Abstract: Various techniques are provided for using one or more shielded (e.g., blinded, blocked, and/or obscured) infrared sensors of a thermal imaging device. In one example, a method includes capturing a signal from a shielded infrared sensor that is substantially blocked from receiving infrared radiation from a scene. The method also includes capturing a signal from an unshielded infrared sensor configured to receive the infrared radiation from the scene. The method also includes determining an average thermographic offset reference for the shielded and unshielded infrared sensors based on the captured signal of the shielded infrared sensor. The method also includes determining an absolute radiometric value for the scene based on the average thermographic offset reference and the captured signal of the unshielded infrared sensor.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate, low lag, and reliable autopilot autorelease in a hydraulic steering system for mobile structures. A hydraulic steering system includes a logic device configured to communicate with an autopilot pump controller, a control surface reference sensor, an orientation sensor, and/or a gyroscope. Control and sensor signals provided by the pump controller and/or the various sensors are used to selectively enable and/or disable an autopilot release signal. The autopilot release signal enables or disables the autopilot pump controller and/or an autopilot pump, or controls the autopilot pump controller to enable or disable the autopilot pump.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide infrared imaging systems with improved electronics architectures. In one embodiment, an infrared imaging system is provided that includes an infrared imaging sensor for capturing infrared image data and a main electronics block for efficiently processing the captured infrared image data. The main electronics block may include a plurality of vector processors each configured to operate on multiple pixels of the infrared image data in parallel to efficiently exploit pixel-level parallelism. Each vector processor may be communicatively coupled to a local memory that provides high bandwidth, low latency access to a portion of the infrared image data for the vector processor to operate on. The main electronics block may also include a general-purpose processor configured to manage data flow to/from the local memories and other system functionalities. The main electronics block may be implemented as a system-on-a-chip.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide reliable analyte spatial detection systems. An analyte spatial detection system includes an imaging module, a visible light projector, associated processing and control electronics, and, optionally, orientation and/or position sensors integrated with the imaging module and/or the visible light projector. The imaging module includes sensor elements configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in one or more selected spectrums, such as infrared, visible light, and/or other spectrums. The visible light projector includes one or more types of projectors configured project visible light within a spatial volume monitored by the imaging module. The system may be partially or completely portable and/or fixed in place. The visible light projector is used to indicate presence of a detected analyte on a surface near or adjoining the spatial position of the detected analyte.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for an imaging system having a plurality of sensors associated with input optics. In one example, an imaging system includes input optics configured to receive incident radiation along an input optical axis and a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, each configured to detect the incident radiation. The imaging system further includes a rotating member positioned between the first and second optical sensors and configured to rotate about the input optical axis and a reflector coupled to the rotating member configured to be selectively positionable by the rotating member to a first orientation, in which the reflector directs the incident radiation along a first secondary axis to the first optical sensor, and to a second orientation, in which the reflector directs the incident radiation along a second secondary axis toward the second optical sensor.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided for binning (e.g., clustering or grouping) two or more infrared sensors of a focal plane array (FPA) to permit configuration of the FPA to various dimensions and/or pixel sizes. For example, according to one or more embodiments, switchable interconnects may be implemented within the FPA, wherein the switchable interconnects comprise a plurality of switches adapted to selectively connect or disconnect infrared sensors of the FPA to/from column lines, row lines, and between each other. The switchable interconnects may also comprise another set of switches adapted to selectively connect adjacent column lines together. By selectively opening and closing appropriate switches of the switchable interconnects, two or more neighboring infrared sensors may be binned together to form a binned detector. Advantageously, the binned detector, along with the array and associated circuitry, may provide increased sensitivity, reduced power consumption, and/or increased frame rate.

Abstract: Techniques using small form factor infrared imaging modules are disclosed. An imaging system may include visible spectrum imaging modules, infrared imaging modules, and other modules to interface with a user and/or a monitoring system. Visible spectrum imaging modules and infrared imaging modules may be positioned in proximity to a scene that will be monitored while visible spectrum-only images of the scene are either not available or less desirable than infrared images of the scene. Imaging modules may be configured to capture images of the scene at different times. Image analytics and processing may be used to generate combined images with infrared imaging features and increased detail and contrast. Triple fusion processing, including selectable aspects of non-uniformity correction processing, true color processing, and high contrast processing, may be performed on the captured images. Control signals based on the combined images may be presented to a user and/or a monitoring system.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for providing a radar system. In one example, such a radar system includes a radar unit adapted to broadcast radar signals and receive return signals in response thereto. The radar unit includes a waveform generator adapted to provide pulse waveforms of different pulse widths and Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) waveforms, wherein the waveforms are interleaved with each other to provide a transmission sequence for the radar signals for detection of long range and short range targets, a power amplifier adapted to amplify the radar signals for broadcast, and an antenna adapted to broadcast the radar signals and receive the return signals. Other examples of radar systems and related methods are also provided.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for providing electrical power and/or data from the interior of a building structure to a device at the exterior of the structure without piercing (e.g., making a hole through a wall or window frame) the structure. A camera surveillance system for an embodiment includes self-adhesive energy transfer units that can be placed on either side of a window so that electrical power is passed via the energy transfer units from inside a building to the outside without the need for making a hole in the window or building through which to pass electrical wire to feed power and/or data to/from the camera surveillance system. One of the energy transfer units may be integral with the camera surveillance system and the adhesive may be strong enough to support the weight of the camera surveillance system on the window. The camera surveillance system may be installed without the need for tools.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using infrared imaging modules to image and detect phase transitions of water, such as ice formation, in a scene. An ice formation detection system may include one or more infrared imaging modules, a logic device, and a communication module. The infrared imaging modules may be positioned to image a scene in which ice formation is to be detected. The logic device may be adapted to process captured infrared images to detect ice formation in the scene. The logic device may also be adapted to use the communication module to report detected ice formation to an indicator, a display, a user interface, and/or an ice formation mitigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods may be provided for fabricating infrared focal plane arrays. The methods include providing a device wafer, applying a coating to the device wafer, mounting the device wafer to a first carrier wafer, thinning the device wafer while the device wafer is mounted to the first carrier wafer, releasing the device wafer from the first carrier wafer, singulating the device wafer into individual dies, each die having an infrared focal plane array, and hybridizing the individual dies to a read out integrated circuit.

Abstract: An improved emitter tracking system. In aspects of the present teachings, the presence of a desired emitter may be established by a relatively low-power emitter detection module, before images of the emitter and/or its surroundings are captured with a relatively high-power imaging module. Capturing images of the emitter may be synchronized with flashes of the emitter, to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the captured images.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using small form factor infrared imaging modules to monitor occupants in an interior compartment of a vehicle. For example, a vehicle-mounted system may include one or more infrared imaging modules, a processor, a memory, alarm sirens, and a communication module. The vehicle-mounted system may be mounted on, installed in, or otherwise integrated into a vehicle with an interior compartment. The infrared imaging modules may be configured to capture thermal images of desired portions of the interior compartments. Various thermal image processing and analytics may be performed on the captured thermal images to determine the presence and various attributes of one or more occupants. Based on the determination of the presence and various attributes, occupant detection information or control signals may be generated. Occupant detection information may be used to perform various monitoring operations, and control signals may adjust various vehicle components.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for providing a device attachment configured to releasably attach to and provide infrared imaging functionality to mobile phones or other portable electronic devices. For example, a device attachment may include a housing with a tub on a rear surface thereof shaped to at least partially receive a user device, an infrared sensor assembly disposed within the housing and configured to capture thermal infrared image data, and a processing module communicatively coupled to the infrared sensor assembly and configured to transmit the thermal infrared image data to the user device. Thermal infrared image data may be captured by the infrared sensor assembly and transmitted to the user device by the processing module in response to a request transmitted by an application program or other software/hardware routines running on the user device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for displaying a panoramic view image includes transmitting video data from a plurality of sensors to a data processor and using the processor to stitch the video data from respective ones of the sensors into a single panoramic image. A focus view of the image is defined and the panoramic image is scrolled such that the focus view is centered in the display. A high resolution camera is aimed along a line corresponding to a center of the focus view of the image and an image produced by the camera is stitched into the panoramic image. A mapping function is applied to the image data to compress the data and thereby reduce at least the horizontal resolution of the image in regions adjacent to the side edges thereof.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an infrared (IR) sensor module includes an IR sensor assembly, including a substrate, a microbolometer array disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and a cap disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and hermetically enclosing the microbolometer array. A base is disposed below the substrate, and a heat spreader having a generally planar portion is interposed between a lower surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the base. In some embodiments, the heat spreader can include a material having an anisotropic thermal conductivity, e.g., graphite.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for bolometer circuits and related methods for thermal imaging in a difference domain, where each pixel value represents a difference in incident IR radiation intensity between adjacent bolometers. For example, a bolometer circuit may include an array of bolometers each configured to generate a pixel signal in response to a bias and incident infrared radiation. Each column of the bolometer array may comprise an amplifier, a first plurality of switches each configured to selectively provide a supply voltage to a respective one of bolometers of the each column, a second plurality of switches each configured to selectively route a difference of the pixel signals of a respective adjacent pair of the bolometers of the each column to an input of the amplifier, and a third plurality of switches configured to selectively provide a common voltage to a respective one of the bolometers of the each column.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for providing accurate and reliable compact sonar systems for mobile structures. In one embodiment, a sonar system includes a mounting bracket, a transducer support arm, and a pivoting mechanism pivotably coupling the transducer support arm to the mounting bracket such that, for forces acting on the transducer support arm that are less than a preselected kick-up level, the pivoting mechanism holds the transducer support arm against such forces and at a user selectable first angular position relative to the mounting bracket, and for forces acting on the transducer support arm that are equal to or greater than the preselected kick-up level, allows the transducer support arm to be moved by those forces to a second angular position relative to the mounting bracket.