Versatile camera for various visibility conditions

• US 7,496,293 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Inventors: Yaeli, Yossi, Shamir, Hanan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney; Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/182,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 396/333, 396/334, 348/216.1, 348/218.1, 348/262, 348/342
• US Class Current: 396/333
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/08 Control effected solely on the basis of the response, to the intensity of the light received by the camera, of a built-in light-sensitive device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/53 of electronic viewfinders, e.g. rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

A versatile camera that operates in various visibility conditions, such as daylight and poor visibility conditions, the camera including at least two sensors that capture images in a scene and provide a digital representation of the captured images, each sensor having a particular operational wavelength, and an optical and routing module that receives incoming rays from the scene and routes the incoming rays toward the two sensors.

Claims

1. Versatile camera for various visibility conditions, comprising:

at least two sensors for capturing images of a scene and providing a digital signal representation of said images;

an optical and routing module for receiving incoming rays from said scene and routing said incoming rays toward said at least two sensors, respectively; and

a processor for merging in registration and processing the images provided by said at least two sensors,

wherein at least one of said at least two sensors comprises a good visibility conditions sensor having low sensitivity and high resolution in a first wavelength range;

wherein at least another of said at least two sensors comprises a poor visibility conditions sensor having high sensitivity and low resolution in a second wavelength range at least partially overlapping said first wavelength range; and

wherein said optical and routing module directs, for the partially overlapping portion of said first wavelength range and said second wavelength range a small-portion of the light intensity of said incoming rays toward said good visibility conditions sensor, said optical and routing module further directing a large-portion of the light intensity of said incoming rays toward said poor visibility conditions sensor, and for the non-overlapping portion of said second wavelength range, said optical and routing module directs said incoming rays toward said poor visibility conditions sensor.

2. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said poor visibility conditions sensor comprises a dim light amplifier.

3. The versatile camera according to claim 2, further comprising a High Voltage Power Supply (HVPS) for said dim light amplifier.

4. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said poor visibility conditions sensor comprises an invisible light sensor for detecting and converting invisible light to a visible representation.

5. The versatile camera according to claim 1, further comprising at least two accelerometers for spatial stabilization of said display.

6. The versatile camera according to claim 1, further comprising at least one gyroscope for spatial stabilization of said display.

7. The versatile camera according to claim 1, further comprising a user line-of-sight detector, for spatial and temporal filtering.

8. The versatile camera according to claim 7, wherein said user line-of-sight detector comprises a head line-of-sight reader for spatial and temporal filtering at the pixel level with reference to the readings of said head line-of-sight reader.

9. The versatile camera according to claim 7, wherein said user line-of-sight detector comprises an eye line-of-sight tracker for spatial and temporal filtering at the pixel level with reference to the readings of said eye line-of-sight tracker.

10. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said at least two sensors include any combination from the list consisting of:

a visible daylight sensor;

a night vision enhancement sensor;

a dim light enhancement sensor;

a 1.06 micron sensor; and

a Forward looking infra-red (FLIR) sensor.

11. The versatile camera according to claim 10, wherein said FLIR sensor may include any combination from the list consisting of:

an Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaA) sensor;

an Indium Stibnite (InSb) sensor;

a non-refrigerated Vanadium Oxide (VOx) bolometer;

a Gallium Arsenide (GaA) sensor; and

a Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP).

12. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said good visibility conditions sensor comprises an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) operational for the visible band from about 400-450 nm to about 650-680 nm.

13. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein one sensor of said at least two sensors comprises an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) operational at wavelengths above 950 nm (high pass IR).

14. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein one sensor of said at least two sensors comprises an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) operational at the 1064 nm IR frequency.

15. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said good visibility conditions sensor comprises an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) operational at visible daylight and at ranges extending beyond the visible daylight, and wherein said Active Pixel Sensor (APS) comprises a sensor selected from the list consisting of:

a sensor at 1064 nm IR frequency;

a high pass IR sensor above the wavelength of 950 nm; and

a broadband sensor substantially operational from about 400 nm to about 1100 nm.

16. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two sensors comprises an image intensifier (I2) coupled to an electronic video sensor.

17. The versatile camera according to claim 16, wherein said image intensifier (I²) comprises an optical on/off iris shutter.

18. The versatile camera according to claim 16, wherein said image intensifier (I²) is gated.

19. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said poor visibility conditions sensor comprises an image intensifier (I²) coupled to an electronic video sensor, which is operational for the about 650-680nm to about 950nm wavelength band.

20. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two sensors comprises an Electron Bombardment Active Pixel Sensor (EBAPS).

