SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SPECTRAL IMAGING WITH A TRANSMITTER USING A PLURALITY OF LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20180198993A1
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Galileo Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Galileo Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Barnes, Donald Michael, Grichnik, James Michael, Pan, Zhihong, Mewes, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 10,554,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing

Abstract

Systems and methods for imaging using a plurality of light sources is provided. An imaging device comprises a housing, a lens within the housing, a plurality of light source sets attached or integrated into the housing, a two-dimensional pixelated detector within the housing in optical communication with the lens, memory and a controller. Each respective light source set comprises a plurality of lights uniformly radially distributed about the lens. A first light source set in the plurality sets emits light substantially limited to a first spectral range. A second light source set in the plurality of sets emits light substantially limited to a second spectral range other than the first range. At least one program non-transiently stored in the memory and executable by the controller sequentially and independently fired each light source set while collecting light using the pixelated detector. An imaging device can be integrated with a mobile device.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

A) a housing having an exterior and an interior;

B) an objective lens within the housing and flush with a surface of the housing so that the objective lens does not substantially extend past the surface of the housing;

C) a plurality of light source sets attached or integrated into the housing, wherein each respective light source set in the plurality of light sources sets comprises a plurality of lights that is uniformly radially distributed about the objective lens, wherein

a first light source set in the plurality of light source sets emits light that is substantially limited to a first spectral range, and

a second light source set in the plurality of light source sets emits light that is substantially limited to a second spectral range other than the first spectral range;

D) a single two-dimensional pixelated detector within the housing and in optical communication with the objective lens;

E) a controller, wherein at least one program is non-transiently stored in the controller and executable by the controller, the at least one program causing the controller to perform the method of;

i) concurrently firing the plurality of lights in the first light source set for a first time period while not firing any other light source set in the plurality of light source sets,

ii) collecting light from the objective lens during all or a portion of the first time period using the two-dimensional pixelated detector,

iii) concurrently firing the plurality of lights in the second light source set for a second time period while not firing any other light source set in the plurality of light source sets, and

iv) collecting light from the objective lens during all or a portion of the second time period using the two-dimensional pixelated detector, thereby forming at least one digital image.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the uniform radial distribution is at least one concentric circle about the objective lens.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

each light source set in the plurality of light source sets consist of n light sources, wherein n is a positive integer of value two or greater, and

each light source of a respective light source set is arranged with θ

₁ degrees of separation to another light source of the respective light source set, wherein

4. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein a respective light source of each respective light source set is disposed at a same location.

5. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of light source sets consists of k light source sets,

k is a positive integer of two or greater, and

each light source of the respective light source set is arranged with θ

₂ degrees of separation from an adjacent light source of a different light source set, wherein

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a wavelength spectra of emitted light from the plurality of light source sets is substantially limited by a plurality of optical filters.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein

each light source in the first light source set is filtered by a different bandpass filter in a first plurality of bandpass filters,

each bandpass filter in the first plurality of bandpass filters limits light emission to the first spectral range,

each light source in the second light source set is filtered by a different bandpass filter in a second plurality of bandpass filters, and

each bandpass filter in the second plurality of bandpass filters limits light emission to the second spectral range.

8. The imaging device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of optical filters comprises at least one longpass filter.

9. The imaging device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of optical filters comprises at least one shortpass filter.

10. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first spectral range is 405 nanometers (nm)=10 nm to 890 nm±

10 nm and the second wavelength band is 405 nm±

10 nm to 890 nm±

10 nm.

11. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light source sets emit light at an intensity of 500 micro-candela to 1500 micro-candela.

12. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein

the first time period is between 1 millisecond and 100 milliseconds, and

the second time period is between 1 millisecond and 100 milliseconds.

13. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third light source set in the plurality of light source sets that emits light that is substantially limited to a third spectral range other than the first spectral range or the second spectral range.

14. The imaging device of claim 5, wherein

the plurality of light source sets collectively emit light that is substantially limited to k spectral ranges.

15. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a single digital image is formed from a combination of the collecting ii) and collecting iv).

16. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a first digital image is formed from the collecting ii) and a second digital image is formed from the collecting iv).

17. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the objective lens is selected from the group consisting of a 3D binocular, a fiber optic, a fisheye lens, a macro lens, a microscopic lens, a normal lens, and a telephoto lens.

18. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional pixelated detector is selected from the group consisting of a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), a photo-cell, and a focal plane array.

19. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the housing snap-fits to a mobile device or is integral to the mobile device.

20. The imaging device of claim 19, wherein the imaging device is flush with a surface of the mobile device.

21. The imaging device of claim 19, wherein the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an enterprise digital assistant, a tablet computer, and a digital camera.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen using a mobile device comprising the one or more processors, an objective lens, a two-dimensional pixelated detector in optical communication with the objective lens, and i light source sets, the instructions comprising, for each integer i in the set {1, . . . , i, . . . , k}, wherein k is a positive integer of two or greater:

A) instructing an i^th plurality of lights uniformly radially distributed about the objective lens in the i^th light source set in the plurality of light source sets to fire for an i^th time period while not firing any other light source set in the plurality of light source sets; and

B) instructing the two-dimensional pixelated detector to collect light from the objective lens during all or a portion of the i^th time period,

thereby forming at least one digital image.

23. The imaging device of claim 22, wherein the at least one digital image is a single digital image.

24. The imaging device of claim 22, wherein a separate digital image is formed at each instance of the instructing B).

25. The imaging device of claim 24, further comprising C) combining each separate digital image formed during the respective instances of the instructing B) into a single hyperspectral/multispectral image.

26. A method for performing a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen:

at a mobile device comprising one or more processors, memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, an objective lens, a controller, a two-dimensional pixelated detector in optical communication with the objective lens, and i light source sets, attached to or integrated with the mobile device, for each integer i in the set {1, . . . , i, . . . , k}, wherein k is a positive integer of two or greater, the one or more programs singularly or collectively using the one or more processors to execute a method comprising;

A) instructing, through the controller, the k^th light source set in the plurality of light source sets to fire for a k^th predetermined time period; and

B) instructing, through the controller, the two-dimensional pixelated detector to collect light from the objective lens during all or a portion of the k^th predetermined time period,

thereby forming at least one digital image.

27. The imaging device of claim 26, wherein the at least one digital image is a single digital image.

28. The imaging device of claim 26, wherein a separate digital image is formed at each instance of the instructing B).

29. The imaging device of claim 26, further comprising C) combining each separate digital image formed during the respective instances of the instructing B) into a single hyperspectral/multispectral image.