Sensor assembly for imaging passive infrared and active LADAR and method for same
First Claim
1. A sensor assembly for detecting a scene which emits passive radiation and reflects active radiation, the sensor assembly comprising:
- an imager for imaging the scene, said imager for producing a passive image signal based upon passive scene radiation and an active image signal based upon active scene radiation;
a passive signal channel for integrating the passive image signal for producing a passive image data set from said integrated passive image signal; and
an active signal channel for sampling the active image signal at predetermined times for producing an active image data set from said sampled active image signal, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data.
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Abstract
A sensor assembly for imaging passive infrared (IR) scenes and active laser radar (LADAR) scenes and for generating multi-dimension image data sets, and a method for same. A two-dimensional semiconductor imager sensitive to both passive IR radiation and active LADAR radiation when used in conjunction with subsequent signal processing creates a two-dimension passive image data set and a three-dimension active image data set with common x and y coordinates. The passive image data set is collected substantially proximate in time with the active image data set. The two image data sets are combined to form a multi-dimension image data set with the surface of three-dimensional objects indicating heat emission. The sensor assembly applies to burst illumination LADARs operating at a variety of wavelengths and passive IR detection in the middle wavelength IR (MWIR) or long wavelength IR (LWIR).
118 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for detecting a scene which emits passive radiation and reflects active radiation, the sensor assembly comprising:
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an imager for imaging the scene, said imager for producing a passive image signal based upon passive scene radiation and an active image signal based upon active scene radiation;
a passive signal channel for integrating the passive image signal for producing a passive image data set from said integrated passive image signal; and
an active signal channel for sampling the active image signal at predetermined times for producing an active image data set from said sampled active image signal, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data. - 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)
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28. A sensor assembly for detecting a scene which emits passive radiation and reflects active radiation, the sensor assembly comprising:
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an imager for imaging the scene, said imager for producing a passive image signal based upon passive scene radiation and an active image signal based upon active scene radiation;
a passive signal channel for integrating the passive image signal for producing a passive image data set from said integrated passive image signal;
an active signal channel for sampling the active image signal at predetermined times for producing an active image data set from said sampled active image signal, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data; and
a processor for receiving said produced passive image data set and said produced active image data set, and for producing a multi-dimension image data set which comprises horizontal, vertical, and range data and passive image signal data corresponding to said horizontal and vertical data. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for producing passive and active image data sets, the method comprising the steps of:
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simultaneously detecting passive scene radiation for producing a passive image signal and active scene radiation for producing an active image signal with a single imager;
integrating said passive image signal for producing a passive image data set; and
sampling said active image signal at predetermined times for producing an active image data set, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data, wherein said passive image data set and said active image data set have corresponding horizontal and vertical data.
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31. A method for producing a multi-dimension image data set, the method comprising the steps of:
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simultaneously detecting passive scene radiation for producing a passive image signal and active scene radiation for producing an active image signal with a single imager;
integrating said passive image signal for producing a passive image data set;
sampling said active image signal at predetermined times for producing an active image data set, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data; and
combining said passive image data set and said active image data set for producing a multi-dimension data set, wherein said passive image data set and said active image data set have corresponding horizontal and vertical data.
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32. An imaging system for producing an image of a scene by use of radiation in a first band and radiation in a second band, comprising:
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a laser generator for producing pulses of a laser beam that illuminates at least a substantial portion of said scene, said laser beam having a wavelength in said first band and said pulses having a timed sequence;
an imager for producing image data of said scene by receiving passive radiation, which has a wavelength in said second band, from said scene and by receiving reflections of said laser beam from said scene wherein said imager produces a first image signal corresponding to detection of said passive radiation and a second image signal corresponding to detection of said active radiation, which comprises said reflections of said laser beam;
a passive image channel for producing a passive radiation image data set from said first image signal;
an active image channel for producing an active radiation image data set from said second image signal, said active image data set comprising horizontal, vertical, and range data;
said passive radiation image data set defining a passive radiation image of said scene and said active radiation image data set defining an active radiation image of said scene and wherein said passive radiation image and said active radiation image are horizontally and vertically registered with each other; and
a processor for combining registered data points of said passive radiation image data set and said active radiation image data set and utilizing data based on said timed sequence of said laser pulses to produce a composite image data set which comprises said image of said scene. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification