Low-light viewing device for displaying image based on visible and near infrared light
First Claim
1. A low-light viewing device, comprising:
- a housing, having mounted thereto;
a lens having an F number of less than about 1, and a T number of less than about 1.5;
a single image sensor for receiving light comprising visible light and near infrared light, said light focused by the lens along a single channel onto said single image sensor, said single image sensor providing an output signal responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens;
a display for receiving the output signal and displaying an image based on the image detected by the single image sensor responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens;
a controller operatively coupled to the image sensor and the display for controlling the image sensor and the display, anda user interface operatively coupled to the controller for operating the controller.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low-light viewing device includes a housing, having mounted thereto: a lens, an electronic camera for receiving light focused by the lens and for providing an output signal; a display for receiving the output signal and displaying an image detected by the camera; a controller for controlling the camera and the display, and a user interface for operating the controller. The lens may be a fixed focus lens having an F number of less than about 1, and a T number of less than about 1.5. The display may have a resolution at least as great as the resolution of the camera. The device may have a processor programmed to provide control signals to the camera and display depending on a selected light environment.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A low-light viewing device, comprising:
a housing, having mounted thereto; a lens having an F number of less than about 1, and a T number of less than about 1.5; a single image sensor for receiving light comprising visible light and near infrared light, said light focused by the lens along a single channel onto said single image sensor, said single image sensor providing an output signal responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens; a display for receiving the output signal and displaying an image based on the image detected by the single image sensor responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens; a controller operatively coupled to the image sensor and the display for controlling the image sensor and the display, and a user interface operatively coupled to the controller for operating the controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 22)
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6. A low-light viewing device, comprising:
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a housing, having mounted thereto; a lens; a single image sensor having a resolution of at least about 800 by 640 pixels for receiving light comprising visible light and near infrared light, said light focused by the lens along a single channel onto said single image sensor, said single image sensor providing an output signal responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens; a display having the resolution greater than a resolution of the sensor for receiving the output signal and displaying an image based on the image detected by the single image sensor responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens; a controller operatively coupled to the image sensor and the display for controlling the image sensor and the display, and a user interface operatively coupled to the controller for operating the controller. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A low-light viewing device, comprising:
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a housing having a planar top surface;
opposing side walls which taper gradually outward from opposite edges of the top surface, and taper gradually inward to edges of a generally planar lower surface;a lens mounted on one end of the housing; a single image sensor within the housing for receiving light comprising visible light and near infrared light, said light focused by the lens along a single channel onto said single image sensor, said single image sensor providing an output signal responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens; a display for receiving the output signal and displaying an image based on the image detected by the single image sensor responsive to visible light and near infrared light received by the lens and mounted on an end of the housing opposite the lens; a controller operatively coupled to the image sensor and the display for controlling the image sensor and the display, and a user interface defined in the top surface of the housing and operatively coupled to the controller for operating the controller; wherein the device is configured as a monocular. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for providing low-light viewing, comprising the steps of:
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focusing, via a lens mounted on a housing, visible and infrared light on to a camera within the housing; receiving a user selection of light environment level at a user interface on the housing; providing control signals, based on the selected light environment level, from a controller in the housing to the camera and to a display within the housing; implementing camera settings based on the control signals; providing, from the camera, an output signal indicative of a focused image; implementing display settings based on the control signals; and displaying an image based on the output signal at the display. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification