Infra-red (IR) sensor with controllable sensitivity
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An infrared sensor comprising:
- a sensor array comprising multiple IR sensors, configured for collecting IR energy from an external scene;
an image processor, configured for processing a sensor array output signal to obtain an IR image, for analyzing said image to determine a property of said IR image, said property being indicative of image quality, and for generating a feedback signal in accordance with said property if said property crosses a threshold, said feedback signal being for adjusting between a field of view and a grouping of sensing pixels so as to derive a required image sensitivity; and
a sensitivity adjuster associated with said sensor array, configured for deriving said required image sensitivity by adjusting between said field of view and said grouping of sensing pixels in accordance with said feedback signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An infrared sensor contains a sensor array and a sensitivity adjuster. The sensor array collects IR energy from an external scene, and the sensitivity adjuster adjusts a pixel grouping for light collection and/or readout, so that the resulting IR image is available at a required sensitivity level.
16 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An infrared sensor comprising:
-
a sensor array comprising multiple IR sensors, configured for collecting IR energy from an external scene; an image processor, configured for processing a sensor array output signal to obtain an IR image, for analyzing said image to determine a property of said IR image, said property being indicative of image quality, and for generating a feedback signal in accordance with said property if said property crosses a threshold, said feedback signal being for adjusting between a field of view and a grouping of sensing pixels so as to derive a required image sensitivity; and a sensitivity adjuster associated with said sensor array, configured for deriving said required image sensitivity by adjusting between said field of view and said grouping of sensing pixels in accordance with said feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for IR sensing, comprising:
-
performing a readout of a sensor array; processing said sensor array readout to obtain an IR image; determining a property of said IR image, said property being indicative of image quality; generating a feedback signal in accordance with said property, said feedback signal being for adjusting between a field of view and a grouping of sensing pixels so as to derive a required image sensitivity; if said property crosses a specified threshold, adjusting between field of view and said pixel grouping of said sensor array to provide said required image sensitivity in accordance with said feedback signal; and collecting IR energy over a variable window from an external scene with said sensor array, in accordance with said pixel grouping. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification