Camera having distortion correction

• US 7,365,326 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Roland Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, SHUN K
• Application Number:
  US10/346,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/338.1, 250/353, 348/217.1, 382/275
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0205 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/023 Particular leg structure or construction or shape; Nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0803 Arrangements for time-dependent attenuation of radiation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/22 Electrical features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/61 the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4"

Abstract

A lightweight camera is provided that includes a lightweight lens system that has a reduced number of lenses. Reducing the number of lenses produces a lighter camera, but produces a distorted local image. The distorted local image is captured by the lightweight camera, and is preferably transmitted to a remote station. The remote station then performs image processing on the distorted image to remove at least some of the distortion in the image. Preferably, a Massively Parallel Richardson-Lucy (MPRL) algorithm is used to identify and remove distortion from the image. Also, motion, temperature and inter-detector difference distortion is detected and corrected.

Claims

1. A lightweight camera and system comprising:

a camera comprising;

at least one lens having a nonplanar focal plane;

a substantially planar infrared detector array situated proximate to the nonplanar focal plane of said lens;

a motion detector for detecting motion of the camera; and

a transmitter connected to said detector array and said motion detector;

a receiver for receiving wireless signals from said transmitter; and

a processor connected to said receiver;

wherein;

an image detected by said detector has some nonplanar-to-planar focal plane distortion and said detector has some motion relative to a source of the image resulting in some forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array;

said motion detector has an output providing an indication of an amount of forward translation of camera blur; and

said processor reduces the distortion.

2. The camera and system of claim 1, wherein said processor reduces forward translation of camera blur of the image detected by said detector array.

3. The camera and system of claims 2, further comprising:

a temperature sensor situated on said detector array and connected to said transmitter; and

a model having temperature data for the detector array connected to said processor; and

wherein a detector array temperature from said transmitter is adjusted according to temperature data of said model.

4. The camera and system of claim 3 wherein:

said receiver receives individual detector values; and

said processor normalizes the detector values when the individual detectors output different values for the same radiation detected.

5. The camera and system of claim 4, wherein said processor reduces the effects in the image caused by lens defects.

6. The camera and system of claim 5, wherein:

said camera has a weight less than 15 grams; and

said receiver is situated on the ground.