System for A multi-purpose portable imaging device and methods for using same

• US 6,417,797 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Shaw, Steven A., Cousins, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/324,068
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 342/25, 342/27, 342/28, 342/175-186, 342/192-197, 342/22, 342/24, 342/52-56, 367/117, 367/93, 367/94, 367/99, 367/100-105
• US Class Current: 342/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/02 manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

The present invention is a multi-purpose portable imaging device. The device is small enough to be hand-held or wearable and has embedded on its surface at least one sensor. These sensors may be active or passive. Analog energy received from the sensors is converted into a digital format and sent to an advanced computer. The computer is constructed on parallel architecture platform. The computer has the capability of taking data from multiple sensors and providing sensor fusion features. The data is processed and displayed in a graphical format in real time which is viewed on the imaging device. A keypad for entering data and commands is available on the device. The device has the capability of using a removable cartridge embedded with read only memory modules containing application software for manipulating data from the sensors. The application cartridge provides the imaging device with its multi-purpose functionality. Methods of utilizing expert systems to match generated images, or dielectric constants is provided.

Claims

1. A compact imaging device comprising:

a portable case;

an array of sensors mounted on the portable case, for scanning an area and for receiving return signals;

one or a plurality of processors, coupled to array of sensors, for receiving return signals from the array of sensors, processing the return signals, and producing image data corresponding to the return signals; and

a display, coupled to the one or plurality of processors, mounted in the portable case for receiving the image data and generating an image corresponding to the return signals.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a slot in the portable case for receiving a program cartridge containing instructional programming to control how the plurality of processors process the return signals to produce image data.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of processors are in a parallel architecture.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors in said array of sensors are sensitive to different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, for generating different spectrum image data of the area scanned by the sensors;

and

wherein said one or plurality of processors combine image data corresponding to the return signals with different spectrum image data generated by said one or more of the sensors in said array of sensors to generate fused image data.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or a plurality of processors store image data in a memory from a number of regular successive scans and generate a three-dimensional model of the area scanned by the radar sensors, the number of regular successive scans made at a rate substantially greater than the rate of movement of the portable case, said one or a plurality of processors generate position data of the portable case by comparing image data from successive scans.

32. The device of claim 4 or 5, wherein the first and second display units are holographic displays.

6. A method of generating a image in real-time in a compact imaging device comprising the steps of:

scanning an area with radar from an array of radar sensors mounted on a portable case and receiving return signals;

processing the return signals in one or a plurality of processors formed as an integrated circuit and provided within the portable case, the one or plurality of processors being coupled to the array of radar sensors, and producing image data corresponding to the return signals as a result of the processing, and

generating an image, from the image data, corresponding to the return signals on a display mounted in the portable case and coupled to the processors.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of storing multiple images for retrieval at a later time.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

searching a database containing image patterns, and

determining a match between patterns of the generated images and patterns of images stored in a database.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing a knowledge based system consisting of a set of rules and related data;

analyzing generated images using the rules and data within the knowledge base system, and

outputting a conclusion after analysis.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge based system consists of rules and data specific to the medical field and the output conclusion is a medical diagnosis.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge based system consists of rules and data specific to hand-gesture based language and the output conclusion is the conversion of hand-gesture based language to computer commands, text or speech.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge based system consists of rules and data specific to determining materials and the output conclusion is the type of material scanned.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge based system consists of rules and data specific to security and the output conclusion is the type of security risk detected.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

coding each object visually with a color corresponding to the outputted conclusion to differentiate the objects within each image, and

displaying each color coded object.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

coding each object visually with a texture map corresponding to the outputted conclusion to differentiate the objects within each image, and

displaying each texture coded object.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

loading, from a program cartridge received in a slot in the portable case, instructional programming for controlling how the one or a plurality of processors process the return signals to produce image data.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating, in a digital video camera mounted on the portable case, image data of the area scanned by the radar sensors, and

combining, in the one or a plurality of processors, image data corresponding to the return signals with the image data generated by the digital video camera to generate fused image data.

18. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating, in a one or a plurality of sensors sensitive to different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum mounted on the portable case, spectrum image data of the area scanned by the sensors; and

combining in the one or a plurality of processors, image data corresponding to the return signals with the spectrum image data generated by the one or a plurality of sensors to generate fused image data.

19. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating a number of regular successive scans of data, the number of regular successive scans made at a rate substantially greater than the rate of movement of the portable case,

storing, from the one or a plurality of processors, image data in a memory from the number of regular successive scans,

generating, from the one or a plurality of processors, position data of the portable case by comparing image data from successive scans, and

generating, from the one or a plurality of processors using the image data from the number of regular successive scans and the position data of the portable case, a three-dimensional model of the area scanned by the one or plurality of sensors.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of storing the image data associated with the scanned object for later retrieval and generation of a three-dimensional model.

21. A method of determining a scanned objects material comprising the steps of:

scanning an area with one or more of a plurality of sensors and receiving return signals;

measuring the energy of returned signals;

calculating a constant based on the measured energy, and

determining the scanned objects material through matching the calculated constant with constants in a database.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein calculating a constant comprises utilizing returned energy to create a dielectric constant by squaring the difference in the impedance divided by the sums of the impedance and multiplied by the measured return energy.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

searching a database containing known dielectric constants;

determining a match between the calculated dielectric constant and the database of known constants, and

returning the result from the match.

24. Electro-optical eyewear comprising:

a frame;

a one or a plurality of sensors sensitive to different parts of the electo-magnetic spectrum which are mounted on the frame, for scanning an area and for receiving return signals;

one or a plurality of processors, coupled to the a one or a plurality of sensors sensitive to different parts of the electo-magnetic spectrum, for receiving return signals from the one or a plurality of sensors sensitive to different parts of the electo-magnetic spectrum, processing the return signals, and producing image data corresponding to the return signals;

a first display unit, coupled to the one or a plurality of processors, mounted in the frame for receiving the image data and generating an image corresponding to the return signals for display to user'"'"'s left eye; and

a second display unit, coupled to the one or a plurality of processors, mounted in the frame for receiving the image data and generating an image corresponding to the return signals for display to user'"'"'s right eye.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said plurality of processors are of a parallel architecture.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the first and second display units are liquid crystal displays.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the first and second display units are virtual retinal displays.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the first and second display units are holographic displays.

29. The device of claim 24 or 25, wherein one or more of the sensors include a further comprises a per-pixel gain control system to selective shutter pixels so that areas of different reflected energy can be eliminated or enhanced.

30. The device of claim 24 or 25, wherein the first and second display units are liquid crystal displays.

31. The device of claim 24 or 25, wherein the first and second display units are virtual retinal displays.