Abstract An electronic image-encoder with an SEC vidicon in which the electron beam is positioned according to a coordinate pair stored as digital signals and applied as analog signals to the deflection coils of the vidicon. This permits the beam to read selected points on the vidicon target and the beam is blanked until the desired deflection signals are applied. In one version of the device, the deflection signals are simply voltages corresponding to the values of the digital signals. In another version, one digital signal is converted to an analog deflection voltage and a standard ramp is used as the other deflection voltage, the beam being turned on to read only after a time interval following initiation of the ramp, which interval is proportional to the other digital signal. A special application of the encoder incorporates a crosseddispersion optical system for projecting several stacked spectral orders into the vidicon target. In all cases, the electron beam actuation provides an output signal corresponding to the image intensity at the point selected by the digital signal pair, and this output signal is digitized for storage, manipulation or display.
Inventors
👤 Tomas Hirschfeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-25 22:09
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N3/00; H04N3/10; H04N3/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
In combination with an electro-optical imaging device having means for generating an electron-beam for reading an image formed on an image surface in said device, means for controlling the lateral deflection of said electron beam, and means for providing output signals corresponding to the intensity of the image as read by said electron-beam means, a spectral analytical system comprising means for forming an image of an optical spectrum on said surface; means for storing a plurality of pairs of digital signals, each corresponding to a pair of coordinates of a corresponding predetermined point in said image on said image surface; means for converting predetermined pairs of said digital signals to corresponding pairs of analog-valued control signals, means for applying said control signals to said means for controlling said lateral deflection; and means for selectively activating said means for generating said beam so as to provide an output signal corresponding to each such predetermined point.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
In combination with an electro-optical imaging device having means for generating an electron-beam for reading an image formed on an image surface in said device, means for controlling the lateral deflection of said electron beam, and means for providing output signals corresponding to the intensity of the image as read by said electron-beam means, a spectral analytical system comprising means for forming an image of an optical spectrum on said surface; means for storing a plurality of pairs of digital signals, each corresponding to a pair of coordinates of a corresponding predetermined point in said image on said image surface; means for converting predetermined pairs of said digital signals to corresponding pairs of analog-valued control signals, means for applying said control signals to said means for controlling said lateral deflection; and means for selectively activating said means for generating said beam so as to provide an output signal corresponding to each such predetermined point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination defined in claim 1 including means for converting said output signals to corresponding digital values.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said imaging device is an SEC vidicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for forming said image comprises a crossed-dispersion optical system and means for projecting the crossed-dispersion image onto said image surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said image surface is capable of integrating the radiation falling on each point thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein at least one dispersing element of said cross-dispersion optical system disperses nonlinearly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 including means for activating said means for generating at a frequency for each of said points substantially inversely in relation to the intensity of radiation falling on each of said points during a unit time interval.