US4063281A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motion detection employing direct Fourier transforms of images
Assignee: Research Corp
•
Filing: 1974-08-22
•
Granted: 1977-12-13
•
Expires: 1994-08-22
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for directly converting between an image and the spatial or temporal Fourier transform thereof. To convert an image into its Fourier transform representation, the image interacts with strain waves in media that have electrical properties varying as a function of both the intensity pattern of the image and strain waves in the media. The electrical properties are measured to derive signals representing Fourier series terms defining the image. The derived signals are used to detect motion (including motion in the plane of the image), for image stabilization and scaling, and for pattern recognition. A new DEFT device (Direct Electronic Fourier Transform) obtains a Fourier transform representation of an image by utilizing photon assisted tunnelling current through an isolator film junction between two thin conductor films. Another new DEFT device provides spatial scanning similar to television raster scanning but utilizing completely different principles. Still another new DEFT device generates a two-dimensional spatial Fourier transform representation of an image without the need for two-dimensional scanning of the strain wave. An image is reconstructed from electrical signals obtained as described above by interacting uniform (but not necessarily coherent) light with strain waves that are a function of these electrical signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Philipp G. Kornreich
- 👤 Stephen T. Kowel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:39
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/18; G08B13/189; G08B13/194; G08B13/196; G08B13/19602; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/12; G06V10/20; G06V10/40; G06V10/42; G06V10/431; G08B13/19634; H; H04; H04N; H04N3/00; H04N3/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for detecting motion within an image comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; and means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present in it to derive an electrical signal which is a Fourier transform representation of the image and means for deriving from said signal an indication of motion within the image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A device for detecting motion within an image comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; and means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present in it to derive an electrical signal which is a Fourier transform representation of the image and means for deriving from said signal an indication of motion within the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as in claim 1 including means for obtaining the speed of the motion within the image as a function of said signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein the strain disturbances in the medium are strain waves propagating through the medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein the frequency of the strain wave in the medium corresponds to a wavelength which is substantially shorter than the size of the incident image and the extent of the motion therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device as in claim 4 including a transducer driven by a selected signal for causing said strain wave, wherein said means for deriving an indication of motion includes means for deriving said indication as a function of the phase of the electrical signal with respect to the selected signal driving the transducer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as in claim 5 wherein said strain waves through the medium are at a single high frequency.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
122 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive a first electrical signal representing the image and a second electrical signal indicating motion of the image; and means for modifying said first electrical signal with said second electrical signal to modify the first electrical signal in accordance with the motion of the image represented thereby.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
122 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive a first electrical signal representing the image and a second electrical signal indicating motion of the image; and means for modifying said first electrical signal with said second electrical signal to modify the first electrical signal in accordance with the motion of the image represented thereby.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as in claim 7 wherein said second electrical signal represents motion of the entire image with respect to the medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 8 wherein the modifying means corrects for relative motion between the image and the medium.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
98 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing an incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image; means for providing a selected constant; and means for modifying the electrical signal with said selected constant.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
98 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing an incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium; means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image; means for providing a selected constant; and means for modifying the electrical signal with said selected constant.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device as in claim 10 wherein the electrical signal has a phase and a magnitude component, and wherein the modifying means includes means for multiplying at least one of the components of said electrical signal by said selected constant to scale the image represented by the electrical signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as in claim 10 wherein the modifying means includes means for algebraically adding said selected constant to said electrical signal to thereby translate the image represented by the electrical signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
153 words
A device for obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image comprising a substrate of a material capable of undergoing time-varying and space-varying strain disturbances, a first electrically conductive film disposed on a surface of the substrate, a selected electrically isolating film disposed on the first conductive film and a second electrically conductive film disposed on the side of the isolating film facing away from the first conductive film, each of said film being acoustically coupled with the substrate to undergo strain disturbances therewith; means for causing the incidence of an image on the junction between one of said conductive films and the isolating film; means for causing strain disturbances in the substrate and in the films; and means for measuring an electrical property of said junction while said image is incident on it and while said strain disturbances are present in it to thereby derive an electrical signal representing the incident image.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
153 words
A device for obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image comprising a substrate of a material capable of undergoing time-varying and space-varying strain disturbances, a first electrically conductive film disposed on a surface of the substrate, a selected electrically isolating film disposed on the first conductive film and a second electrically conductive film disposed on the side of the isolating film facing away from the first conductive film, each of said film being acoustically coupled with the substrate to undergo strain disturbances therewith; means for causing the incidence of an image on the junction between one of said conductive films and the isolating film; means for causing strain disturbances in the substrate and in the films; and means for measuring an electrical property of said junction while said image is incident on it and while said strain disturbances are present in it to thereby derive an electrical signal representing the incident image.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
