System and method for stabilizing an image
First Claim
1. System for producing a stabilized image of a scene viewed by an image detector, the image detector detecting a plurality of images of the scene, the image detector being supported by gimbals, the gimbals including a servo system for moving the gimbals at at least one degree of freedom, the system comprising:
- an angular movement detection device firmly coupled with said image detector, said angular movement detection device detecting at least a portion of angular movements of said image detector about at least one axis of rotation, said angular movement detection device producing an angular output respective of said at least one portion;
an angular movement filter coupled with said angular movement detection device, said angular movement filter receiving said angular output, said angular movement filter producing a filtered angular output by substantially filtering out from said angular output, spontaneously generated noise respective of said angular movement detection device, wherein said angular movement filter further receives at least one control signal, and wherein said angular movement filter produces said filtered angular output, by substantially filtering out said at least one control signal from said angular output;
a processor coupled with said angular movement filter and with said image detector, said processor receiving said images from said image detector, and said filtered angular output from said angular movement filter, said processor determining at least one shifting displacement and at least one shifting direction for shifting a current image detected by said image detector, relative to a reference image of said scene detected by said image detector, according to said filtered angular output, said processor producing said stabilized image, by shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction;
wherein said processor comprises;
an integrator coupled with said angular movement filter, said integrator receiving said filtered angular output, said integrator producing an integrated filtered angular output, by performing an integration operation on said filtered angular output; and
an image processor coupled with said image detector and with said integrator, said image processor receiving said images from said image detector, said image processor receiving said integrated filtered angular output from said integrator, said image processor determining said at least one shifting displacement and said at least one shifting direction according to said integrated filtered angular output, said image processor shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction;
a scene tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system of said gimbals, and with said angular movement filter, said scene tracker tracking said scene by processing said stabilized image, said scene tracker sending a scene tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said scene, said scene tracker sending said scene tracking signal to said angular movement filter; and
a target tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system, and with said angular movement filter, said target tracker tracking a moving target within said scene by processing said stabilized image, said target tracker sending a target tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said moving target in said scene, said target tracker sending said target tracking signal to said angular movement filter,wherein said at least one control signal includes at least one of said scene tracking signal and said target tracking signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
System for producing a stabilized image of a scene viewed by an image detector, the image detector detecting a plurality of images of the scene, the image detector being supported by gimbals, the gimbals including a servo system for moving the gimbals at least one degree of freedom, the system including an angular movement detection device firmly coupled with the image detector, and a processor coupled with the angular movement detection device and with the image detector, the angular movement detection device detecting at least a portion of angular movements of the image detector about at least one axis of rotation, the angular movement detection device producing an angular output respective of the portion, the processor receiving the images from the image detector, and the angular output from the angular movement detection device, the processor determining at least one shifting displacement and at least one shifting direction for shifting a current image detected by the image detector, relative to a reference image of the scene detected by the image detector, according to the angular output, the processor producing the stabilized image, by shifting the current image by the shifting displacement and in the shifting direction.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. System for producing a stabilized image of a scene viewed by an image detector, the image detector detecting a plurality of images of the scene, the image detector being supported by gimbals, the gimbals including a servo system for moving the gimbals at at least one degree of freedom, the system comprising:
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an angular movement detection device firmly coupled with said image detector, said angular movement detection device detecting at least a portion of angular movements of said image detector about at least one axis of rotation, said angular movement detection device producing an angular output respective of said at least one portion; an angular movement filter coupled with said angular movement detection device, said angular movement filter receiving said angular output, said angular movement filter producing a filtered angular output by substantially filtering out from said angular output, spontaneously generated noise respective of said angular movement detection device, wherein said angular movement filter further receives at least one control signal, and wherein said angular movement filter produces said filtered angular output, by substantially filtering out said at least one control signal from said angular output; a processor coupled with said angular movement filter and with said image detector, said processor receiving said images from said image detector, and said filtered angular output from said angular movement filter, said processor determining at least one shifting displacement and at least one shifting direction for shifting a current image detected by said image detector, relative to a reference image of said scene detected by said image detector, according to said filtered angular output, said processor producing said stabilized image, by shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction; wherein said processor comprises; an integrator coupled with said angular movement filter, said integrator receiving said filtered angular output, said integrator producing an integrated filtered angular output, by performing an integration operation on said filtered angular output; and an image processor coupled with said image detector and with said