Methods and apparatus for performing scene based uniformity correction in imaging systems
First Claim
1. An imaging device, comprising:
- a plurality of radiation detectors positioned in an optical path of said imaging device;
a plano-plano reference lens; and
a lens carrier supporting said reference lens and configured to selectively position said reference lens within and without the optical path.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for generating uniform reference sources for use in calibrating multiple-detector imaging devices. In exemplary embodiments, a plano-plano reference lens is inserted at a non-focusing position in the optics path of a multiple-detector imaging device. The reference lens includes a highly polished side coated with a semi-reflective film and a rough polished side coated with an anti-reflective coating. The smooth polished side causes the detector array to see a reflected image of itself and a portion of the incoming scene energy simultaneously. The energy emitted by the detector array thus mixes with the scene energy to create a detected photon flux level which is dependent upon, but deviates in a controlled manner from, that of the scene energy alone. At the same time, the rough polished side and the thickness of the reference lens blur the detected image to eliminate scene structure and to provide a uniform photon flux level at each detector in the array. Since the detected flux is uniform and dependent upon the scene energy, the inserted reference lens effectively provides a reference source suitable for detector calibration. Additional reference lenses of varying reflectivity can be successively inserted to provide additional calibration points. Advantageously, the reference source levels vary automatically and passively with the viewed scene flux, and the present invention eliminates many of the drawbacks associated with conventional calibration techniques.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. An imaging device, comprising:
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a plurality of radiation detectors positioned in an optical path of said imaging device;
a plano-plano reference lens; and
a lens carrier supporting said reference lens and configured to selectively position said reference lens within and without the optical path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An imaging device, comprising:
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optics configured to focus scene radiation received at an input of said imaging device at a focal plane in an optical path of said imaging device;
a plurality of radiation detectors positioned in the focal plane;
a plano-plano reference lens having first and second sides, said first side being rough polished and coated with a non-reflective material and said second side being smooth polished and coated with a partially reflective material; and
a lens carrier supporting said reference lens and configured to selectively position said reference lens within and without the optical path, wherein said reference lens is configured to provide said plurality of radiation detectors with a uniform level of radiation when said reference lens is positioned within the optical path, the uniform level of radiation having a value within an instantaneous dynamic flux range of said plurality of radiation detectors. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for correcting non-uniformities among a plurality of radiation detectors in an imaging device, said plurality of radiation detectors being positioned in a focal plane of an optical path of said imaging device, comprising the steps of:
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positioning a piano-plano reference lens within the optical path to provide the plurality of radiation detectors with a uniform level of radiation;
computing an offset value for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when the reference lens is positioned within the optical path;
removing the reference lens from the optical path; and
computing a corrected output value for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on the computed offset values and on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when the reference lens is removed from the optical path. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
computing one of a mean, median and mode output value provided by the plurality of radiation detectors when the reference lens is positioned with the optical path.
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60. A method according to claim 58, further comprising the steps of:
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positioning a second plano-plano reference lens within the optical path to provide the plurality of radiation detectors with a second uniform level of radiation;
computing a scale factor and an offset value for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when the first and second reference lenses are positioned within the optical path; and
computing a corrected output value for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on the computed scale factors and offset values and on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when neither of the reference lenses is positioned within the optical path.
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61. A method according to claim 58, further comprising the steps of:
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successively positioning each one of a plurality of additional plano-plano reference lenses within the optical path;
computing piece-wise linear scale factors and offset values for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when the first and additional reference lenses are positioned within the optical path; and
computing piece-wise linear corrected output values for each of the plurality of radiation detectors based on the computed piece-wise linear scale factors and offset values and on values output by the plurality of radiation detectors when none of the reference lenses is positioned within the optical path.
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62. A method according to claim 58, wherein one side of the reference lens is rough polished and blurs an image detected by the plurality of radiation detectors when the reference lens is positioned within the optical path.
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63. A method according to claim 58, wherein one side of the reference lens is coated with a partially reflective material and reduces a level of scene radiation received by the plurality of radiation detectors when the reference lens is positioned within the optical path.
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64. A method according to claim 63, wherein the partially reflective material reflects radiation emitted by the plurality of radiation detectors back toward the plurality of radiation detectors.
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65. A method according to claim 58, wherein a waveband used by the plurality of radiation detectors for imaging is an infrared waveband.
Specification