Adaptive imaging system

Claim 2

A sensor module comprising: a plurality of electro-optical detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of said detector elements being divided into four electrically and optically distinct quadrants with the adjacent quadrants of each detector element being differently biased for enabling such adjacent quadrant to provide electrically different signals in response to radiation moving relative to such adjacent quadrants, and each quadrant having a reticle optically associated therewith, common amplifier means operatively associated with the four quadrants of each said detector element, and circuit means coupled with the amplifier means of each detector element for detecting variations in signals from said detector elements as a function of radiation passing the reticle of a quadrant and as a function of radiation passing from quadrant to quadrant of a detector element.

Claim 3

A sensor module comprising a plurality of electro-optical detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of said detector elements being divided into four electrically and optically distinct quadrants, and each quadrant having a reticle optically associated therewith, circuit means for differently biasing adjacent quadrants of each detector element for enabling adjacent quadrants to provide electrically different signals in response to radiation moving relative to such adjacent quadrants, and detector circuit means coupled with said detector elements for analyzing signals therefrom, said detector circuit means comprising means for detecting variations in signals from said detector elements as a function of radiation passing the reticle of a quadrant and passing from quadrant to quadrant of a detector element.

Claim 4

A sensor module comprising a plurality of electro-optical detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of said detector elements being divided into four electrically and optically distinct quadrants, and each quadrant having a reticle optically associated therewith, circuit means for differently biasing adjacent quadrants of each detector element for enabling adjacent quadrants to provide electrically different signals in response to radiation moving relative to such adjacent quadrants, and detector circuit means coupled with said detector elements for analyzing signals therefrom, said detector circuit means comprising means for detecting variations in signals from said detector elements as a function of radiation passing the reticle of a quadrant and passing from quadrant to quadrant of a detector element.

Claim 5

An imaging system for providing observation of a scene for recognition of features of a scene, comprising a two dimensional mosaic array of radiation sensitive electro-optical detector elements for converting radiation from a scene into electrical signals representing the scene, each of said detector elements being divided into four electrically and optically distinct quadrants with the adjacent quadrants of each detector element being differently biased for enabling adjacent quadrants to provide electrically different signals in response to radiation moving relative to such adjacent quadrants, and each quadrant having a reticle optically associated therewith for providing spacial modulation to enhance resolution of the scene, multiple circuit means each operatively associated with one of said detector elements for receiving and operating upon the signal emitted by each said element, said multiple circuit means each comprising common amplifier means operatively associated with the four quadrants of each said detector element and an output circuit coupled with the amplifier means of each detector element, sampling means coupled to said multiple circuit means for sequentially sampling tHe signals from said circuit means, said sampling means comprising multiplex means coupled with the output circuits of the circuit means, and processor means coupled to said sampling means for receiving and processing said sampled signals, said processor means including serially connected storage means for storing sampled signals representing output signals of groups of detectors sampled at different times, and including combining and comparator means connected with said storage means for combining said stored sampled signals and comparing the resultant signals to a threshold signal for detecting the occurrence of features of a scene.

Claim 6

An imaging system for providing observation of a scene for recognition of features of a scene, comprising a two dimensional mosaic array of radiation sensitive electro-optical detector elements for converting radiation from a scene into electrical signals representing the scene, each of said detector elements being divided into four electrically and optically distinct quadrants with the adjacent quadrants of each detector element being differently biased for enabling adjacent quadrants to provide electrically different signals in response to radiation moving relative to such adjacent quadrants, and each quadrant having a reticle optically associated therewith for providing spacial modulation to enhance resolution of the scene, multiple circuit means each operatively associated with one of said detector elements for receiving and operating upon the signal emitted by each said element, said multiple circuit means each comprising common amplifier means operatively associated with the four quadrants of each said detector element and an output circuit coupled with the amplifier means of each detector element, sampling means coupled to said multiple circuit means for sequentially sampling tHe signals from said circuit means, said sampling means comprising multiplex means coupled with the output circuits of the circuit means, and processor means coupled to said sampling means for receiving and processing said sampled signals, said processor means including serially connected storage means for storing sampled signals representing output signals of groups of detectors sampled at different times, and including combining and comparator means connected with said storage means for combining said stored sampled signals and comparing the resultant signals to a threshold signal for detecting the occurrence of features of a scene.

Claim 7

The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said processor means further includes digitizing means for digitizing said sampled signals, and said serially connected storage means stores said digitized signals representing said output signals of groups of detector elements sampled at different times, and said combining and comparator means comprises differencer means coupled with said storage means for receiving in parallel said digitized signals and measuring signal variation therebetween, and includes comparator means responsive thereto for comparing said signal variations with said threshold signal.

