Imaging Instrument Target Spot Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging instruments with a single image sensor struggle with accuracy and visibility of target designation spots at long or medium ranges due to significant photonic noise, making it difficult for operators to precisely verify the location of the target designation spot within the scene image.
Innovation Solution
A new imaging instrument design featuring a matrix image sensor that captures both natural and backscattered pointing radiation, with a filter in a confirmation zone that selectively transmits pointing radiation while excluding natural radiation, enhancing contrast and signal-to-noise ratio, and allowing for improved visibility of the target designation spot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single image sensor is used to capture both the scene and the target designation spot, then the device complexity is reduced, but the photon noise in the scene image becomes significant, making the target designation spot barely visible at great distances
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor surface is divided into two distinct zones: a first zone for capturing the scene image and a second confirmation zone for detecting the target designation spot. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function, with the confirmation zone dedicated solely to spot detection, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image sensor are assigned different functional qualities: the first zone is optimized for scene imaging while the second confirmation zone is optimized for target designation spot detection. This local differentiation enables the confirmation zone to achieve high reliability for spot visibility while the overall device maintains relatively simple structure.
2Length of stationary object
If the target is located at a great distance from the instrument, then the designation range is extended, but the target designation spot becomes barely visible or almost invisible within the scene image due to significant photon noise
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sensor into a scene capture zone and a dedicated confirmation zone, the system can maintain extended designation range while ensuring the confirmation zone receives sufficient optical energy to detect the target designation spot reliably, even at great distances where photon noise would otherwise obscure the spot.
Solution Approach 2:
A beam splitter is introduced as an intermediary optical element that directs light from the target designation spot to the confirmation zone while allowing the scene to be captured in the first zone. This intermediary enables the system to achieve both extended range and reliable spot visibility by separating the optical paths appropriately.
3Reliability
If two image sensors are used to capture the scene image and the target designation spot separately, then the visibility of the target designation spot is improved, but the accuracy with which the images are subsequently superimposed becomes uncertain, preventing precise verification of the spot location
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is segmented into two zones that simultaneously capture scene and spot information on the same sensor plane, eliminating the need for subsequent image superimposition. This maintains high visibility of the target designation spot while ensuring precise location verification through direct spatial correspondence on the single sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of capturing the scene and detecting the target designation spot are merged into a single image sensor with two distinct zones. This combination eliminates the superimposition accuracy problems associated with using two separate sensors, as both images are captured simultaneously on the same sensor plane with inherent spatial alignment.
4Reliability
If a filter is added to the confirmation zone to selectively transmit pointing radiation, then the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A filter is applied specifically to the confirmation zone to selectively transmit pointing radiation wavelengths while blocking other wavelengths. This local application of the filter improves contrast and signal-to-noise ratio for spot detection without requiring filters across the entire optical system, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity to only the necessary local component.
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 provides a clear and precise visualization of the target designation spot with improved contrast and signal-to-noise ratio, enabling operators to accurately verify its location and correct alignment with ease, even at extended distances.
Implementation Method 1
an image of a scene with a first radiation, called natural radiation, which comes from elements of the scene, and adapted so that the image formed contains a contribution from a target which is contained in the scene, this contribution being produced by a second radiation, called pointing radiation, which is backscattered by the target
Implementation Method 2
a filter that covers a limited area of the image sensor, called the confirmation area, and that is adapted to transmit to the pixel elements contained in this confirmation area, selectively the pointing radiation excluding natural radiation or excluding a part of the natural radiation that is spectrally separated from the pointing radiation
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
An imaging instrument for controlling a target designation makes it possible to visualise a target designation spot (SP) within a scene (SC), while using only one image sensor. To do this, a filter is arranged on the image sensor, in a restricted area (ZC) of same. The filter makes it possible to increase a contrast and a signal-to-noise ratio for an image of the target designation spot, when a misalignment (DP) is produced in order to bring the image of the target designation spot into the area of the filter.