ROLLING-SHUTTER IMAGING SYSTEM WITH SYNCHRONIZED SCANNING ILLUMINATION AND METHODS FOR HIGHER-RESOLUTION IMAGING
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of a focal plane array (FPA) during an integration time; and
a scanner synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA within a scene that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a rolling-shutter imaging system with synchronized scanning illumination and methods for higher-resolution imaging are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the imaging system includes a focal plane array (FPA) and a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of the FPA during an integration time. The imaging system also includes a scanner synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA within a scene that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA. The imaging system may also include beamforming optics to generate a beam of light to illuminate the portion of the sensor FOV corresponding to portion of the FPA that is activated.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of a focal plane array (FPA) during an integration time; and a scanner synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA within a scene that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of generating an image comprising:
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activating only a portion of focal plane array (FPA) during an integration time; and synchronously illuminating only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA within a scene that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A gimbaled imaging system comprising:
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a focal plane array (FPA); a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of the FPA during an integration time; a scanner synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA within a scene that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA; beamforming optics to generate a beam of light to provide to the scanner to illuminate the portion of the sensor FOV corresponding to portion of the FPA that is activated; and an illuminator configured to generate light for the beamforming optics, wherein at least the FPA, the ROIC, the scanner, and the beamforming optics are located on-gimbal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An air-based platform comprising:
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a gimbaled imaging system; and a propulsion system to propel the air-based platform, wherein the gimbaled imaging system comprises a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of a focal plane array (FPA) during an integration time, a scanner synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate only a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA, beamforming optics to generate a beam of light to provide to the scanner to illuminate the portion of the sensor FOV corresponding to portion of the FPA that is activated, and an illuminator configured to generate light for the beamforming optics, and wherein at least the FPA, the ROIC, the scanner, and the beamforming optics are located on-gimbal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An imaging system comprising:
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a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to activate only a portion of a focal plane array (FPA) during an integration time; and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) comprising an array of laser diode synchronized with the ROIC to illuminate a portion of a sensor field-of-view (FOV) of the FPA that corresponds to at least the activated portion of the FPA, wherein rows of the laser diodes are configured to be activated to generate light to illuminate the portion of the sensor FOV that corresponds to one or more active rows of the FPA. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification