Mosaic image collector including an embedded atomic clock
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprisinga camera including a lens and a focal planar array (FPA) for capturing at least one image frame having a plurality of sub-image frames, wherein each sub-image frame includes multiple pixel values corresponding to photonic intensities of the captured image frame, wherein the captured image frame is an image frame having a number of rows of pixel data that is the same as a number of rows of pixel data defined by the FPA,an embedded atomic clock (EAC) integrated in one single unit with the camera for providing time code data,a multiplexer for combining the multiple pixel values of each of the sub-image frames with the time code data, andan input/output module integrated in the one single unit for providing both, the time code data and the multiple pixel values of each of the sub-image frames as an output signal from the one single unit,wherein the output signal includes a sequence of a first time code data with a first sub-image frame and a second time code data with a second sub-image frame, andthe first and second sub-image frames defined, respectively, by a first predetermined number of rows of pixel data and a second predetermined number of rows of pixel data, the first and second predetermined number of rows of pixel data forming a number of rows of pixel data that are less than or equal to the number of rows of pixel data defined by the FPA, andthe first and second time code data correspond to times of capture of the first and second sub-image frames, respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system includes a camera having a lens and a focal planar array (FPA) for capturing at least one image frame having a plurality of sub-image frames. Each sub-image frame includes multiple pixel values corresponding to photonic intensities of the captured image frame. An embedded atomic clock (EAC) is integrated in one single unit with the camera for providing time code data. A multiplexer combines the multiple pixel values of one sub-image frame with the time code data, and an input/output module provides both, the time code data and the multiple pixel values of the sub-image frame as an output data stream.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising
a camera including a lens and a focal planar array (FPA) for capturing at least one image frame having a plurality of sub-image frames, wherein each sub-image frame includes multiple pixel values corresponding to photonic intensities of the captured image frame, wherein the captured image frame is an image frame having a number of rows of pixel data that is the same as a number of rows of pixel data defined by the FPA, an embedded atomic clock (EAC) integrated in one single unit with the camera for providing time code data, a multiplexer for combining the multiple pixel values of each of the sub-image frames with the time code data, and an input/output module integrated in the one single unit for providing both, the time code data and the multiple pixel values of each of the sub-image frames as an output signal from the one single unit, wherein the output signal includes a sequence of a first time code data with a first sub-image frame and a second time code data with a second sub-image frame, and the first and second sub-image frames defined, respectively, by a first predetermined number of rows of pixel data and a second predetermined number of rows of pixel data, the first and second predetermined number of rows of pixel data forming a number of rows of pixel data that are less than or equal to the number of rows of pixel data defined by the FPA, and the first and second time code data correspond to times of capture of the first and second sub-image frames, respectively.
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9. A method of imaging an object comprising the steps of:
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(a) capturing a plurality of pixel values representing a plurality of image frames using an FPA of at least one camera; (b) receiving multiple time stamps from an EAC, (c) combining, in alternating sequence, (1) pixel values representing a predetermined number of rows of pixel values of the image frames captured in step (a) and (2) the multiple time stamps received in step (b); and (d) outputting as a data stream, the combined alternating sequence of the predetermined number of rows of pixel values and time stamps; wherein the predetermined number of rows of pixel values are less than the number of rows of pixel data defined by the FPA, and each time stamp corresponds to the time of capture of an adjacent predetermined number of rows of pixel values within the data stream. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification