Smart polymer image processor

US5804836A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Uniax Corporation · US

Inventors

• Alan J. Heeger · Lompoc, US
• David Heeger · New York, US
• John Langan · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 6, 1997
• Grant date: Sep 8, 1998
• Expiry date: Aug 6, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/549

Abstract

A smart array comprised an array of polymer grid triodes arrayed with a common polymer grid. In a preferred embodiment it is embodied as a conducting polymer device which provides local gain adjustment for video display such that the entire sensor dynamic range available, typically more than 16 bits in the infrared detector case, can be utilized locally to solve the intra-scene contrast problem. The array of polymer grid triodes with common grid can be utilized to process the image in analog form directly on the focal plane. Alternatively, the array of polymer grid triodes with common grid can be utilized to process the image after analog to digital conversion and integrated directly into the display.