Adaptive spectral sensor and methods using same

US8305575B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Spectral Sciences, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Neil Goldstein · Belmont, US
• Jason A. Cline · Burlington, US
• Pajo Vujkovic-Cvijin · Los Altos, US
• Steven Adler-Golden · Newton, US
• Marsha J. Fox · Lexington, US
• Brian Gregor · Waltham, US
• Jamine Lee · Burlington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 23, 2009
• Grant date: Nov 6, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 5, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/1793
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An adaptive spectral sensor, and methods of using the sensor. The sensor uses a programmable band pass transmission filter to produce both contrast signals, which discriminate specific target materials from background materials by comparing spectral signatures in hardware, and scene radiance spectra. The adaptive spectral sensor may measure one or more scene spectra and may form a spectral image. The sensor may automatically adjust to changing spectral, spatial and temporal conditions in the environment being monitored, by changing sensor resolution in those dimensions and by changing the detection band pass. The programmable band pass can be changed on-the-fly in real time to implement a variety of detection techniques in hardware or measure the spatial or spectral signatures of specific materials and scenes.