121 words
A device for electronic processing of images comprising a medium having an electrical property which varies as an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium, means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium, means for causing strain disturbances in the medium, means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image, said electrical signal comprising a plurality of phase and magnitude values representative of Fourier series terms defining the image, and means for selectively modifying the image by selectively operating on said phase and amplitude values with selected operators.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
121 words
A device for electronic processing of images comprising a medium having an electrical property which varies as an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium, means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium, means for causing strain disturbances in the medium, means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image, said electrical signal comprising a plurality of phase and magnitude values representative of Fourier series terms defining the image, and means for selectively modifying the image by selectively operating on said phase and amplitude values with selected operators.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
115 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of the square of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium, said means comprising a plurality of transducers in acoustical coupling with the medium and means for exciting the transducers for generating the effect of an acoustic beam scanning the medium; and means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while said strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
115 words
A device comprising: a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of the square of strain disturbances in the medium; means for causing the incidence of an image on the medium; means for causing strain disturbances in the medium, said means comprising a plurality of transducers in acoustical coupling with the medium and means for exciting the transducers for generating the effect of an acoustic beam scanning the medium; and means for measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while said strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
128 words
A device comprising: a first medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; a second medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for modulating an original image with the optical property of the second medium and for causing the incidence of the resulting modulated image on the second medium; first and second means for causing strain disturbances in the first and second medium respectively; and means for measuring the electrical property of the first medium while the modulated image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the original image.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
128 words
A device comprising: a first medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; a second medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for modulating an original image with the optical property of the second medium and for causing the incidence of the resulting modulated image on the second medium; first and second means for causing strain disturbances in the first and second medium respectively; and means for measuring the electrical property of the first medium while the modulated image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the original image.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in claim 16 wherein the strain disturbances in the first and second media are along directions transverse to each other.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
73 words
A device comprising: a medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of a light image incident thereon; and means for modulating an image with the optical property of the medium while a selected disturbance is present therein, and for causing the resulting modulated image to impinge on the means for generating said electrical signal.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
73 words
A device comprising: a medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of a light image incident thereon; and means for modulating an image with the optical property of the medium while a selected disturbance is present therein, and for causing the resulting modulated image to impinge on the means for generating said electrical signal.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of detecting motion within an image comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; and measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present in it to derive an electrical signal having a parameter indicating motion within the image.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of detecting motion within an image comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; and measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present in it to derive an electrical signal having a parameter indicating motion within the image.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 19 including the step of obtaining the speed of the motion within the image as a function of said parameter of the measured signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein the strain disturbances in the medium are strain waves propagating through the medium.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 21 wherein the frequency of the strain wave in the medium corresponds to a wavelength which is substantially shorter than the size of the incident image and the extent of the motion therein.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 22 wherein the strain wave is caused by a transducer driven with an AC signal, and said electrical signal parameter is the phase of the electrical signal with respect to the AC signal driving the transducer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 23 wherein said strain waves through the medium are at a single high frequency.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of detecting motion within an image and providing corresponding modification of electrical signals representing the image, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive a first electrical signal representing the image and a second electrical signal indicating motion of the image; and modifying said first electrical signal with said second electrical signal to thereby modify the first electrical signal in accordance with the motion of the image represented thereby.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of detecting motion within an image and providing corresponding modification of electrical signals representing the image, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive a first electrical signal representing the image and a second electrical signal indicating motion of the image; and modifying said first electrical signal with said second electrical signal to thereby modify the first electrical signal in accordance with the motion of the image represented thereby.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 25 wherein said second electrical signal represents motion of the entire image with respect to the medium.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 26 wherein the modifying step corrects for relative motion between, the image and the medium.