INTERWEAVING OF IR AND VISIBLE IMAGES

• US 20110249014A1
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Projectiondesign AS (Barco NV)
• Original Assignee: Projectiondesign AS (Barco NV)
• Inventors: Kolstad, Kristian, Olsen, Kjell Einar
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3111 for displaying the colours sequentially, e.g. by using sequentially activated light sources sequential projection in colour photography G03B33/08

Abstract

Systems and methods for interweaving infrared and visible moving image data using a single optical system and imager device based on an infrared input signal and a visible input signal are disclosed. Infrared image frames can be substituted in for complete visible image input frames or for partial visible image input frames, i.e. substituting in an infrared image input frame for one or more of the color channels in one or more visible image input frames. Moving video or computer-generated moving graphics can include both infrared and visible image data to be displayed users viewing the resulting images with and without night vision imaging devices. In particular, the system and method can be used in projection systems for night-vision imaging device team training simulators to reduce the cost of the system while increasing the ease of use and performance of such systems.

Claims

1. A method for interweaving visible image data and infrared image data using an image processing computer comprising:

receiving a first visible input signal having a first frame rate and a first infrared input signal having a second frame rate using a processor in the image processing computer;

processing the first visible light input signal into a second visible light input signal having a third frame rate using the processor;

processing the first infrared input signal into a second infrared output signal having a fourth frame rate using the processor; and

generating a combined output signal based on the second visible input signal and the second infrared input signal using the processor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the combined output signal comprises alternately outputting image data from the second visible input signal and image data from the second infrared signal at a fifth frame rate.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending the combined output signal from the image processing computer to an imager device

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a timing signal based on the combined output signal comprises and sending the timing signal to one or more lights sources.

5. A method for interweaving visible image data and infrared image data using an image processing computer comprising:

using the image processing computer to receive a visible input signal having a plurality of color channel input data;

using the image processing computer to receive an infrared input signal; and

using the image processing computer to process the visible input signal and the infrared input signal into a combined output signal having a plurality of channel output data;

wherein the plurality of channel output data includes data from the infrared input signal substituted for data from the one or more of the color channels input data in the visible input signal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein plurality of color channel input data comprises a red channel, a green channel and a blue channel;

and

wherein data from the infrared input is sequentially substituted in for the red channel, the green channel or the blue channel.

7. The method of claim 6 the data from the infrared input is sequentially substituted in at intervals.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the intervals are determined by the image processing computer and based on the first visible input signal, the first infrared light input signal or both.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the intervals are further determined by comparing the image data in the red channel, green channel and the blue color channel.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the intervals are based on the first frame rate of the first visible input signal.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the intervals are based on the second frame rate of the first infrared input signal.

12. An image processing system for interweaving visible image data with infrared image data comprising:

a color substitution processor configured to;

receive a visible input signal and an infrared input signal; and

process the visible input signal and the infrared input signal into a combined output signal based on data contained in the visible input signal and having data from the infrared input signal substituted in for data contained in the visible input signal; and

an image processor coupled to the color substitution processor and configured to;

receive the combined output signal;

process the combined output signal into a plurality of sequential visible and infrared color channel frames; and

control a light source sequencer to operate a plurality of visible and infrared light sources in synchronization with an imager device.

13. The image processing system of claim 12 wherein the image processor is further configured to send the plurality of sequential visible and infrared color channel frames to the imager device.

14. The image processing system of claim 12 further configured to substitute frames from the infrared input in for one or more color channels in the visible input signal.

15. The image processing system of claim 14 further configured to substitute the frames from the infrared input in for one or more of the colors channels at intervals.

16. The image processing system of claim 15 further configured to determine the intervals based on a comparison of the content of the color channels in the visible input signal.

17. The image processing system of claim 15 further configured to determine the intervals based on the comparison of the content of the infrared input signal and the content of the color channels in the visible input signal.

18. The image processing system of claim 13 further configured to receive the visible input signal and the infrared input signal in parallel or in series.