Claim 8

The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein each said amplifier means comprises an amplifier-filter means for amplifying and filtering the signal emitted by each said detector element, and each amplifier-filter means comprising a separate amplifier-filter circuit coupled between each said detector element and said sampling means.

Claim 9

The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising three-dimensional multiple coupling means associated with said array of detector elements for coupling each said detector element to a said separate amplifier-filter circuit, said multiple coupling means including a set of wafers of varying size stacked to form a mesa structure with shelves, a substrate disposed on said structure and having said detector array disposed thereon, each said detector element being coupled between a common reference terminal and an individual signal terminal, multiple coupling terminals disposed on said shelves, and conductive means three-dimensionally associated with said wafers for coupling said common terminal and each said signal terminal to a separate one of said coupling terminals.

Claim 10

The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising three-dimensional multiple coupling means associated with said array of detector elements for coupling each said detector element to a said separate amplifier-filter circuit, said multiple coupling means comprising, a set of multilayered boards of varying width stacked to form a structure with shelves and an essentially flat end surface, said end surface comprising an end of each said board, a substrate disposed on said end surface and having said detector array disposed thereupon, each said detector element being coupled between a common reference terminal and an individual signal terminal, multiple coupling terminals disposed on said shelves, and conductive means three-dimensionally associated with said boards for coupling said common terminal and each said signal terminal to a separate one of said coupling terminals.

Claim 11

The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising three-dimensional multiple coupling means associated with said array of detector elements for coupling each said detector element to a said separate amplifier-filter circuit, said multiple coupling means comprising a set of wafers of varying size stacked to form a mesa structure with shelves, a substrate, having a top layer and at least first and second sublayers, disposed on said structure, said detector array being disposed on said top layer, multiple signal terminals and multiple bias terminals associated with said substrate, each said detector quadrant having one of said signal terminals and one of said bias terminals coupleD to opposite ends thereof, first conductive means associated with said first sublayer for coupling together one half of said bias terminals, second conductive means associated with said secone sublayer for coupling together the other half of said bias terminals, multiple coupling terminals disposed on said shelves, and third conductive means three-dimensionally associated with said wafers for coupling said bias terminals and said signal terminals to said coupling terminals such that said one half of said bias terminals are coupled to a first of said coupling terminals, said other half of said bias terminals are coupled to a second of said coupling terminals, and each said four quadrants of each said detector are coupled to another of said coupling terminals.

Claim 12

The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising three-dimensional multiple coupling means associated with said array of detector elements for coupling each said detector element to a said separate amplifier-filter circuit, said multiple coupling means comprising a set of multilayered boards of varying width stacked to form a structure with shelves and an essentially flat end surface, said end surface comprising an end of each said board, a substrate, having a top layer and at least first and second sublayers, disposed on said end surface, said detector array being disposed on said top layer, multiple signal terminals and multiple bias terminals associated with said substrate, each said detector quadrant having one of said signal terminals and one of said bias terminals coupled to opposite ends thereof, first conductive means associated with said first sublayer for coupling together one half of said bias terminals, second conductive means associated with said second sublayer for coupling together the other half of said bias terminals, multiple coupling terminals disposed on said shelves, and third conductive means three-dimensionally associated with said boards for coupling said bias terminals and said signal terminals to said coupling terminals such that said one half of said bias terminals are coupled to a first of said coupling terminals, said other half of said bias terminals are coupled to a second of said coupling terminals, and each said four quadrants of each said detector are coupled to another of said coupling terminals.

Claim 13

The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said multiplex means comprises a set of first multiplexing means each coupled with the output circuits of the circuit means for sequentially multiplexing the signals from the circuit means, and a second set of multiplexing means each coupled to several of said first multiplexing means for further multiplexing signals therefrom.

Claim 14

The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said digitizing means comprises an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said sampling means for digitizing said sampled signals, and said storage means and said combining and comparator means of said processor means form event determining means for determining the occurrence of features sensed by said detector elements.

Claim 15

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said serially connected storage means comprises a first shift register coupled to said analog-to-digital converter for registering a first sampled signal representing an output from a group of detector elements, and a second shift register coupled in series to said first shift register for delayed registration of said first sampled signal as a second sampled signal originating from the same group of detector elements as said first sampled signal registered in said first shift register, and said differencer means is coupled in parallel to said first and second shift registers for measuring the signal variation between said first and second sampled signals and said comparator means is coupled to said differencer means for comparing said signal variation with said threshold signal.