Method of detector gain and offset level estimation by means of a variable aperture transmission mechanism
First Claim
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1. An imaging sensor assembly based on a means of providing a temporary variable transmission function for detector gain and offset level estimation which does not block the sensor from viewing the scene, comprising:
- system optics to receive light rays from a scenery and focus said light rays;
means of providing a temporary variable transmission function to achieve a variable transmission of light rays focused into a cavity structure;
a detector component based on detector elements to image said variable transmission of light rays focused into a cavity structure, wherein a detector element converts incident light ray energy from said focused variable transmission of light rays into an electrical signal which varies in magnitude proportionally to a variable transmission amount of said light rays;
a detector electronics assembly to read out the electrical signals as detector output values; and
an electronic signal processor to receive the detector output values for data manipulation and output of a video signal or other displayable output, and into which is programmed an algorithm which takes at least two measurements of detector output values, each measurement corresponding to a different variable transmission amount of said light rays, and estimates pixel gain and offset therewith.
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Abstract
The basis of the invention is an apparatus and a process by which a variable aperture stop mechanism coupled with imaging optics and detector processing electronics achieves measurements of detector pixel gain and level offsets without temporarily blocking the scene from the detector, and without the addition of any other exterior calibration equipment.
8 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An imaging sensor assembly based on a means of providing a temporary variable transmission function for detector gain and offset level estimation which does not block the sensor from viewing the scene, comprising:
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system optics to receive light rays from a scenery and focus said light rays; means of providing a temporary variable transmission function to achieve a variable transmission of light rays focused into a cavity structure; a detector component based on detector elements to image said variable transmission of light rays focused into a cavity structure, wherein a detector element converts incident light ray energy from said focused variable transmission of light rays into an electrical signal which varies in magnitude proportionally to a variable transmission amount of said light rays; a detector electronics assembly to read out the electrical signals as detector output values; and an electronic signal processor to receive the detector output values for data manipulation and output of a video signal or other displayable output, and into which is programmed an algorithm which takes at least two measurements of detector output values, each measurement corresponding to a different variable transmission amount of said light rays, and estimates pixel gain and offset therewith. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detector gain and offset level estimation based on a variable aperture stop mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
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focusing light rays from a scenery incident on system optics; subjecting said focused light rays through a temporary variable transmission function with at least two differing amounts of transmission; imaging said focused light rays subjected through said temporary variable transmission function onto a detector component for each of said at least two differing amounts of transmission, wherein said detector component is based on at least one photo-sensitive pixel element for converting incident energy from said focused light rays into electrical signals; reading out said electrical signals as detector signal values for each of said at least two differing amounts of transmission using a detector electronics assembly; and feeding said detector signal values into an electronic signal processor for data manipulation, whereby the detector signal values corresponding to said at least two differing amounts of transmission are used to estimate gain and offset correction factors, and output a corrected video signal or other displayable output. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification