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US4991111A
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Real-time image processing system
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1989-02-27
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Granted: 1991-02-05
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Expires: 2009-02-27
Abstract
Abstract A real-time image processing system (800) includes an array (810) of storage elements (813), each of which is designed to store a signal representative of radiation of interest. This system (800) provides image processing at a viable sampling rate even for very large arrays and permits very efficient determination of single element detections. Time-varying orthogonal functions are created by digital processor (804). The processor (804) modulates these base time-varying orthogonal functions by applying to them a matrix of weighing functions. These modulated time-varying orthogonal functions are then applied to selected storage elements (813). The modulated outputs of the array (810) are combined (838) and distributed among parallel channels (886, 888, 890). Demodulators correlate the signal in each channel with a respective of the original orthogonal functions. The demodulated outputs are digitized by an analog-to digital converter (908) for processing by a digital processor (908). The processor can use these demodulated output to efficiently interrogate the array (810), or proceed to use the outputs for image processing computations and other tasks.
Inventors
- 👤 Rex J. Crookshanks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 05:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06E; G06E3/00; G06E3/001; G06E3/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A real-time image processing system comprising: an array of storage elements, each storage element being adapted for providing an output representing the value of a variable of interest stored within the storage element; modulation means for modulating the output of each said storage element by a respective weighted sum plurality of time-varying functions which are mutually orthogonal over a predetermined time interval; summing means for collecting the modulated outputs of said storage elements; and demodulating means for isolating the portions of the output of said summing means which correspond to each respective said time-varying function.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A real-time image processing system comprising: an array of storage elements, each storage element being adapted for providing an output representing the value of a variable of interest stored within the storage element; modulation means for modulating the output of each said storage element by a respective weighted sum plurality of time-varying functions which are mutually orthogonal over a predetermined time interval; summing means for collecting the modulated outputs of said storage elements; and demodulating means for isolating the portions of the output of said summing means which correspond to each respective said time-varying function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising integrating means for totalizing the output of said demodulating means over an interval over which said time-varying functions are orthogonal and holding means for retaining the output of said integrating means, and processing means for processing the output of said holding means for providing information on the spatial and temporal distribution of said variable of interest stored in said array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation means modulates the output of each said storage element by a respective weighted set of the respective plurality of time-varying functions associated with said detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the demodulating means includes a plurality of demodulators arranged in parallel and each of the demodulators having an output.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said integrating means includes a plurality of capacitors, each one connected in parallel to a respective demodulator output, and the holding means including a plurality of sample and hold circuits, each one of said sample and hold circuits associated with a respective demodulator output.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said processing means includes an analog-to-digital converter arranged to sample the outputs of each of said sample and hold circuits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 6 further comprising: means for generating said time-varying functions, said means including a plurality of outputs upon which signals corresponding to said time-varying functions are placed, and wherein the outputs of the means for generating are connected to respective ones of the modulators and demodulators so that the respective modulators and demodulators receive respective ones of the signals corresponding to said time-varying functions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the number of said time-varying functions is not greater than the number of storage elements and wherein the weights applied in summing said time-varying functions constitute an invertible matrix.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 8 where the rows of said invertible matrix correspond to the weightings applied to respective ones of said detectors and the columns of said invertible matrix correspond to respective ones of said time-varying functions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
A real-time image processing system, comprising: a pseudo focal plane array of image storage devices, each of said storage devices storing and producing a signal representing a pixel of image data; a plurality of modulators respectively associated with the storage devices and each operative for modulating the signal produced by a corresponding storage device in accordance with a preselected modulation characteristic which is a function of at least one predetermined characteristic of at least one of said pixels in said array of storage devices; means for combining the modulated signals modulated by said modulators to produce a composite signal having individual modulator components; means for demodulating said composite signal to derive said one or more predetermined characteristics; and, processing means for processing said predetermined characteristics derived by said demodulating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
A real-time image processing system, comprising: a pseudo focal plane array of image storage devices, each of said storage devices storing and producing a signal representing a pixel of image data; a plurality of modulators respectively associated with the storage devices and each operative for modulating the signal produced by a corresponding storage device in accordance with a preselected modulation characteristic which is a function of at least one predetermined characteristic of at least one of said pixels in said array of storage devices; means for combining the modulated signals modulated by said modulators to produce a composite signal having individual modulator components; means for demodulating said composite signal to derive said one or more predetermined characteristics; and, processing means for processing said predetermined characteristics derived by said demodulating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said modulated signals are analog signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said combining means is an analog summing junction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 10, wherein each of said modulators is controlled by said processing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said demodulating means is controlled by said processing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said demodulating means includes a demodulator corresponding to each of said one or more predetermined characteristics.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 10, further comprising means for capturing said image data and means for transferring said captured image data to said pseudo focal plane array of storage devices.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said image data is stored as analog signals in said storage devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 10, wherein each of said modulators includes means for modulating the amplitude of the signal, and means for inverting said signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said demodulation means includes means for inverting said composite signal and means for demodulating the output signal produced by said inverting means according to said predetermined characteristic of one or more of said pixels in said detector array.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said demodulation means further includes switching means connected to the output of said inverting means, said switching means responsive to said processor for demodulating said composite signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said modulators are coupled in parallel relationship with each other between said focal plane array and said comprising means, whereby to parallel process said image data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 21 wherein said demodulation means is coupled in series relationship between said combining means and said processing means.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for processing an image, comprising the steps of: (A) storing signals representative of said image in an array of image storage devices, each of said storage devices producing a signal representing a pixel of image data; (B) individually modulating each of the signals produced by said storage devices in accordance with a preselected modulation characteristic which is a function of at least one predefined characteristic of at least one of said pixels in said array of storage devices; (C) then, combining the modulated signals to form a composite signal having individual modulation components; (D) demodulating said composite signal to derive at least one predefined characteristic; and (E) processing at least one predefined characteristic derived in step (D).
Claim 26
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for processing an image, comprising the steps of: (A) storing signals representative of said image in an array of image storage devices, each of said storage devices producing a signal representing a pixel of image data; (B) individually modulating each of the signals produced by said storage devices in accordance with a preselected modulation characteristic which is a function of at least one predefined characteristic of at least one of said pixels in said array of storage devices; (C) then, combining the modulated signals to form a composite signal having individual modulation components; (D) demodulating said composite signal to derive at least one predefined characteristic; and (E) processing at least one predefined characteristic derived in step (D).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 23, including the step of capturing said image on an array of image detectors wherein each said detector converts a portion of said image into an image data signal, and transferring each said image data signal of each detector to a respective image storage device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 23, wherein step (B) is performed by modulating each of the signals produced by said storage devices with orthogonal signals, wherein each orthogonal signal corresponds to one of said predefined characteristics of at least one of said pixels.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-04 | 1994-08-06 | 1995-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-04 | 1998-08-06 | 1999-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-04 | 2002-08-06 | 2003-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |