Sensors Unlimited

Kidde Technologies Incorporated

John Liobe

Joshua Lund

Michael J Evans

Wei Zhang

Wei Huang

Douglas Stewart Malchow

Joseph V Mantese

Sunil L Kukreja

Rui Zhu

Jonathan Nazemi

Minlong Lin

Andrew Eckhardt

Michael Delamere

Krishna Linga

John S Murphy

Olusequin T Oshin

A system for aligning components of an imaging device includes an imaging device, and a test camera. The imaging device includes a lens and a focal plane array (FPA). The FPA defines an optical axis and includes at least two test elements configured and adapted to emit a light through the lens. The test camera is configured and adapted to be mounted to and pre-aligned with the lens of the imaging device to receive a light from the at least two test elements.

Systems and methods for aligning imaging devices

A pixel system for an imaging device can include one or more pixels comprising a pulse trigger assembly configured to detect a pulse at one or more threshold voltages, a timer system forming part of and/or connected to the one or more pixels, the timer system comprising one or more trigger switches. The pulse trigger assembly can be configured to activate the one or more trigger switches in response to detecting the pulse at the one or more threshold values. The pixel system can include a time-of-flight (TOF) module operatively connected to the one or more pixels and/or the timer system to determine a TOF based on an output from the timer system while simultaneously performing either or both passive imaging and asynchronous laser pulse detection.

Detection pixels and pixel systems

An imaging system and a method of imaging are provided. The imaging system includes a single optics module configured for focusing light reflected or emanated from a dynamic scene in the infrared spectrum and a synchronous focal plane array for receiving the focused light and acquiring infrared images having a high spatial resolution and a low temporal resolution from the received focused light. The imaging system further includes an asynchronous neuromorphic vision system configured for receiving the focused light and acquiring neuromorphic event data having a high temporal resolution, and a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to readout both the infrared images and event data.

Neuromorphic vision with frame-rate imaging for target detection and tracking

A system includes a pixel including a diffusion layer in contact with an absorption layer. The diffusion layer and absorption layer are in contact with one another along an interface that is inside of a mesa. A trench is defined in the absorption layer surrounding the mesa. An overflow contact is seated in the trench.

Pin mesa diodes with over-current protection

A system includes a pixel having a diffusion layer within a cap layer. The diffusion layer defines a front side and an illumination side opposite the front side with an absorption layer operatively connected to the illumination side as well as the diffusion and cap layers. A set of alternating oxide and nitride layers are deposited on the front side of the cap and diffusion layers.

Low capacitance photo detectors

A system includes a pixel including a diffusion layer in contact with an absorption layer. A transparent conductive oxide (TCO) is electrically connected to the diffusion layer. An overflow contact is in electrical communication with the TCO. The overflow contact can be spaced apart laterally from the diffusion layer. The pixel can be one of a plurality of similar pixels arranged in a grid pattern, wherein each pixel has a respective overflow contact, forming an overflow contact grid offset from the grid pattern.

Pin diodes with over-current protection

A system for remote detection of fluid leaks from a natural gas or oil pipeline including a laser light source for detecting a methane leak while sweeping in multiple directions, a Midwave Infrared (MWIR) detector optically coupled with the laser light source and a controller operatively connected to the laser light source and the MWIR detector for aggregating data collected by the laser light source and the MWIR using a nuropmophic flow detection algorithm including computational fluid dynamic models.

System and method of sensing for petroleum, oil, and gas leaks using optical detection

A pixel output processing circuit of a focal plane array (FPA) having a plurality of laser range finding pixels (LRF) is provided. The respective LRF pixels output a high frequency analog signal in response to sensing a reflected laser pulse. The pixel output processing circuit includes a common net and a detection circuit. The common net is connected to a amplifying transistor of each of the LRF pixels for receiving analog signals output from the respective LRF pixels. The detection circuit is coupled to the common net and outputs a pulse flag in response to detecting that a high frequency analog signal has been received by the common net.

Pixel output processing circuit with laser range finding (LRF) capability

An imaging method includes assigning pixels within the extent of a focal plane array active area to a first readout range and a second readout range. Image data is read out from the pixels assigned to the first readout range and the second readout range. Pixels located within the extend of the focal plane array active area and not assigned to the first readout range or the second readout range are left unread. Imaging systems and hyperspectral imaging arrangements are also described.

Imaging systems and methods

A multimode pixel of a pixel array is provided. The multimode pixel includes a photodetector, an image sensing circuit having a first plurality of transistors, and a laser range finding (LRF) circuit having a second plurality of transistors. At least one transistor of the second plurality of transistors, but not all of the second plurality of transistors, is included in the first plurality of transistors. The LRF circuit being configured to perform LRF operations and the image sensing circuit is configured to perform passive imaging operations. The image sensing circuit and the LRF circuit are configured to perform concurrently.

Multimode ROIC pixel with laser range finding (LRF) capability

A pixel of a pixel array is provided. The pixel includes a low frequency path configured to receive an input signal from a corresponding photodetector. The low frequency path includes a passive imaging circuit provided along the low frequency path, the passive imaging circuit configured to output an analog imaging signal and a flash analog to digital converter (ADC) that receives the analog imaging signal and processes the analog imaging signal to output a coarse digitized signal.

Pixel array with internal coarse digitization

A configurable analog to digital converter (ADC) is provided. The configurable ADC includes a comparator receiving and comparing a first analog voltage signal to a second analog voltage signal V-DAC and outputting a signal C-OUT that is responsive to a result of the comparison, an integrator operating on C-OUT and outputting an N-bit value, a digital-to analog converter (DAC) converting the N-bit value to the second analog voltage signal V-DAC, and an integrator, the integrator including the N-bit memory, which is coupled to an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), the N-bit memory and ALU cooperating to perform operations using both the N-bit value and C-OUT. The configurable ADC is configured to operate in more than one mode selected from a plurality of selectable ADC modes.

Reconfigurable ADC architecture for imaging-based applications

A method of correcting lag in an imaging pixel includes receiving a current frame pixel value and determining a current filter coefficient using the current frame pixel value. A pixel output is determined from a product of the current frame pixel value and current frame filter coefficient. The product of a first prior frame pixel value and corresponding first prior frame filter coefficient is added to the pixel output to generate a corrected pixel output to more closely indicates incident illumination on the imaging pixel during an integration period from which the current frame pixel value was obtained.

Correcting lag in imaging devices

A method includes acquiring a pulse detection bitmap from an imaging sensor array into a digital read out integrated circuit (DROIC), filtering the pulse detection bitmap within the DROIC to convert the pulse detection bitmap into a filtered pulse detection bitmap, and determining for a given pixel in the filtered pulse detection bitmap whether the pixel has a value that exceeds a threshold, indicating a true laser pulse return has been detected in the pixel.

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New York, NY, United States of America

John Liobe