21. The versatile camera according to claim 20, wherein said EBAPS is gated.

22. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two sensors comprises an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) compatible to a standard format selected from the list consisting of:

VGA;

SVGA;

XGA;

QXGA;

UXGA;

SXGA; and

HDTV.

23. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said optical and routing module further comprises a router selected from the list consisting of:

slanted semitransparent partially reflecting mirror;

prism;

pellicle;

spectral splitter;

lenses;

diffractive element;

micro machining (mechanically deflecting plates —

MEMS/MOEMS);

bifocal optics; and

multiple path optics.

24. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said small-portion/large-portion splitter is selected from the list consisting of:

10%-90% prism, wherein 10% of the light intensity is directed toward said good visibility conditions sensor and 90% of the light intensity is directed toward said poor visibility conditions sensor; and

10%-90% pellicle, wherein 90% of the light intensity is directed toward said poor visibility conditions sensor and 10% of the light intensity is directed toward said good visibility conditions sensor.

25. The versatile camera according to claim 23, wherein said spectral splitter is a VIS-NIR separator.

26. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said optical and routing module includes a notch filter for the 1064nm frequency.

27. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said versatile camera is coupled with a display for displaying said scene.

28. The versatile camera according to claim 27, wherein said display comprises a head mounted display.

29. The versatile camera according to claim 28, wherein said head mounted display is selected from the list consisting of:

helmet mounted display;

headset mounted display;

goggles;

eyepiece;

binocular display; and

monocle.

30. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said versatile camera is operative to apply display(s) to both eyes of the user, and wherein said digital signal representation of said images is divided for its separate application to each eye.

31. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said versatile camera is operative to apply a display to a single eye of the user.

32. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein a second similar versatile camera is operative to apply a display to the other eye of the user.

33. The versatile camera according to claim 1, mounted on, integral with, added on, or attachable to a device selected from the list consisting of:

helmet;

headset;

goggles;

eyepiece;

binoculars; and

monocle.

34. The versatile camera according to claim 1, adapted for use in an air, space, sea, or land environment, for a direct or indirect scene, onboard a vehicle or for portable use by an individual.

35. The versatile camera according to claim 1, wherein said scene is a direct scene, and said digital signal representation of said images is compatible to display in registration with said direct scene as seen by the user.

36. A method for providing images of a scene under various visibility conditions for a display, comprising the procedures of:

receiving incoming rays from said scene;

routing said incoming rays toward at least two sensors;

capturing images of said scene in each of said at least two sensors;

providing a digital signal representation of said images; and

merging in registration the images provided by said at least two sensors,

wherein at least one of said at least two sensors comprises a good visibility conditions sensor having low sensitivity and high resolution in a first wavelength range;

wherein at least another of said at least two sensors comprises a poor visibility conditions sensor having high sensitivity and low resolution in a second wavelength range at least partially overlapping said first wavelength range; and

wherein for the partially overlapping portion of said first wavelength range and said second wavelength range, a small-portion of the light intensity of said incoming rays is directed toward said good visibility conditions sensor, and a large-portion of the light intensity of said incoming rays is directed toward said poor visibility conditions sensor, and for the non-overlapping portion of said second wavelength range, said incoming rays are directed toward said poor visibility conditions sensor.

37. The method for providing images according to claim 36, wherein said procedure of providing a digital signal representation of said images includes any combination of procedures selected from the list consisting of:

amplifying dim light; and

converting invisible light to a visible representation,

wherein said procedure is performed in at least one of said at least two sensors.

38. The method for providing images according to claim 36, wherein said procedure of merging comprises the sub-procedure of image fusion between at least two sensors on the basis of pixel intensity, at the pixel level.

39. The method for providing images according to claim 36, wherein said procedure of merging further comprises the sub-procedure of generating a synthetic colorized image, on the basis of spectral response, at the pixel level.

40. The method for providing images according to claim 36, further comprising the procedure of applying the resultant merged image to a display.

41. The method for providing images according to claim 36, further comprising the procedure of spatial image stabilization based on the reading of at least two accelerometers.

42. The method for providing images according to claim 36, further comprising the procedure of spatial image stabilization based on the reading of at least one gyroscope.

43. The method for providing images according to claim 36, further comprising the procedure of spatial and temporal filtering with respect to the user line-of-sight.

44. The method for providing images according to claim 43, wherein said procedure of spatial and temporal filtering comprises spatial and temporal filtering at the pixel level with respect to the readings of a head line-of-sight reader or an eye line of sight tracker.