Infrared imaging system for advanced rescue vision system

• US 6,476,391 B1
• Filed: 11/22/1999
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evan Y.W. Zhang
• Original Assignee: Evan Y.W. Zhang
• Inventors: Zhang, Evan Y. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAGLIARDI, ALBERT J
• Application Number:
  US09/444,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 250/338.1, 250/342, 250/349, 250/350, 250/353, 250/338.3, 359/350, 359/356
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/02 made of crystals, e.g. rock-salt, semi-conductors G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0129 comprising devices for correcting parallax
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/10 one + and one - component

Abstract

The system according to the invention uses cutting edge technologies such as Uncooled Staring Focal Plane detector Array, Hot Pressed Polycrystal Objective Lens, Helmet Mounted Display Using Transparent Image Combiner, and Neural Network Image Colorization and Recognition to dramatically enhance the system performance and reduce the weight and cost.

The helmet mounted infrared imaging system can:

Detect and recognize flames, humans and other objects,

Reduce the weight of the helmet components (including camera head and combiner) to less than 0.5 pounds,

View simultaneously visible and invisible surroundings without hindering operations.

Operate the imaging system hands-off; and

Transmit the imaging data to and receive the map from a remote sight.

Alternative Embodiment

In an alternative embodiment, the infrared camera is mounted centered in front of the display.

Claims

1. An infrared imaging system including apparatus for mounting on a helmet comprising:

an infrared camera head mounted on said helmet for converting infrared light images into electronic signals;

a display unit mounted on said helmet for converting electronic signals into visible light images;

electronic means coupled between the infrared camera and the display unit, including controller means, for processing video signals from the infrared camera and supplying them to the display unit;

a combiner mounted on said helmet so that it is in front of the eyes of a user when the helmet is worn, so that the user can directly view an external scene;

relay optic means mounted on said helmet to couple light images from the display unit to the combiner, whereby the user can view an image from the display unit as well as the external scene;

wherein said infrared camera comprises camera optics, a chopper, and a detector having a staring focal plane array (FPA), the infrared camera having a waveband of infrared radiation selected to be in a range from 2 μ

m to 12 μ

m, the camera optics and detector having an objective lens and detector window which are transparent for said waveband;

wherein the objective lens comprises first and second lenses separated by an air gap, with first and second faces on the first lens, and third and fourth faces on the second lens, the first lens being constructed by hot pressed CaF₂, and the second lens being made of hot pressed ZnS;

wherein the objective lens is designed with ten basic lens design parameters for this objective lens formed by the combination of two lenses, these parameters being;

1. curvature r₁ of the first face,

2. spacing d₁ of the first lens,

3. refraction index n₁ of the first lens,

4. curvature r₂ of the second face,

5. air gap d₂,

6. refraction index n₂ of the air gap,

7. curvature r₃ of the third face,

8. spacing d₃ of the second lens,

9. refraction index n₃ of the second lens,

10. curvature r₄ of the fourth face 4,

these parameters being as shown in the following table;

2. An infrared imaging system according to claim 1, wherein, since the waveband of the objective lens is large, it is very important to eliminate any chromatic aberration, the designed objective lens being made almost chromatic aberration free by careful choosing of parameters and materials.

3. An infrared imaging system according to claim 2, wherein, since ZnS refraction index is high, an anti-reflection coating is used on the second lens (404), the anti-reflection coating materials being selected from SrF₂ (n=1) and PbF₂ (n=1.65), wherein the CaF₂ material of the first lens (402) automatically cuts wavelengths longer than 12 μ

m, and a short wavelength cut-off filter is provided to eliminate wavelengths shorter than 2 μ

m.

4. An infrared imaging system according to claim 2, wherein said focal plane array is an uncooled thermal focal plane array made of Barium Strontium.