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Seeker with Dynamic Resolution Imaging
| Content Provider | The Lens |
|---|---|
| Abstract | A seeker imaging system and method includes at least one imager (16), a plurality of optical elements, and control electronics (34). The at least one imager (16) is configured to output image frame data. The plurality of optical elements are configured to receive light and direct the light to the at least one imager (16). The control electronics (34) are configured to receive the image frame data from the at least one imager (16). The control electronics (34) is configured to obtain a plurality of initial images from each frame of the image frame data, and wherein the control electronics (34) is configured to generate a single output image based upon the plurality of initial images. |
| Related Links | https://www.lens.org/lens/patent/009-786-442-922-219/frontpage |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2019-04-17 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Alternative Title | Suchkopf Mit Bildgebung Mit Dynamischer Auflösung Autodirecteur Avec Imagerie À Résolution Dynamique |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Patent |
| Date Applied | 2018-09-24 |
| Agent | Dehns |
| Applicant | Rosemount Aerospace Inc |
| Application No. | 18196313 |
| Claim | A seeker imaging system comprising: at least one imager configured to output image frame data; a plurality of optical elements configured to receive light and direct the light to the at least one imager; and control electronics configured to receive the image frame data from the at least one imager, wherein the control electronics is configured to obtain a plurality of initial images from each frame of the image frame data, and wherein the control electronics is configured to generate a single output image based upon the plurality of initial images. The seeker imaging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises a plurality of lens stacks, and wherein the at least one imager comprises a focal plane array, and wherein the plurality of lens stacks comprises: a first lens stack configured to direct the light to a first quadrant of the focal plane array; a second lens stack configured to direct the light to a second quadrant of the focal plane array; a third lens stack configured to direct the light to a third quadrant of the focal plane array; and a fourth lens stack configured to direct the light to a fourth quadrant of the focal plane array; wherein the plurality of initial images includes a first initial image comprising the output of the first quadrant of the focal plane array, a second image comprising the output of the second quadrant of the focal plane array, a third image comprising the output of the third quadrant of the focal plane array, and a fourth image comprising the output of the fourth quadrant of the focal plane array. The seeker imaging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optics includes a single lens stack, a plurality of prisms and a plurality of mirrors, and wherein the at least one imager comprises a focal plane array, and wherein the plurality of prisms and the plurality of mirrors are configured to split and direct the light onto the focal plane array such that the output of the focal plane array includes the plurality of initial images. The seeker imaging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optics includes a single lens stack and a single prism, and wherein the at least one imager comprises first and second imagers, and wherein the single prism directs the light from the single lens stack to the first imager to obtain a first one of the plurality of initial images and wherein the single prism directs the light to the second imager to obtain a second one of the plurality of initial images. The seeker imaging system of any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of initial images are each at a first resolution, and wherein the plurality of initial images are each offset from one another by a sub-pixel amount. The seeker imaging system of claim 5, wherein the control electronics is configured to execute a super resolution algorithm on the plurality of initial images to generate the single output image having a second resolution greater than the first resolution. The seeker imaging system of claim 6, wherein the control electronics is further configured to perform pixel binning to generate the single output image have a third resolution less than the first resolution. A method of generating a single output image for a seeker, the method comprising: receiving light by a plurality of optical elements; directing, by the plurality of optical elements, the light to at least one imager; outputting, by the at least one imager, image frame data based upon the received light; receiving, by control electronics, the image frame data from the at least one imager; obtaining, by the control electronics, a plurality of initial images from each frame of the image frame data; and generating, by the control electronics, a single output image based upon the plurality of initial images. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises a plurality of lens stacks, and wherein the at least one imager comprises a focal plane array, and wherein directing, by the plurality of optical elements, the light to at least one imager comprises: directing, by a first lens stack, the light to a first quadrant of the focal plane array; directing, by a second lens stack, the light to a second quadrant of the focal plane array; directing, by a third lens stack, the light to a third quadrant of the focal plane array; and directing, by a fourth lens stack, the light to a fourth quadrant of the focal plane array. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining, by the control electronics, the plurality of initial images from each frame of the image frame data comprises: obtaining a first initial image from the image frame data corresponding to the first quadrant of the focal plane array; obtaining a second initial image from the image frame data corresponding to the second quadrant of the focal plane array; obtaining a third initial image from the image frame data corresponding to the third quadrant of the focal plane array; and obtaining a fourth initial image from the image frame data corresponding to the fourth quadrant of the focal plane array. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of optics includes a single lens stack, a plurality of prisms and a plurality of mirrors, and wherein the at least one imager comprises a focal plane array, and wherein directing, by the plurality of optical elements, the light to at least one imager comprises: splitting, by the plurality of prisms, the light from the single lens stack; and directing, by the plurality of prisms and the plurality of mirrors, the light to the focal plane array, wherein the light is split to form the plurality of initial images. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of optics includes a single lens stack and a single prism, and wherein the at least one imager comprises first and second imagers, and wherein directing, by the plurality of optical elements, the light to at least one imager comprises: directing, by the single prism, the light from the single set of lenses to the first imager to obtain a first one of the plurality of initial images; and directing, by the single prism, the light to the second imager to obtain a second one of the plurality of initial images. The method of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the plurality of initial images are each at a first resolution, and wherein directing, by the plurality of optical elements, the light to the at least one imager comprises directing the light such that the plurality of initial images are each offset from one another by a sub-pixel amount. The method of claim 13, wherein generating, by the control electronics, the single output image comprises executing, by the control electronics, a super resolution algorithm on the plurality of initial images to generate the single output image having a second resolution greater than the first resolution. The method of claim 14, wherein generating, by the control electronics, the single output image further comprises performing pixel binning to generate the single output image having a third resolution less than the first resolution. |
| CPC Classification | IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION; IN GENERAL PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION; e.g. TELEVISION Weapon Sights;Aiming OPTICAL ELEMENTS; SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS |
| Extended Family | 008-060-084-272-746 035-025-351-398-649 009-786-442-922-219 184-916-198-592-681 |
| Patent ID | 3470770 |
| Inventor/Author | Ell Todd Anthony |
| IPC | F42B15/00 G02B27/58 G06T3/40 H04N25/46 |
| Status | Pending |
| Owner | Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. |
| Simple Family | 008-060-084-272-746 035-025-351-398-649 009-786-442-922-219 184-916-198-592-681 |
| CPC (with Group) | G06T3/4069 H04N23/55 H04N25/41 F41G7/2253 F41G7/2293 G06T3/4053 F41G7/226 G02B27/1066 G02B13/0085 G02B27/126 G02B27/144 G02B27/146 G02B27/58 H04N23/951 |
| Issuing Authority | United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
| Kind | Patent Application Publication (Republication) |
