Per-pixel dark reference bolometer
US10451487B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 2018 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/677
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Microbolometer arrays incorporating per-pixel dark reference structures for non-uniformity correction. In one example a thermal imager includes a device substrate, a microbolometer array disposed on the device substrate and including a plurality of detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, each detector element including an imaging microbolometer and a reference microbolometer, the imaging microbolometer being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from a viewed scene and to produce an image signal in response to receiving the electromagnetic radiation, the image signal including a component produced due to thermal noise in the respective detector element, and the reference microbolometer being shielded from receiving the electromagnetic radiation and configured to produce a reference signal indicative of the thermal noise, wherein the thermal imaging device is configured to produce an image of the viewed scene based on a combination of the image signals and the reference signals from the plurality of detector elements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.