integrator, said image processor receiving said images from said image detector, said image processor receiving said integrated filtered angular output from said integrator, said image processor determining said at least one shifting displacement and said at least one shifting direction according to said integrated filtered angular output, said image processor shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction; a scene tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system of said gimbals, and with said angular movement filter, said scene tracker tracking said scene by processing said stabilized image, said scene tracker sending a scene tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said scene, said scene tracker sending said scene tracking signal to said angular movement filter; and a target tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system, and with said angular movement filter, said target tracker tracking a moving target within said scene by processing said stabilized image, said target tracker sending a target tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said moving target in said scene, said target tracker sending said target tracking signal to said angular movement filter, wherein said at least one control signal includes at least one of said scene tracking signal and said target tracking signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. Method for producing a stabilized image of a scene viewed by an image detector, the method comprising the procedures of:
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producing a transformed signal by transforming at least one control signal, from a respective at least one coordinate system associated with said at least one control signal, to a coordinate system associated with said image detector; producing a control-free signal by subtracting said transformed signal from said angular output; producing a filtered angular output, by substantially filtering out from said control-free signal, spontaneously generated noise, respective of said angular movement detection device; producing a reference angular output respective of at least a portion of angular movements of said image detector, said reference angular output being associated with a reference image of said scene detected by said image detector; producing a current angular output respective of said at least one portion, said current angular output being associated with a current image of said scene detected by said image detector, wherein each of said reference angular output and said current angular output is included in an angular output produced by an angular movement detection device, detecting said at least one portion; producing a filtered reference angular output and a filtered current angular output, by substantially filtering out from said reference angular output and said current angular output, spontaneously generated noise, respective of said angular movement detection device; determining at least one shifting displacement and at least one shifting direction, for shifting said current image relative to said reference image, by comparing said filtered current angular output with said filtered reference angular output; and shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. Apparatus for viewing a substantially blur-free image of a scene, the apparatus comprising:
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an optical assembly; and a system for producing a stabilized image of said scene viewed by an image detector, said image detector detecting a plurality of images of said scene, said image detector being supported by gimbals, said gimbals including a servo system for moving said gimbals at at least one degree of freedom, said apparatus comprising; an angular movement detection device firmly coupled with said image detector, said angular movement detection device detecting at least a portion of angular movements of said image detector about at least one axis of rotation, said angular movement detection device producing an angular output respective of said at least one portion; an angular movement filter coupled with said angular movement detection device, said angular movement filter receiving said angular output, said angular movement filter producing a filtered angular output by substantially filtering out from said angular output, spontaneously generated noise respective of said angular movement detection device, wherein said angular movement filter further receives at least one control signal, and wherein said angular movement filter produces said filtered angular output, by substantially filtered out said at least one control signal from said angular output; a processor coupled with said angular movement filter and with said image detector, said processor receiving said images from said image detector, and said angular output from said angular movement filter, said processor determining at least one shifting displacement and at least one shifting direction for shifting a current image detected by said image detector, relative to a reference image of said scene detected by said image detector, according to said filtered angular output, said processor producing said stabilized image, by shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction;
wherein said processor comprises;an integrator coupled with said angular movement filter, said integrator receiving said filtered angular output, said integrator producing an integrated filtered angular output, by performing an integration operation on said filtered angular output; and an image processor coupled with said image detector and with said integrator, said image processor receiving said images from said image detector, said image processor receiving said integrated filtered angular output from said integrator, said image processor determining said at least one shifting displacement and said at least one shifting direction according to said integrated filtered angular output, said image processor shifting said current image by said at least one shifting displacement and in said at least one shifting direction; a scene tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system of said gimbals, and with said angular movement filter, said scene tracker tracking said scene by processing said stabilized image, said scene tracker sending a scene tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said scene, said scene tracker sending said scene tracking signal to said angular movement filter; and a target tracker coupled with said image processor, said servo system, and with said angular movement filter, said target tracker tracking a moving target within said scene by processing said stabilized image, said target tracker sending a target tracking signal to said servo system to move said image detector for tracking said moving target in said scene, said target tracker sending said target tracking signal to said angular movement filter, wherein said at least one control signal includes at least one of said scene tracking signal and said target tracking signal. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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Specification