensor and the IR sensor sense a VL image and an IR image, respectively, of a target scene from different points of view causing a parallax error; displaying at least a portion of the VL image with at least a portion of the IR image on the display, the at least the portion of the IR image being displayed without the corresponding portion of the VL image; and registering the VL image with the IR image on the display by displacing the VL image and the IR image relative to each other until registered to correct the parallax error via a manual adjustment mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A camera producing visible light (VL) and infrared (IR) images, the camera comprising:
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a VL lens; a VL sensor associated with the VL lens and having an array of VL sensor elements that produce a VL image of a target scene; an IR lens; an IR sensor associated with the IR lens and having an array of IR sensor elements that produce an IR image of the target scene, the IR image being formed by substantially fewer sensor elements than being used to form the VL image, the IR lens being rotatable, rotation of the IR lens causing an axial shift of the IR lens relative to the IR sensor to focus the IR lens; the VL lens and the IR lens being located on the camera such that an optical axis of the VL lens is offset from, and generally parallel to, an optical axis of the IR lens so the VL sensor array of pixels and the IR sensor array of pixels sense the target scene from different points of view causing a parallax error, the focusing of the IR lens registering the VL image with the IR image to correct the parallax error; and a display for concurrently displaying at least a portion of the VL image registered with at least a portion of the IR image. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer-readable medium programmed with instructions for performing a method of registering multiple images, the medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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receive a first image of a target scene, the first image being produced by a VL lens and a VL sensor with an array of VL sensor elements; receive a second image of the target scene, the second image having a parallax error with the first image and being produced by an IR lens and an IR sensor with an array of IR sensor elements, the IR sensor having substantially fewer sensor elements than the VL sensor; determine a value indicative of the distance between the IR lens and a target within the target scene; correct the parallax error using the determined value to register the first and second images; and display at least portions of the first and second images on a display with the portions of the first and second images in register. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification