Infrared imaging device, vehicle having the same installed therein, and infrared image adjustment device

• US 6,700,124 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Koji, Imagawa, Taro, Mekata, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US09/889,443
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 250/351
• US Class Current: 250/351
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/526 Periodic insertion of emissive surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/061 by controlling the temperature of the apparatus or parts thereof, e.g. using cooling means or thermostats
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/064 Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0805 Means for chopping radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/53 Reference sources, e.g. standard lamps; Black bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/70 Passive compensation of pyrometer measurements, e.g. using ambient temperature sensing or sensing of temperature within housing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/61 the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4"
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/672 between adjacent sensors or output registers for reading a single image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/673 by using reference sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Claims

1. An infrared imaging device, comprising:

an infrared detector;

an optical system for causing an infrared radiation from an object to form an image on the infrared detector;

shutting means configured so that the shutting means can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into the optical system when the shutting means is closed; and

correction means for correcting an output of the infrared detector,

wherein the correction means determines a second correction coefficient for correcting variations in a DC offset among pixels and fluctuations in an amount of infrared radiation from the optical system by using an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means while the shutting means is closed and the optical system is set to a non-focused state and a first correction coefficient proportional to a sensitivity of, each pixel of the infrared detector and shading.

2. The infrared imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the infrared imaging device comprises temperature measurement means for measuring a surface temperature of the shutting means; and

the correction means determines the correction coefficient by using a temperature measured by the temperature measurement means.

3. The infrared imaging device of claim 1, wherein the shutting means is a flat plate member having a uniform temperature distribution.

4. An infrared imagine device comprising:

an infrared detector;

an optical system for causing an infrared radiation from an object to form an image on the infrared detector;

shutting means configured so that the shutting means can be opened/dosed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into the optical system when the shutting means is closed; and

correction means for correcting an output of the infrared detector,

wherein the correction means determines a second correction coefficient for correcting variations in a DC offset among pixels and fluctuations in an amount of infrared radiation from the optical system by using an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means while the shutting means is closed and a first correction coefficient proportional to a sensitivity of each pixel of the infrared detector and shading wherein;

the infrared imaging device comprises second shutting means configured so that the second shutting means can be opened/closed and so as, to shut off an infrared radiation coming into the optical system when the second shutting means is closed; and

the correction means determines the first correction coefficient by using the output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means being closed and an output of the infrared detector imaging the second shutting means being closed.

5. The infrared imaging device of claim 4, wherein:

the infrared Imaging device comprises temperature measurement means for measuring a surface temperature of the shutting means; and

the correction means determines the correction coefficient by using a temperature measured by the temperature measurement means.

6. The infrared imaging device of claim 4, wherein the shutting means is a flat-plate member having a uniform temperature distribution.

7. An infrared imaging device, comprising:

an infrared detector;

an optical system for causing an infrared radiation from an object to form an image on the infrared detector;

shutting means configured so that the shutting means can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into the optical system when the shutting means is closed; and

correction means for correcting an output of the infrared detector,

wherein the correction means determines a second correction coefficient for correcting variations in a DC offset among pixels and fluctuations in an amount of infrared radiation from the optical system by using an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means while the shutting means is closed and a first correction coefficient proportional to a sensitive of each pixel of the infrared detector and shading wherein;

the infrared imaging device comprises temperature setting means for setting a temperature of the shutting means; and

the correction means determines the first correction coefficient by using an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means being closed, which has been set to a first temperature by the temperature setting means, and an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means being closed, which has been set to a second temperature by the temperature setting means.

8. The infrared imaging device of claim 7, wherein:

the infrared imaging device comprises temperature measurement means for measuring a surface temperature of the shutting means; and

the correction means determines the correction coefficient by using a temperature measured by the temperature measurement means.

9. The infrared imaging device of claim 7, wherein the shutting means is a flat-plate member having a uniform temperature distribution.

10. An infrared imaging device, comprising:

an infrared detector;

an optical system for causing an infrared radiation from an object to form an image on the infrared detector;

shutting means configured so that the shutting means can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into the optical system when the shutting means is closed; and

correction means for correcting an output of the infrared detector,

wherein the correction means determines a second correction coefficient for correcting variations in a DC offset among pixels and fluctuations In an amount of infrared radiation from the optical system by using an output of the infrared detector imaging the shutting means while the shutting means is closed and a first correction coefficient proportional to a sensitive of each pixel of the infrared detector and shading wherein;

the infrared imaging device comprises temperature setting means for setting a temperature of the shutting means; and

the temperature setting means sets the temperature of the shutting means to a temperature in a vicinity of a temperature of a particular object to be imaged while the shutting means is closed.

11. The infrared imaging device of claim 10, wherein:

the infrared imaging device comprises temperature measurement means for measuring a surface temperature of the shutting means; and

the correction means determines the correction coefficient by using a temperature measured by the temperature measurement means.

12. The infrared imaging device of claim 10, wherein the shutting means is a flat-plate member having a uniform temperature distribution.