Method and apparatus for illuminating a field-of-view and capturing an image
US7428997B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 30, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K7/10564
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A variable illuminator, for instance a device for scanning a beam of light, emits a selected amount of power to a plurality of spots across a field of view. The amount of power is determined as inversely proportional to the apparent brightness of each spot. In the case where the spot size is equal to pixel size, the device may operate with a non-imaging detector. In the case where pixel size substantially equals spot size, the output of the variable illuminator may be converged to produce a substantially uniform detector response and the image information is determined as the inverse of a frame buffer used to drive the variable illuminator. The illuminator and detector may be driven synchronously. In the case where an imaging detector is used, the variable illumination may be used to compress the dynamic range of the field of view to substantially within the dynamic range of the imaging detector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.