Filter alignment for multi-spectral composite image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10904493-B2
Application number	US-201916373174-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2019
Priority date	Apr 2, 2019
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A method includes capturing, with an image capture device, a first image of a scene while a portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of a focal plane array and a first bandpass filter is between the portion of the scene and the first detector. The method includes, in response to determining that the portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the focal plane array, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from a first frequency range of the first bandpass filter is between the portion of the scene and the second detector, initiating storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image capture device comprising:
a filter device comprising at least a first bandpass filter having a first frequency range and a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from the first frequency range;
a focal plane array comprising a plurality of detectors; and
an image controller coupled to the filter device and the focal plane array, the image controller configured to:
initiate capture of a first image of a scene while a particular portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of the focal plane array and the first bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the first detector;
determine that the particular portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the focal plane array, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that the second bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector;
in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector of the focal plane array and that the second bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector, initiate storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector; and
generate a multi-spectral composite image using at least the first image and the second image.

2. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the image controller is further configured to cause a position of one or more component of the image capture device to be adjusted to generate the second alignment of the particular portion of the scene with the second detector.

3. The image capture device of claim 2 , further comprising a piezoelectric device, a coil device, or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) driver that is responsive to the image controller to adjust the position of the one or more component.

4. The image capture device of claim 2 , further comprising a lens, wherein the one or more component of the image capture device comprises the filter device, the focal plane array, or the lens.

5. The image capture device of claim 4 , wherein the filter device comprises a filter array, wherein the image controller is configured to cause the position of the one or more component of the image capture device to be adjusted by shifting a position of the filter array based on a physical dimension of the first bandpass filter, and wherein the first detector and the second detector are the same detector.

6. The image capture device of claim 4 , wherein the filter device comprises a filter wheel, and wherein the image controller is configured to cause the position of the one or more component of the image capture device to be adjusted by rotating the filter wheel.

7. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency range is associated with a first color, and wherein the second frequency range is associated with a second color that is different from the first color.

8. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the image controller is further configured to:
track a motion of the focal plane array relative to the particular portion of the scene; and
initiate capture of the second image in response to determining, based on the motion, that the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector.

9. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the image controller is further configured to:
track a motion of the focal plane array relative to the particular portion of the scene; and
discard one or more additional images of the scene, that are captured between capture of the first image and capture of the second image, in which the particular portion of the scene is determined, based on the motion of the focal plane array, to not have the second alignment with the second detector.

10. The image capture device of claim 1 , further comprising a satellite, an aircraft, or a camera, into which the filter device, the focal plane array, and the image controller are integrated.

11. A method of capturing image data, the method comprising:
capturing, with an image capture device, a first image of a scene while a particular portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of a focal plane array and a first bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the first detector;
determining that the particular portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the focal plane array, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from a first frequency range of the first bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector;
in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector of the focal plane array and that the second bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector, initiating storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector; and
generating a multi-spectral composite image using at least the first image and the second image.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing a position of one or more component of the image capture device to be adjusted to generate the second alignment of the particular portion of the scene with the second detector.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the position of the one or more component of the image capture device is adjusted using a piezoelectric device, a coil device, or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) driver.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more component of the image capture device comprises a filter device, the focal plane array, or a lens.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein adjusting the position of the one or more component of the image capture device comprises shifting a position of a filter array based on a physical dimension of the first bandpass filter or rotating a filter wheel.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first frequency range is associated with a first color, and wherein the second frequency range is associated with a second color that is different from the first color.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
tracking a motion of the focal plane array relative to the particular portion of the scene; and
initiating capture of the second image in response to determining, based on the motion, that the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
tracking a motion of the focal plane array relative to the particular portion of the scene; and
discarding one or more additional images of the scene, that are captured between capture of the first image and capture of the second image, in which the particular portion of the scene is determined, based on the motion of the focal plane array, to not have the second alignment with the second detector.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the image capture device comprises one or more of a video camera, a picture camera, a thermal imaging camera, a microwave imager, or a radiation detector.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when ex

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lundgren Mark A
• Kunzler Friedrich Wilhelm
• Masequesmay Maurice

Classifications

• H04N9/03 Primary

  Circuitry for demodulating colour component signals modulated spatially by colour striped filters by frequency separation · CPC title

• H04N23/125

  Colour sequential image capture, e.g. using a colour wheel · CPC title

• H04N25/48

  Increasing resolution by shifting the sensor relative to the scene · CPC title

• H04N25/11

  Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics · CPC title

• H04N23/6812 Primary

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title