Flir Systems, Incorporated

Raytheon Company

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Santa Barbara Research Center

Flir Commercial Systems, Inc.

Indigo Systems Corporation

John D Schlesselmann

James T Woolaway

Brian B Simolon

Eric A Kurth

Naseem Y Aziz

Kevin L Pettijohn

William J Parrish

Mark Nussmeier

Joseph Kostrzewa

Robert F Cannata

John T Caulfield

Mary J Hewitt

Richard H Wyles

William H Frye

Michael E Cryder

Henry J Tatko

Theodore B Hoelter

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for facilitating infrared imaging in multiple imaging modes. A device may include an infrared image capture circuit and at least one processing circuit. The infrared image capture circuit may be configured to detect first infrared data and generate a first pixel value based on the first infrared data and a first imaging mode among multiple imaging modes. The at least one processing circuit may be configured to compare the first pixel value to a set of saturation threshold values associated with the first imaging mode. The at least one processing circuit may be further configured to select an imaging mode among the multiple imaging modes based on the comparison of the first pixel value. The at least one processing circuit may be further configured to set the infrared image capture circuit to generate a second pixel value based on the selected imaging mode.

Infrared imaging in multiple imaging modes systems and methods

Techniques are provided to facilitate current sensing recovery for imaging systems and methods. In one example, a device includes a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation and generate a detection signal based on the detected electromagnetic radiation. The device further includes a current sensing circuit configured to provide, based on the detection signal, a first signal. The device further includes a signal generator configured to provide a second signal to adjust a bandwidth associated with the current sensing circuit. The device further includes an imaging integration circuit configured to generate an image of at least a portion of a scene based at least in part on the first signal. Related methods and systems are also provided.

Current sensing recovery for imaging systems and methods

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for facilitating pixel readout with partitioned analog-to-digital conversion. A device includes a detector, a capacitor coupled to the detector, a counter circuit coupled to the capacitor, a reset circuit coupled to the capacitor, and a processing circuit. The detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation associated with a scene and generate an associated detection signal. The capacitor is configured to, during an integration period, accumulate a voltage based on the detection signal. The counter circuit is configured to, during the integration period, adjust a counter value based on a comparison of the voltage and a reference voltage. The reset circuit is configured to, during the integration period, reset the capacitor based on the comparison. The processing circuit is configured to generate a digital detector output based on the counter value when the integration period has elapsed. Related methods are also provided.

Pixel readout with partitioned analog-to-digital conversion systems and methods

Various techniques are provided for performing detection using a focal plane array (FPA). For example, in one embodiment, a unit cell of an FPA may be implemented to support rapid sampling in response to one or more laser pulses reflected from an object or feature of interest. An FPA implemented with such unit cells may be used, for example, in an imaging system capable of detecting a plurality of two dimensional image frames and providing a three dimensional image using the detected two dimensional image frames. Other applications of such rapid sampling unit cells are also contemplated.

Detector array for high speed sampling of an optical pulse

Various techniques are disclosed for providing reference signals to image detectors in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. For example, in one or more embodiments, switched capacitors may be used to provide bias voltages to individual unit cells of a focal plane array such that the bias voltages are held by the unit cells over one or more integration periods while the unit cells are decoupled from an input line. As a result, the bias voltages may be free from noise incident on the input line and thus may more accurately bias the individual unit cells.

Unit cells with avalanche photodiode detectors

Various techniques are provided for forming three-dimensional images. For example, in one embodiment, a system for three-dimensional imaging of an object includes an imaging sensor that provides a focal plane array and a sensor controller. The system also includes a laser illuminator coupled to the sensor controller. The laser illuminator is adapted to emit at least one laser pulse to be reflected from at least one plane of the object and detected by the focal plane array as at least one two-dimensional image frame of light intensities. The sensor controller is adapted to associate a range dimension of the plane with the image frame to facilitate formation of a three-dimensional image of the object. Related methods are also contemplated.

Three dimensional ladar imaging and methods using voxels

Systems and methods for microbolometer focal plane arrays are disclosed. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, microbolometer focal plane array circuitry is disclosed for a microbolometer array having shared contacts between adjacent microbolometers. Various techniques may be applied to compensate for non-uniformities, such as for example, to allow operation over a calibrated temperature range.

Microbolometer focal plane array systems and methods

An IR-FPA (10) having a plurality of radiation detectors (2a) and a multipurpose ROIC (2) is disclosed. The radiation detectors (2a) are organized as a two dimensional array. The multipurpose ROIC (2) includes a plurality of readout circuit unit cells, individual ones of which are coupled to individual radiation detectors (2a) for receiving electrical signals therefrom. Each of the readout circuit unit cells operates in one of a first mode to provide a corrected m frame averaged output signal (Vout.sub.THPF) or, a second mode to provide a subframed averaged output signal (Vout.sub.2). In the first operating mode, a high pass filtering circuit subtracts a low frequency charge pedestal from the electrical signal to form the corrected m frame averaged output (Vout.sub.THPF). Also disclosed is a method for operating an array of radiation detectors (2a) which includes the steps of: within a sampling period that defines a frame comprised of subframe periods, generating an electrical signal in individual ones of the radiation detectors, the electrical signals being generated in response to incident radiation; in a first operating mode, forming a high pass filtered output signal (Vout.sub.THPF) from electrical signals generated during at least one frame period; in a second operating mode, forming a subframe averaged output signal (Vout.sub.2) from electrical signals generated during a frame period; and reading out, in the first operating mode, the high pass filtered output signal (Vout.sub.THPF) or, in the second operating mode, the subframe averaged output signal (Vout.sub.2).

Multipurpose readout integrated circuit with in cell adaptive

An ultra low power gain circuit (UGC) implements a unique operational mode of a source follower circuit, and enables programmable gains greater than unity. A MOSFET has a gate terminal coupled to an input capacitance (Cin). A potential at a drain of the MOSFET is clocked to enable charge to flow through the channel. This charge charges a capacitor (Cout) that is connected to a source of the MOSFET. After charging Cout, the drain potential is restored to an initial value, and the charge on Cout discharges back through the MOSFET until the source voltage is one threshold drop from the gate potential, at which time the MOSFET turns off. Cout then stops discharging, and the final voltage appearing on Cout is a function of the magnitude of the gate voltage appearing on Cin. As the voltage at the source of the MOSFET changes, capacitive coupling, via (Cgs) to the gate, causes the gate voltage to also change. The value of the gate voltage determines a magnitude of a final voltage to which the source settles. A feedback effect is thereby produced which influences the voltage transfer function of the MOSFET. A minimum voltage gain is unity. However, through a selection of capacitor values for Cin and/or Cgs, a value of gain that is greater than unity can be achieved.

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Goleta, CA, United States of America

John D Schlesselmann