Enhanced vision system sensitive to infrared radiation

• US 20050161603A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne FLIR LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kerr, Jones Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,102,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0075 Adaptations for use of electronic flight bags in aircraft; Supports therefor in the cockpit
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An enhanced vision system and method for use with vision systems with an imager sensitive to infrared radiation of less than 2-microns in wavelength, to produce a first image signal. Another imager sensitive to infrared radiation at least 3-microns in wavelength may be used to produce a second image signal. Preferably, the first image signal represents sensed electric light sources, and the second image signal represents sensed background such as terrain, runways, structures, and obstacles. A signal processor combines an image signal representing locally maximum values of the first image signal with the second image signal to create a displayed image.

Claims

1. A vision system, comprising:

a detection system configured to detect electromagnetic radiation, and to produce a detected image signal corresponding to radiation detected over a given range of wavelengths; and

a signal processor adapted to compare the detected image signal to predefined data representative of expected sensed objects, and to produce an output signal based on the predefined data when sufficient similarity is found between the detected image signal and the predefined data.

2. The vision system of claim 1, the output signal being an output image signal, wherein the signal processor further produces the output image signal based on a combination of the detected image signal and the predefined data.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein the output image signal is modified corresponding to movement of the detection system.

4. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the output signal includes information related to the location of the detection system.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein the output signal is modified corresponding to movement of the detection system.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is further adapted to determine the difference between the relative location of an identified object within the detected image signal and a calculated location for the identified object based on predefined data, and to calculate a geographical position of the detector based on the determined difference.

7. A vision system, comprising:

means for detecting electromagnetic radiation and producing a first detected image signal corresponding to radiation detected over a given range of wavelengths; and

means for comparing the detected image signal to predefined data representative of expected sensed objects, and for producing an output signal based on the predefined data when sufficient similarity is found between the detected image signal and the predefined data.

8. The vision system of claim 7, the output signal being an output image signal, wherein the means for producing is further for producing the output image signal based on a combination of the detected image signal and on the predefined data.

9. A vision system, comprising:

a detection system configured to detect electromagnetic radiation, and to produce a first detected image signal corresponding to radiation detected over a first range of wavelengths, and

a signal processor operatively associated with the detection system and adapted to produce a modified image signal representing a portion of the detected image signal.

10. The vision system of claim 9, wherein the first range of wavelengths lies above about 0.4 microns and below about 2.4 microns.

11. The vision system of claim 9, wherein the portion of the detected image signal includes at least one feature selected from the detected image signal.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein the at least one feature includes a detected radiation source.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein the detected radiation source includes the center of the detected radiation source.

14. The vision system of claim 12, wherein the detected radiation source includes a locally maximum value of the detected image signal.

15. The vision system of claim 9, wherein the first range of wavelengths corresponds to radiation substantially emitted by electric lights.

16. The vision system of claim 9, further comprising a display operatively associated with the signal processor and configured to present the displayed image.