Bi-Directional Detector Display for Multi-Sensor Overlay Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Night vision systems face challenges in accurately overlaying images from multiple sensors, such as image intensifiers and thermal cameras, due to parallax issues and latency differences between sensors, leading to jarring and offset images.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with a stacked transparent structure that includes electro-optical circuits with light emitters and detectors, capable of outputting light dependent on detected light and additional sensor information, to align and correlate images from different sensors, reducing parallax and latency effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are mounted laterally with respect to each other to detect different characteristics, then the system can provide various functionalities including visible light imaging and thermal imaging, but parallax issues occur causing offset images when viewed by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (image intensifier and thermal camera) into a single integrated night vision system, allowing simultaneous visible light and thermal imaging capabilities while addressing parallax alignment through shared optical path and processing
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are mounted in different lateral, axial, or vertical positions to achieve various detection angles, then the system can capture different characteristics, but complicated calibration and software correction are required to correct parallax errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a beam combiner to optically copy and combine images from differently positioned sensors into a single aligned output path, eliminating the need for complex post-processing calibration while maintaining sensor positioning flexibility
3Speed
If image intensifiers are used with little or no digital signal processing, then the system achieves low latency and real-time motion detection, but thermal camera sensors with significant digital signal processing introduce high latency and delay
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary temporal alignment by buffering and synchronizing thermal camera data with image intensifier data before overlay, compensating for processing delays and achieving temporal synchronization without sacrificing the low-latency advantage of image intensifiers
4Adaptability or versatility
If overlay displays using beam combiners or waveguides are used to fuse multi-sensor outputs, then the system can present combined information, but parallax errors result in significant offset between different sensor inputs when viewed by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a beam combiner as an intermediary optical element that physically aligns and combines light paths from multiple sensors before reaching the user's eye, serving as a mediator that eliminates parallax offset without requiring complex digital correction
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively aligns and synchronizes images from various sensors, providing a coherent and stable visual output that minimizes parallax and latency issues, enhancing the user's ability to interpret night vision data accurately.
Implementation Method 1
The image intensifier has a photocathode. When photons strike the photocathode, electrons are emitted into a vacuum tube
Implementation Method 2
directed towards a microchannel plate to amplify the electrons
Implementation Method 3
The amplified electrons strike a phosphor screen. The phosphor screen is typically chosen such that it emits human visible light when the amplified electrons strike the phosphor screen
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes an underlying device configured output light to an optical output to output an image of objects in an environment to a user. The light is output in a first spectrum. A stacked device is configured to be coupled in an overlapping fashion to an optical output of the underlying device. The stacked device is transparent, according to a first transmission efficiency, to light in the first spectrum. The stacked device includes a plurality of electro-optical circuits including: a plurality of light emitters configured to output light, and a plurality of detectors configured to detect light in the first spectrum from the underlying device that can be used to detect the objects in the image. The light emitters are configured to output light dependent on light detected by the detectors and additional information about characteristics of the objects in the environment.