Hyperspectral Correlation Imaging Without Spectral Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hyperspectral imaging devices face challenges in achieving high image resolution with fast processing rates, as scanning methods are time-consuming, while snapshot methods suffer from a trade-off between spatial and spectral resolution.
Innovation Solution
A device and method utilizing a beam splitter to separate light into spatial and spectral components, processed by separate sensors with a correlator to correlate intensity data, enabling high-resolution hyperspectral imaging without spectral scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If scanning hyperspectral imaging techniques are used to achieve fine spectral resolution, then spectral resolution is improved, but acquisition time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the 2D sensor into multiple blocks, with each block dedicated to capturing a specific spatial location's spectral information simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel acquisition of spectral data across the entire field of view, eliminating the sequential scanning process while maintaining fine spectral resolution through dedicated spectral encoding for each spatial block.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the 3D hyperspectral data cube acquisition problem into a 2D simultaneous capture problem by using spatially varying spectral encoding patterns across different blocks of the 2D sensor. Each block encodes spectral information in a unique spatial-frequency domain, allowing reconstruction of the full spectral dimension without temporal scanning.
2Productivity
If snapshot hyperspectral imaging techniques are used to achieve fast parallel acquisition, then acquisition speed is improved, but spatial and spectral resolution are sacrificed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns different spectral encoding patterns to different spatial blocks, where each block is optimized for its specific spatial location. This local quality approach allows each block to maintain high spectral resolution for its designated area while collectively providing full-field simultaneous acquisition, avoiding the uniform resolution compromise of traditional snapshot methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of the spectral encoding pattern across different sensor blocks, with each copy spatially modulated to represent a specific field location. This copying strategy enables parallel reconstruction of spectral information from multiple identical encoding templates, maintaining resolution while achieving snapshot acquisition speed.
3Productivity
If the 2D sensor is divided into multiple blocks for snapshot hyperspectral imaging, then acquisition speed is improved, but the trade-off between spatial and spectral resolution worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic spectral encoding patterns that vary across spatial blocks, where the encoding strategy adapts to the spatial position. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize the distribution of spectral resolution across blocks based on their spatial location, resolving the static resolution trade-off inherent in conventional snapshot methods through spatially adaptive encoding.
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
Achieves high-resolution hyperspectral imaging with significantly reduced processing time and improved spectral resolution without sacrificing spatial resolution.
Implementation Method 1
a beam splitter (3) configured for splitting a light beam (B), coming from an object (OBJ) and entering the acquisition window (2), into a first secondary beam (B1) traveling a first optical path (S1) and including a plurality of first secondary light signals, and a second secondary beam (B2) traveling a second optical path (S2) and including a plurality of second secondary light signals
Data Source
AI summary
A hyperspectral imaging device and method disclosed herein overcomes technical problems associated with the prior art by replacing the intensity measurement performed by the single high-resolution 2D sensor of state-of-the-art methodologies, with the measurement of intensity (fluctuation) correlations retrieved by two high-resolution 2D sensors: one—the imaging/spatial sensor dedicated to polychromatic image acquisition, the other—the spectral sensor dedicated to pure spectral measurement. In the hyperspectral correlation imaging disclosed herein, the spectral information is encoded into the intensity correlation without requiring any spectral scanning. Even though multiple exposures (frames) are generally required to reconstruct light statistics and perform correlation measurements, the exposure times are several orders of magnitude shorter than those required in the scanning approach. In addition, no changes of the device are required during such multiple exposures, which simplifies the optics/optomechanics of the device and avoids further time consumption.