Patent · US Active

Image acquisition method for microbolometer thermal imaging systems

US11368637B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
9References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 2021
Grant dateJun 21, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2041

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J2005/202
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for imaging a target scene using a microbolometer array having multiple lines of microbolometer pixels are disclosed. Each line is switchable between an exposed state and a shielded state, where the line is exposed to the target scene and a reference scene, respectively. The method may include alternating between generating a target frame of the target scene and generating a reference frame of the reference scene, each of which in a rolling shutter mode. The method may also include, concurrently with the generating steps, alternating between sequentially shielding each line after its readout in the exposed state for its next readout in the shielded state, and sequentially exposing each line after its readout in the shielded state for its next readout in the exposed state. The method may also include adjusting the target frames using the reference frames to generate thermal images of the target scene.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.