Automated system for testing an imaging sensor
First Claim
1. An automated system for testing a sensor system by evaluating the output of said sensor system with respect to a known target, said automated system comprising:
- input means for receiving input from said sensor system and providing a first signal in response thereto;
processing means for operating on said first signal and generating first data therefrom, said processing means including;
filtering means for separating noise from said first signal, said filtering means further including scene averaging means for separating random noise from said first signal to provide a pure signature and first subtracting means for subtracting said first signal from said pure signature to provide a pure noise signal andmeans for computing at least one address in response to a function of the pure signature and pure noise components of said first signal; and
table means for providing stored data in response to an input of said address thereto, said stored data being representative of a response of at least one human observer viewing a display of the output of an imaging system in response to a known input.
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Abstract
An automated system for testing imaging sensors 10 is disclosed. The automated system 10 provides an accurate and repeatable method for testing imaging sensors. The automated system 10 includes an input circuit 20 for receiving input from an imaging sensor system and providing a signal in response thereto, a processor 30 for operating on said signal and generating data therefrom, and a computer 40 for providing output in response to the data. A specific teaching of the invention includes a method for obtaining data for the lookup table and calculating addresses for the data wherein the addresses are a function of the signal and noise components of the imaging sensor system output, while the data relates to actual responses of human observers.
58 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automated system for testing a sensor system by evaluating the output of said sensor system with respect to a known target, said automated system comprising:
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input means for receiving input from said sensor system and providing a first signal in response thereto; processing means for operating on said first signal and generating first data therefrom, said processing means including; filtering means for separating noise from said first signal, said filtering means further including scene averaging means for separating random noise from said first signal to provide a pure signature and first subtracting means for subtracting said first signal from said pure signature to provide a pure noise signal and means for computing at least one address in response to a function of the pure signature and pure noise components of said first signal; and table means for providing stored data in response to an input of said address thereto, said stored data being representative of a response of at least one human observer viewing a display of the output of an imaging system in response to a known input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for obtaining data representing acceptable imaging sensor system output including the steps of:
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(a) separating the input from an imaging sensor system into signal and noise components; (b) obtaining first values representing acceptable values of said input at a set of spatial frequencies as determined by a chosen group of human observers; and (c) deriving data as a function of said signal and said noise components at said spatial frequencies corresponding to each value of said first values.
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14. An automated system for testing a sensor system by evaluating the output of said sensor system with respect to a known target, said automated system comprising:
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input means for receiving input from said sensor system and providing a first signal in response thereto; processing means for operating on said first signal and generating first data therefrom; and table means for providing output in response to said first data, said table means including a lookup table, wherein a function of said first data is provided as an address to said lookup table and said output is provided from said lookup table in response thereto, said function of said first data being P-V/P+V where P is a peak value and V is a valley value of said first data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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15. An automated system for testing a sensor system by evaluating the output of said sensor system with respect to a known target, said automated system comprising:
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input means for receiving input from said sensor system and providing a first signal in response thereto; processing means for operating on said first signal and generating first data therefrom; and table means for providing output in response to said first data, said table means including a lookup table, wherein a function of said first data is provided as an address to said lookup table and said output is provided from said lookup table in response thereto, said function of said first data being P+V/N where P is a peak value, V is a valley value, and N is a noise component of said first data.
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Specification