Raytheon Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Richard Chin

Frank Nam Go Cheung

Conrad Stenton

Stephen P Shaffer

Gary Mladjan

Frank N G Cheung

Hector Q Gonzalez

Tim Gallagher

David Le Fevre

Hector Q Gonzales

Frank N Chueng

A system and method for zooming an image. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a memory for receiving first and second frames of image data; a motion detector for detecting motion in said first or said second frame of image data; and an intelligent zoom system for zooming said first or said second image using a first or a second zoom method based on a detection of motion by said motion detector on a pixel by pixel basis. In the illustrative embodiment, the invention is scene-based, it works on a pixel by pixel basis to determine if a pixel is in motion. It performs motion related zoom for pixels that are affected by motion and conducts cross-field zoom for steady pixels to reduce motion artifacts in zoom mode. Motion may be determined by comparing frame-to-frame pixel value variations to fixed motion threshold(s) or by other algorithms. Independent-field zoom refers to using information from one input field to form a zoomed picture in one associated output field. Cross-field zoom refers to using information from both input fields to form a picture in an output field. The invention may be used with or without zoom interpolation schemes.

Imaging system and method with intelligent digital zooming

A system and method for aligning an input signal () synchronized to a first clock signal () with a second clock signal () The invention includes a mechanism () for generating a third clock signal () and an arrangement () for loading the input signal () in accordance with the third clock signal () and reading out an output signal in accordance with the second clock signal (). In an illustrative embodiment, the invention is used in a sensor system () to align detector input data (), which is synchronized to a data-capture clock (), with a signal-processing clock (). The register () acts as a data path transitioning stage between the actual time the input data is sampled and the time a processing system () clocks in the sampled data.

Self-aligning data path converter for multiple clock systems

A system and method for aligning an input signal () synchronized to a first clock signal () with a second clock signal (). The invention includes a mechanism () for generating a third clock signal () and an arrangement () for loading the input signal () in accordance with the third clock signal () and reading out an output signal in accordance with the second clock signal (). In an illustrative embodiment, the invention is used in a sensor system () to align detector input data (), which is synchronized to a data-capture clock (), with a signal-processing clock (). The register () acts as a data path transitioning stage between the actual time the input data is sampled and the time a processing system () clocks in the sampled data.

System and method for aligning signals in multiple clock systems

A thermal infrared imaging device (10) includes a thermal detector (50) having a linearly-arrayed plurality of spaced apart detector elements (50', 50', 50'', . . . ). A scene to be viewed is scanned across the detector (50) with successive fields of the scene shifted according the spacing between adjacent detector elements (50', 50', 50'', . . . ) in order to capture image information for the entire scene by interlacing of successive scan lines from the plurality of detector elements (50', 50', 50'', . . . ). Each complete scan of the viewed scene across the detector (50) creates an image field including a scan line for each detector element (50', 50', 50'', . . . ). Each scan line includes plural pixels, or picture elements of the viewed scene, each having a value indicative of the thermal infrared brightness of the viewed scene at the corresponding location along the scan line. An scan-line sum for each scan line is created by adding the absolute values of the pixel values for each scan line. The average of these scan-line sums is employed as a gain control factor to control the brightness of a visible image replicating the viewed scene. Further, the value of a median of the scan-line sums is used to limit gain variations which would otherwise be effected were the line-sum averages alone used to control the gain factor. Accordingly, even when a localized highly-radiant heat source (such as a fire) is within the field of view of the thermal imaging device, then in areas of the image away from the brightness caused by the fire the image does not go dark and a visible image good contrast is still maintained allowing features of the image to be viewed.

Thermal imaging device

A thermal imaging device (10) provides for its use with a variety of accessory telescopic lenses (12). Each of the accessory telescopic lenses (12) and the thermal imaging device (10) include cooperating physical features allowing the lenses (12) to be mated with the device (10) in a single relative position. Each lens (12) also carries a uniquely positioned magnet (176), and the thermal imaging device (10) includes a plurality of magnetically-responsive sensors (178) responding to the magnets (176) of the various lenses (12) to identify which (if any) of the accessory lens (12) is installed on the device (10). Some of the accessory lenses (12) also include a variable-power feature. These variable-power lenses (12) have an additional magnet (182) moving between an effective position and an ineffective position in response to a user-selected power setting for the lens (12). The thermal imaging device (10) includes an additional magnetically-responsive sensor (178) affected by the additional magnet (182) in its effective position, but not effected in the ineffective position of this additional magnet (182). Thus, the thermal imaging device (10) also identifies the power setting of an installed variable-power lens (12). The thermal imaging device (10) is provided with internal adjustments and operational options which are automatically implemented dependent upon which of the accessory lenses (12) a user installs on the device (10).

Thermal imaging device with selectively replaceable telescopic lenses

A thermal imaging device (10) has single integrated circuit chip (86) to perform various analog signal processing (ASP) functions. The imaging device (10) has a detector array (50) including a plurality of detectors (50') each of which generate an electrical signal (78) indicative of the infrared flux incident thereon. These electrical signals (78) are processed and provided in the form of serial analog video signals (52) to the ASP chip (86). The ASP chip (86) includes circuitry (200) for correcting for the differing responsivity of serial manufactured detector arrays (50), circuitry (202) for correcting the gain of the serial analog signal (52) globally, and circuitry (206) for sensing the gain of a processing serial analog signal (90) which the ASP chip (86) provides to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter (92) of the thermal imaging device (10). The ASP chip (86) further includes a buffer (204) for driving the A/D converter (92), and a voltage and current reference generator (212) for providing such references (213) both internally to the ADC IC (86) as well as externally of this IC to other components of the imaging device (10) including the detector (50) and A/D convertor (92). A micro-controller (122) of the thermal imaging device (10) averages the gain of the output signal (90) provided the A/D converter (92) and used this information to calculate responsivity and gain control signals (210, 209) applied to the serial analog video signal (52) provided to the ASP chip (86), such that the A/D converter (92) is provided an analog video signal (90) at a mid-scale level for the input signal to this A/D converter (92).

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Torrance, CA, United States of America

Richard Chin