Multispectral imaging and analysis system
First Claim
1. A system for receiving and analyzing incident radiation reflected from the earth'"'"'s surface in real time, which system is suitable for geographic surveying from airborne vehicles, said system comprising:
- imaging means for receiving said incident radiation, said imaging means including;
a plurality of detector arrays maintained in optically stacked registration, said detector arrays each including an array of charge coupled devices wherein said charge coupled devices of each said array are maintained in registration with corresponding devices in every other array, said arrays providing detector signals indicative of radiation incident thereon,optical means for permitting only incident radiation having different preselected wavelengths to be incident on each of said detector arrays; and
normalizing circuit means for normalizing the dark current offset and the inherent gain of each said charge coupled device in said detector arrays;
data processing means for analyzing said detector signals applied thereto in accordance with preselected algorithms peculiar to the spectral reflectance characteristics of selected materials for identifying said selected materials;
said processing means providing data signals; and
display means for receiving said data signals and detector signals for concurrently displaying said detector signals as an image of the earth'"'"'s surface indicating the location of said selected materials.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multispectral imaging and analysis system incorporating the use of charge coupled devices or linear arrays of detectors and which is designed to permit on-board analysis of data in real time is disclosed. An imaging system including several arrays of charge coupled devices or linear detector arrays are used to obtain simultaneously spectral reflectance data of different wavelengths for a target area. A plurality of filters each accommodating a particular bandwidth are individually associated with each array. Data from the arrays are read out in parallel and applied to a computer or micro-processor for processing. The micro-processor serves to analyze the data in real time and as may be possible in accordance with hard-wired algorithms. The data are then displayed as an image on an appropriate display unit and also recorded for further use. The display system may be operationally connected to receive a terrain image such that the target area and the analyzed spectral reflectance data are superimposed and simultaneously displayed.
96 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A system for receiving and analyzing incident radiation reflected from the earth'"'"'s surface in real time, which system is suitable for geographic surveying from airborne vehicles, said system comprising:
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imaging means for receiving said incident radiation, said imaging means including; a plurality of detector arrays maintained in optically stacked registration, said detector arrays each including an array of charge coupled devices wherein said charge coupled devices of each said array are maintained in registration with corresponding devices in every other array, said arrays providing detector signals indicative of radiation incident thereon, optical means for permitting only incident radiation having different preselected wavelengths to be incident on each of said detector arrays; and normalizing circuit means for normalizing the dark current offset and the inherent gain of each said charge coupled device in said detector arrays; data processing means for analyzing said detector signals applied thereto in accordance with preselected algorithms peculiar to the spectral reflectance characteristics of selected materials for identifying said selected materials;
said processing means providing data signals; anddisplay means for receiving said data signals and detector signals for concurrently displaying said detector signals as an image of the earth'"'"'s surface indicating the location of said selected materials. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification