CAMERA HAVING DISTORTION CORRECTION

• US 20090321637A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Roland Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/110,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0205 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/023 Particular leg structure or construction or shape; Nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0803 Arrangements for time-dependent attenuation of radiation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/22 Electrical features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/61 the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4"

Abstract

A lightweight camera is provided that includes a lightweight lens system that has a reduced number of lenses. Reducing the number of lenses produces a lighter camera, but produces a distorted local image. The distorted local image is captured by the lightweight camera, and is preferably transmitted to a remote station. The remote station then performs image processing on the distorted image to remove at least some of the distortion in the image. Preferably, a Massively Parallel Richardson-Lucy (MPRL) algorithm is used to identify and remove distortion from the image. Also, motion, temperature and inter-detector difference distortion is detected and corrected.

Claims

1. A lightweight camera system comprising:

a remote camera situated in a lightweight micro air vehicle, the remote camera having;

an infrared detector array;

at least one lens having distortion disposed over said detector array that forms a distorted image on said detector array, wherein when said remote camera system has motion relative to a source of infrared radiation, the distorted image resulting from forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by the detector array;

a motion detector for detecting an amount of forward translation of camera blur; and

a transmitter connected to said detector array and said motion detector;

a receiving system situated on the earth, the receiving system having a receiver for receiving wireless signals from said transmitter, and an image processor configured to at least partially correct said distorted image.

2. The lightweight camera system of claim 1, wherein the image processor reduces forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array.

3. The lightweight camera system of claim 2, further comprising:

a temperature sensor situated on said detector array and connected to said transmitter; and

a model having temperature data for the detector array connected to said processor; and

wherein a detector array temperature from said transmitter is adjusted according to temperature data of said model.

4. The lightweight camera system of claim 3 wherein:

said receiver receives individual detector values; and

said processor normalizes the detector values when the individual detectors output different values for the same radiation detected.

5. The lightweight camera system of claim 4, wherein said processor reduces the effects in the image caused by lens defects.

6. The lightweight camera system of claim 5, wherein said camera has a weight less than 15 grams.

7. A lightweight camera system comprising:

an integral vacuum package (IVP) camera system;

an accelerometer inertial system;

a transmitter;

receiver electronics;

a motion distortion correction module connected to said receiver electronics;

a processor connected to said motion distortion correction module;

a lens distortion correction module connected to said receiver electronics and said processor; and

wherein said IVP camera system, accelerometer inertial system, and transmitter are on a micro air vehicle, and said receiver electronics are on the earth.

8. The lightweight camera system of claim 7, wherein said IVP camera system, accelerometer inertial system, and transmitter in total weigh less than 15 grams.

9. The lightweight camera system of claim 8, further comprising a temperature compensation module connected to said receiver electronics and said processor.

10. The lightweight camera system of claim 9, further comprising an inter-detector difference correction module connected to said receiver electronics and said processor.

11. The lightweight camera system of claim 10, wherein:

said processor may output an image sensed by said IVP camera system; and

the image is generally free from motion, temperature, inter-detector and lens distortion.

12. The lightweight camera system of claim 7, wherein said IVP camera system includes at least one lens having a nonplanar focal plane and a substantially planar detector array proximate to the nonplanar focal plane of the lens.

13. The lightweight camera system of claim 12, wherein:

an image detected by said detector has some nonplanar-to-planar focal plane distortion and said detector has some motion relative to a source of the image resulting in some forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array;

said accelerometer inertial system has an output providing an indication of an amount of forward translation of camera blur; and

said processor reduces the distortion.

14. The lightweight camera system of claim 13, wherein said processor reduces forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array.

15. The lightweight camera system of claim 14, further comprising:

a temperature sensor situated on said detector array and connected to said transmitter; and

a model having temperature data for the detector array connected to said processor; and

wherein a detector array temperature from said transmitter is adjusted according to temperature data of said model.

16. The lightweight camera system of claim 15 wherein:

said receiver receives individual detector values; and

said processor normalizes the detector values when the individual detectors output different values for the same radiation detected.

17. The lightweight camera system of claim 16, wherein said processor reduces the effects in the image caused by lens defects.