General Electric Company

Gil Abramovich

Kevin George Harding

Daniel Curtis Gray

Joseph Czechowski, Iii

Frederick Wilson Wheeler

Christopher Allen Nafis

Guiju Song

Joseph Benjamin Ross

Ralph Gerald Isaacs

Jianming Zheng

Qingying Hu

Vijay Krishna Paruchuru

Mohammad Mehdi DaneshPanah

Robert John Filkins

Tao Li

Mark Marshall Meyers

Robert William Tait

Meena Ganesh

Zirong Zhai

Dongmin Yang

Ming Jia

Mohammad Mehdi Daneshpanah

Swaminathan Manickam

Jie Han

Yu Ning

Lll Joseph Czechowski

A system and method for contactless handprint capture is disclosed that includes an image capture device to capture handprint images of a subject hand at each of a plurality of different focal distances, with the image capture device including an imaging camera and an electro-optics arrangement having a plurality of light modulating elements and polarization sensitive optical elements having differing optical path lengths based on polarization states. A control system is coupled to the image capture device to cause the device to capture the handprint images at each of the different focal distances, with each handprint image having a depth-of-focus that overlaps with a depth-of-focus of handprint images at adjacent focal distances such that redundant handprint image data is captured. The control system registers each handprint image with positional data and creates a composite handprint image from the handprint images captured at the different focal distances.

Apparatus and method for contactless high resolution handprint capture

A system and method for contactless multi-fingerprint collection is disclosed. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system includes an imaging volume, a user interface configured to provide feedback to the subject regarding a proximity of a hand to a desired imaging location within the imaging volume, and at least one image capture device to capture images of each of the plurality of fingerprints at each of at least two different depths from the fingerprints. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system also includes a processor coupled to the at least one image capture device that is programmed to generate a composite image and a contour map of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the images captured at the at least two different depths and generate a two-dimensional rolled equivalent image of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the composite image and the contour map.

System and method for contactless multi-fingerprint collection

An optical system configured to visually inspect a target having a variable position with respect to the optical system is provided. The optical system includes a polarizer configured to convert an incident light reflected or diffused from the target into linearly polarized light; a light modulating element configured to modulate a polarization state of the linearly polarized light in response to control signals; and a lens group comprising at least one birefringent element, the birefringent element configured to refract or reflect the modulated linearly polarized light with a first polarization state under a first refraction index to enable inspection of the target at a first object position, and the birefringent element further configured to refract or reflect the modulated linearly polarized light with a second polarization state under a second refraction index to enable inspection of the target at a second object position.

Inspection device and method thereof

A multi-resolution lens system includes a relay lens configured to be directed toward a field-of-view (FOV) and receive a first plurality of image photons emanating from the FOV, a high-resolution lens positioned to receive a second plurality of image photons from the FOV and to pass the second plurality of image photons toward the relay lens, and a shutter device positioned to receive over an area thereof the image photons of the FOV that pass through the relay lens, and simultaneously receive overlaid on a portion of the area thereof the image photons from the portion of the FOV that pass through the high-resolution lens and toward the relay lens.

Multi-resolution optical system and method of fabricating same

An image capture device includes an electro-optics arrangement having an arrangement of polarizers, polarization sensitive optical elements, and polarization modulating elements. First and second polarization sensitive optical elements are provided having an edge displaced relative to a plane normal to an optical axis of the electro-optics arrangement. A control system coupled to the electro-optics arrangement controls the application of voltages to the polarization modulating elements to control the polarization rotation of the light input to the polarization sensitive optical elements, such that the optical path length of the polarization sensitive optical elements is changed to provide for capture of the object images at each of the different focal planes. The first and second polarization sensitive optical elements generate lateral image shifts between respective object images captured at the different focal planes responsive to the polarization rotation of the light input thereto.

Apparatus and method for image super-resolution using integral shifting optics

Disclosed are method and apparatus for forming multiple images of an object comprising a plurality of depth segments. An optical system comprises an infinity optical subsystem and a multi-image optical subsystem. The infinity optical subsystem is configured to receive light from the object and form a first image focussed at infinity. A multi-image optical subsystem is configured to receive the first image and form multiple images via multiple focussing lenses. Each multiple image can correspond to a different depth segment. A portion of the light from the first image can also be filtered before entering a focussing lens. Multiple images under different filtering conditions, corresponding to different depth segments or to the same depth segment, can be formed.

Method and apparatus for forming multiple images

A system and method for contactless handprint capture is disclosed that includes an image capture device to capture whole handprint images of a subject hand at each of a plurality of different focal distances, with the image capture device including an imaging camera and an electro-optics arrangement having a plurality of light modulating elements and polarization sensitive optical elements having differing optical path lengths based on polarization states. A control system is coupled to the image capture device to cause the device to capture the handprint images at each of the different focal distances, with each handprint image having a depth-of-focus that overlaps with a depth-of-focus of handprint images at adjacent focal distances such that redundant handprint image data is captured. The control system registers each handprint image with positional data and creates a composite handprint image from the handprint images captured at the different focal distances.

An imaging system includes a positionable device configured to axially shift an image plane, wherein the image plane is generated from photons emanating from an object and passing through a lens, a detector plane positioned to receive the photons of the object that pass through the lens, and a computer programmed to characterize the lens as a mathematical function, acquire two or more elemental images of the object with the image plane of each elemental image at different axial positions with respect to the detector plane, determine a focused distance of the object from the lens, based on the characterization of the lens and based on the two or more elemental images acquired, and generate a depth map of the object based on the determined distance.

System and method for depth from defocus imaging

Imaging systems and methods for generating images of a sample wherein the system comprises an illumination source for illuminating the sample; an image viewing subsystem for capturing images from the sample; one or more liquid crystal panels and one or more birefringent elements, which are positioned between the sample and the image viewing subsystem, so that the images from the sample pass through the liquid crystal panels and the birefringent elements before reaching the image viewing subsystem; a device that changes one or more polarization states of the liquid crystal panels; and a controller that is configured to cause the device to change the polarization states of the liquid crystal panels.

Imaging systems and associated methods thereof

This invention provides a method for contactless fingerprint detection and verification comprising illuminating a fingerprint and directing a reflected light through an imaging system using liquid crystal panels and birefringent elements to polarize the light. A plurality of polarized images are captured and used to calculate the depth of structural features on the fingertip. A means to generate a two-dimensional rolled equivalent image of the fingerprint is also provided which may then be used for verification and authentication. The invention also provides an imaging system for carrying out the method.

Method and system for contactless fingerprint detection and verification

An inspection system is provided. The inspection system comprises a light source, a grating, a phase shifting unit, an imager, and a processor. The light source is configured to generate light. The grating is in a path of the generated light and is configured to produce a grating image after the light passes through the grating. The phase shifting unit is configured to form and reflect a plurality of phase shifted patterns of the grating image onto an object surface to form a plurality of projected phase shifting patterns. The imager is configured to obtain image data of the projected phase shifted patterns. The processor is configured to reconstruct the object surface from the image data. An inspection method and a phase shifting projector are also presented.

Inspection system and method with multi-image phase shift analysis

A method for inspecting a feature of a part is provided. The method includes obtaining a profile corresponding to the feature using a sensor and projecting the profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature for generating an updated profile. The method also includes using the updated profile for reducing a measurement error caused by an orientation of the sensor. An inspection system is also provided. The inspection system includes a sensor configured to capture a fringe image of a feature on a part. The inspection system further includes a processor configured to process the fringe image to obtain an initial profile of the feature and to project the initial profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature.

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Niskayuna, NY, United States of America

Gil Abramovich