Multi-bank TDI approach for high-sensitivity scanners
First Claim
1. A method of capturing image data from a scene using a scanning focal plane array (FPA) device that contains at least two banks of Time-Delay and Integration (TDI) detectors, the method comprising:
- imaging a first portion of the scene with the first TDI bank to create first image data;
imaging a second portion of the scene with the second TDI bank to create second image data;
warping the second image data to a frame of reference of the first image data; and
generating composite image data by combining the first image data and the warped second image data.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for acquiring image data from a scanned, multi-bank time-delay and integrate (TDI) focal plane array (FPA) detector. Specifically a method and apparatus for warping and combining sequentially-acquired image data of a scene portion from multiple TDI detector banks into a single image having improved image quality, thereby providing improved FPA sensitivity. Also, a method and apparatus for enabling sensitivity and areal rate trade-offs in a multi-bank, scanning TDI FPA based on the number of TDI banks being used for sequential imaging of the same scene portion.
57 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of capturing image data from a scene using a scanning focal plane array (FPA) device that contains at least two banks of Time-Delay and Integration (TDI) detectors, the method comprising:
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imaging a first portion of the scene with the first TDI bank to create first image data; imaging a second portion of the scene with the second TDI bank to create second image data; warping the second image data to a frame of reference of the first image data; and generating composite image data by combining the first image data and the warped second image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
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18. A method of adaptively setting areal rate and sensitivity levels for a scanned multi-bank TDI imaging detector, the method comprising adjusting areal rate and adjusting sensitivity by:
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changing the time delay of a first TDI bank in the scanned multi-bank TDI detector such that it no longer images the same portion of a scene as a second TDI bank in the multi-bank TDI detector during a scanning pass, thereby increasing areal rate and reducing sensitivity;
orchanging the time delay of the first TDI bank such that it images the same portion of the scene as the second TDI bank during a scanning pass, thereby decreasing areal rate and increasing senstivity, wherein increases in sensitivity for a portion of a scene are directly proportional to the number of TDI banks simultaneously imaging the same portion of a scene and wherein increases in areal rate for the detector are inversely proportion to the number of TDI banks simultaneously imaging the same portion of a scene. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An apparatus for capturing image data from a scene using a multi-bank scanning Time-Delay and Integration (TDI) focal plane array (FPA) device that contains at least two banks of TDI detectors, the apparatus comprising:
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a first read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) that integrates and reads out the contents the first TDI bank to create first image data, wherein first image data corresponds to a first scene portion; a second ROIC that integrates and reads out the contents of the second TDI bank to create second image data, wherein second image data corresponds to a second scene portion; and an image data processor that produces composite image data, where the image data processor includes; an image warper that warps the second image data to a frame of reference of the first image data; and an image combiner that combines the first image data and the warped second image data into composite image data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39)
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38. An apparatus that adjusts areal rate and sensitivity levels for a scanned multi-bank TDI focal plane array (FPA) detector by trading off increases in one for proportional decreases in the other, the apparatus comprising:
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a sensitivity controller that increases or decreases the time delay associated with a first TDI bank in the detector such that; when time delay is decreased, said first TDI bank images a different portion of a scene than a second TDI bank in the detector during a scanning pass, thereby increasing the areal rate and reducing the sensitivity of the detector, and when time delay is increased said first TDI bank sequentially images the same portion of the scene as the second TDI bank during a scanning pass, thereby decreasing areal rate and increasing sensitivity; where increases in sensitivity of the detector are directly proportional to the number of TDI banks on the detector that are sequentially imaging the same portion of the scene and increases in areal rate for the detector are directly proportional to the number of TDI banks on the detector imaging different portions of the scene. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform a method of capturing image data from a scene using a scanning focal plane array (FPA) device that contains at least two banks of Time-Delay and Integration (TDI) detectors, the method comprising:
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imaging a first portion of the scene with the first TDI bank to create first image data; imaging a second portion of the scene with the second TDI bank to create second image data; warping the second image data to a frame of reference of the first image data; and generating composite image data by combining the first image data and the warped second image data.
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45. A computer-readable medium, having embodied thereon a program that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform a method of adaptively setting areal rate and sensitivity levels for a scanned multi-bank TDI imaging detector, the method comprising adjusting areal rate and adjusting sensitivity by:
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changing the time delay of a first TDI bank in the scanned multi-bank TDI detector such that it no longer images the same portion of a scene as a second TDI bank in the multi-bank TDI detector during a scanning pass, thereby increasing areal rate and reducing sensitivity;
orchanging the time delay of the first TDI bank such that it images the same portion of the scene as the second TDI bank during a scanning pass, thereby decreasing areal rate and increasing senstivity, wherein increases in sensitivity for a portion of a scene are directly proportional to the number of TDI banks simultaneously imaging the same portion of a scene and wherein increases in areal rate for the detector are inversely proportion to the number of TDI banks simultaneously imaging the same portion of a scene.
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Specification