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of scaling an image represented by an electrical signal, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image; providing a selected constant; and modifying the electrical signal with said selected constant to correspondingly scale the image represented thereby.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of scaling an image represented by an electrical signal, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image; providing a selected constant; and modifying the electrical signal with said selected constant to correspondingly scale the image represented thereby.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as in claim 28 wherein the electrical signal has a phase and a magnitude component, and wherein the modifying step includes multiplying said components by a selected constant and its inverse respectively to scale the image represented by the electrical signal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 28 wherein the combining step includes algebraically adding a selected constant to said electrical signal to thereby translate the image represented by the electrical signal.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image comprising the steps of: providing a substrate of a material capable of undergoing time-varying and space-varying strain disturbances; disposing a first electrically conductive film on a surface of the substrate; disposing a selected electrically isolating film on the first conductive film and a second electrically conductive film on the side of the isolating film facing away from the first conductive film, each of said film being acoustically coupled with the substrate to undergo strain disturbances therewith; causing the incidence of an image on the junction between one of said conductive films and the isolating film; causing strain disturbances in the substrate and in the films; and measuring an electrical property of said junction while said image is incident on it and while said strain disturbances are present in it to thereby derive an electrical signal representing the incident image.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image comprising the steps of: providing a substrate of a material capable of undergoing time-varying and space-varying strain disturbances; disposing a first electrically conductive film on a surface of the substrate; disposing a selected electrically isolating film on the first conductive film and a second electrically conductive film on the side of the isolating film facing away from the first conductive film, each of said film being acoustically coupled with the substrate to undergo strain disturbances therewith; causing the incidence of an image on the junction between one of said conductive films and the isolating film; causing strain disturbances in the substrate and in the films; and measuring an electrical property of said junction while said image is incident on it and while said strain disturbances are present in it to thereby derive an electrical signal representing the incident image.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of electronic processing of images, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image, said electrical signal comprising a plurality of phase and magnitude values representative of Fourier series terms defining the image; and selectively modifying the image by selectively operating on said phase and magnitude values with selected operators.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of electronic processing of images, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing strain disturbances in the medium; measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image, said electrical signal comprising a plurality of phase and magnitude values representative of Fourier series terms defining the image; and selectively modifying the image by selectively operating on said phase and magnitude values with selected operators.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representing an image comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of the square of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing a plurality of strain waves simultaneously propagating in the medium, each strain wave propagating along a direction different from that of any other strain wave; and measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while said strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representing an image comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of the square of strain disturbances in the medium; causing the incidence of an image on the medium; causing a plurality of strain waves simultaneously propagating in the medium, each strain wave propagating along a direction different from that of any other strain wave; and measuring the electrical property of the medium while said image is incident thereon and while said strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the image.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representing an image, comprising the steps of: providing a first medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium, and a second medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing selected strain disturbances in the first medium and in the second medium; modulating an original image with the optical property of the second medium, and causing the incidence of the resulting modulated image on the first medium; and measuring the electrical property of the first medium while the modulated image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the original image.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representing an image, comprising the steps of: providing a first medium having an electrical property which varies as a function of an image incident on the medium and as a function of strain disturbances in the medium, and a second medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium; causing selected strain disturbances in the first medium and in the second medium; modulating an original image with the optical property of the second medium, and causing the incidence of the resulting modulated image on the first medium; and measuring the electrical property of the first medium while the modulated image is incident thereon and while the strain disturbances are present therein to derive an electrical signal representing the original image.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 34 wherein the strain disturbances in the first and second media are along directions transverse to each other.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium and causing selected strain disturbances in the medium; providing a device which generates an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of a light image incident thereon; and passing an image through the medium to be modulated by said optical property thereof, causing the resulting modulated image to impinge on the device, and generating from the device an electrical signal representative of selected components of the Fourier transform of the image.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of obtaining an electrical signal representation of an image, comprising the steps of: providing a medium having an optical property which varies as a function of strain disturbances in the medium and causing selected strain disturbances in the medium; providing a device which generates an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of a light image incident thereon; and passing an image through the medium to be modulated by said optical property thereof, causing the resulting modulated image to impinge on the device, and generating from the device an electrical signal representative of selected components of the Fourier transform of the image.
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