Imager with multiple sensor arrays
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- a housing;
an imager array disposed in the housing and adapted to image a scene, wherein the imager array comprises;
a plurality of sensor arrays, wherein each sensor array comprises;
a lens adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the seen, anda plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens,the imager is adapted to capture a first image of the scene using at least a first one of the sensor arrays, andthe imager array is adapted to capture a second image of the scene using at least a second one of the sensor arrays substantially simultaneously with the first image, wherein the second image has a higher resolution than the first image;
a database comprising a mapping from the first image to the second image; and
a processor adapted to;
map a third image provided by the imager array to the first image,wherein the third image has a resolution substantially equal to the first image, andreplace the third image with the second image to provide a high resolution result image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imager array may be provided as part of an imaging system. The imager array may include a plurality of sensor arrays (e.g., also referred to as lenslets or optical elements). Each sensor array may include a plurality of sensors (e.g., pixels) associated with a lens. The sensor arrays may be oriented, for example, substantially in a plane facing the same direction and configured to detect images from the same scene (e.g., target area). Such images may be processed in accordance with various techniques to provide images of electromagnetic radiation. The sensor arrays may include filters or lens coatings to selectively detect desired ranges of electromagnetic radiation. Such arrangements of sensor arrays in an imager array may be used to advantageous effect in a variety of different applications.
35 Citations
74 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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a housing; an imager array disposed in the housing and adapted to image a scene, wherein the imager array comprises; a plurality of sensor arrays, wherein each sensor array comprises; a lens adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the seen, and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens, the imager is adapted to capture a first image of the scene using at least a first one of the sensor arrays, and the imager array is adapted to capture a second image of the scene using at least a second one of the sensor arrays substantially simultaneously with the first image, wherein the second image has a higher resolution than the first image;
a database comprising a mapping from the first image to the second image; and
a processor adapted to;map a third image provided by the imager array to the first image, wherein the third image has a resolution substantially equal to the first image, and replace the third image with the second image to provide a high resolution result image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of imaging, the method comprising:
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receiving electromagnetic radiation from a scene at an imager array disposed in a housing of an imaging system, wherein the imager array comprises a plurality of sensor arrays, wherein each sensor array comprises a lens adapted to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens; capturing a plurality of images of the scene substantially simultaneously using the sensors of the sensor arrays, wherein the capturing comprises; capturing a first image of the scene using at least a first one of the sensor arrays, and capturing a second image of the scene using at least a second one of the sensor arrays substantially simultaneously with the first image, wherein the second image has a higher resolution than the first image; mapping the first image to the second image; mapping a third image provided by the imager array to the first image, wherein the third image has a resolution substantially equal to the first image; and replacing the third image with the second image to provide a high resolution result image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A gas detection system comprising:
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an imager array adapted to image a scene, wherein the imager array comprises a plurality of sensor arrays, and wherein each sensor array comprises; a lens adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the scene, and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens; wherein a first one of the sensor arrays is adapted to capture a first image of a first wavelength range of the electromagnetic radiation; wherein a second one of the sensor arrays is adapted to capture a second image of a second wavelength range of the electromagnetic radiation; and wherein the second wavelength range is a subset of the first wavelength range and substantially corresponds to an absorption band of a gas. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of detecting gas, the method comprising:
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receiving electromagnetic radiation from a scene at an imager array, wherein the imager array comprises a plurality of sensor arrays, and wherein each sensor array comprises a lens adapted to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens; capturing a first image of a first wavelength range of the electromagnetic radiation using a first one of the sensor arrays; and capturing a second image of a second wavelength range of the electromagnetic radiation using a second one of the sensor arrays, wherein the second wavelength range is a subset of the first wavelength range and substantially corresponds to an absorption band of a gas. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An imager calibration system comprising:
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an imager array adapted to image a scene, wherein the imager array comprises a plurality of sensor arrays, and wherein each sensor array comprises; a lens adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation from the scene, and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens; and a processor adapted to; receive a plurality of pixel values associated with the images captured by the sensors of the sensor arrays, map the sensors to a coordinate space, wherein at least one sensor of each sensor array is mapped to each coordinate of the coordinate space, and calculate an offset correction term for each sensor based on the pixel values of all sensors mapped to the same coordinate. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method of calibrating an imaging system, the method comprising:
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receiving electromagnetic radiation from a scene at an imager array, wherein the imager array comprises a plurality of sensor arrays, and wherein each sensor array comprises a lens adapted to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and a plurality of sensors adapted to capture an image of the scene based on the electromagnetic radiation received through the lens; receiving a plurality of pixel values associated with the images captured by the sensors of the sensor arrays; mapping the sensors to a coordinate space, wherein at least one sensor of each sensor array is mapped to each coordinate of the coordinate space; and calculating an offset correction term for each sensor based on the pixel values of all sensors mapped to the same coordinate. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification