Abstract: A compressive imaging (CI) device including a light modulator and a light sensor (e.g., a single-element sensor or a sensor array). The CI device may support the focusing of light on the light modulator and/or on the light sensor in a number of ways: (1) determining a focus indicator value by analyzing a 1D or 2D image in the incident light field; (2) measuring light spillover between modulator regions and light sensing elements—either at the level of voltage measurements or the level of reconstructed images; (3) measure noise in reconstructed sub-images; (4) measuring an amount high-frequency content in the incident light field; (5) incorporating a range finder to measure distance to the object being imaged; (6) incorporating an image sensor downstream from the modulator; and (7) splitting a portion of the incident light onto an image sensor, prior to the modulator.

Abstract: An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

Abstract: A compressive imaging system for optimizing dynamic range during the acquisition of compressed images. A light modulator modulates incident light with spatial patterns to produced modulated light. A light sensing device generates an electrical signal representing intensity of the modulated light over time. The system amplifies a difference between the electrical signal and an adjustable baseline voltage and captures samples of the amplified signal. The adjustable baseline voltage is set to be approximately equal to the average value of the electrical signal. A compressive imaging system for identifying and correcting hot spot(s) in the incident light field. Search patterns are sent to the light modulator and the corresponding samples of the electrical signal are analyzed. Once the hot spot is located, the light modulating elements corresponding to the hot spot may be turned off or their duty cycle may be reduced.

Abstract: An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

Abstract: An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

Abstract: An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

Abstract: An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

Abstract: A system and method for searching an incident light field for atypical regions (e.g., hot spots or cool spots or spectrally distinctive regions) within the incident light field using a light modulator and a spectral sensing device. Once the atypical regions are identified, the light modulator may be used to mask the incident light field so that the spectral sensing device can make spatially-concentrated measurements of the wavelength spectrum of the atypical regions (or alternatively, the exterior of the atypical regions). Furthermore, in a compressive imaging mode, a sequence of spatial patterns may be supplied to the light modulator, and a corresponding sequence of wavelength spectra may be collected from the spectral sensing device. The wavelength spectra comprise a compressed representation of the incident light field over space and wavelength. The wavelength spectra may be used to reconstruct a multispectral (or hyperspectral) data cube.