Abstract: A smoke detector includes processing circuitry coupled to a camera. The field of view of the camera contains one or more targets, each having spatial indicia thereon. The processing circuitry collects a sequence of spatial frequency measures, such as contrast indicating parameters. Members of the sequence can be compared to at least one reference spatial frequency measure to establish the presence of smoke between the target and the camera.

Abstract: Image acquisition systems are described herein. One image acquisition system includes an image recording device configured to determine and record a tracking error associated with a raw image of a moving subject, and a computing device configured to deblur the raw image using the tracking error.

Abstract: A hand held matrix code scanner includes an orthogonal transfer charge-coupled device (OTCCD), a controller coupled to the OTCCD, and a sensor coupled to the controller. The sensor senses movement of the scanner The controller is configured to move a first location of the OTCCD array to a second location as a function of data from the sensor to compensate for the device motion during image exposure.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a video sensing device, a velocity vector estimator (VVE) coupled to the video sensing device, a controller coupled to the velocity vector estimator, and an orthogonal transfer charge-coupled device (OTCCD) coupled to the controller. The video sensing device transmits a plurality of image frames to the velocity vector estimator. The controller receives a location of an object in a current frame, stores locations of the object in one or more previous frames, predicts a motion trajectory and the predicted location of the object on it in a subsequent frame as a function of the locations of the object in the current frame and the one or more previous frames, and transmits the predicted location of the object to the OTCCD. The OTCCD shifts its image array of pixels as a function of the predicted location of the object.

Abstract: A flashless image acquisition system that includes a tandem imaging device having a tandem field of view and comprising a velocity vector estimate imaging device coupled to an object imaging device; and a peripheral imaging device having a peripheral field of view wider than the tandem field of view and configured to acquire real-time information related to positions of a moving object, wherein the real-time information is provided to the tandem imaging device, further wherein the velocity vector estimate imaging device is configured to provide in-exposure velocity vector estimates to control the object imaging device is described.

Abstract: A swept distance between a subject and a plurality of cameras provides a plurality of raw images. Focused portions of the raw images are fused to generate a synthetic image and a distance image. A projection of the synthetic image and the distance image yields a panoramic image.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes motion blur modeling methods and systems for image formation. One motion blur modeling method for image formation includes obtaining image data utilized to form a particular image taken by a camera of a subject, obtaining velocity vector data for the subject at the time the image was taken, defining a convolution kernel for use formation of the particular image and based upon the velocity vector data, and applying the convolution kernel to the image data to produce a de-blurred set of image data utilized to form the particular image.

Abstract: A duplex camera with common face and iris imaging optics locates an iris in a scene and images the iris without requiring multiple camera alignment or a rapid zoom capability. A wavelength selective mirror separates the light from an imaged scene into visible and infrared components. The visible component supplies a face image in which an iris location can be determined. Visible light optics and a visible light sensor array provide a scene image to an image processor that determines the iris location. Infrared optics and an infrared sensor produce an iris image centered on the iris location. Upon determining an iris location, a motorized stage can position the iris image in the infrared sensor. The common face and imaging optics allow the image sensors to be permanently aligned to one another.

Abstract: According to one example embodiment, a process and system include a camera used to capture a sequence of illuminated images of an subject, wherein the images are stored in frames. The focus point is changed for each image captured so that the focus point sweeps from a far to a near end of a sweep range, in discrete steps or continuous motion, so that successive images have slightly overlapping depths of field. The sweep range and overlapping depths of field provide that at least one image is well focused on the iris of the eye of the subject. In one other example embodiment, one or more of the images are illumined with a illumination fired for a respective captured image. In another embodiment, the sweep range is determined at least in part using a range finder or is otherwise controlled to determine a position of the subject so that the sweep range starts and stops a desired distance in front of and behind the subject, respectively.

Abstract: Devices and approaches for addressing wavefront corruption in biometric applications. A biometric imaging system may have a laser, a wavefront sensor, and an optical system. The laser may be configured to project a laser spot onto a skin portion of a human face, and the optical system may be configured to collect scattered light from the laser spot and relay the light to the wavefront sensor. The biometric imaging system may also have an adaptive optical element and a controller configured to provide actuation commands to the adaptive optical element based at least in part upon a wavefront distortion measurement output from the wavefront sensor. The optical system may further be configured to relay image light to an image camera of the optical system. The image camera may be an iris camera configured for obtaining iris images suitable for biometric identification.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically focusing a camera that may rely upon ambient light for auto focusing and flash illumination for image capture. A correction factor may be determined that is based at least in part on a range between the camera and a desired subject. The camera focus may be adjusted in accordance with the correction factor prior to capturing a capture image using flash illumination.

Abstract: An acquisition system for obtaining images of a fingerprint from a finger, or marks of another kind of target. The system may have two or more cameras positioned at different directions towards the target. Each camera may have a light source for illuminating the target from a direction different than that of the respective camera. The cameras may take sequences of images of the target at different focuses as the whole target might not be in focus in one image due to a depth of focus being less than the depth of the target. Portions of the images showing the target in focus may be cut from the images and stitched together to result in an image revealing virtually the whole target in focus. This target may be a fingerprint to be rolled out on or in a two dimensional medium for analysis, identification, storage, and so on.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium for determining an optimal shutter fluttering sequence. The disclosed approach is based on the use of shutter flutter technology, which means that an image can be acquired in such a manner as to encode all information about the moving subject. The disclosed approach involves determining a shutter's fluttering pattern that optimally encodes information at all frequencies. The disclosed approach involves an optimization method for finding a shutter fluttering pattern that maximizes the minimum value of a function defining the plurality of flutter shutter sequences over a frequency domain. The disclosed approach involves eliminating all flutter shutter sequences that contain lost frequencies. The objective of the disclosed approach is to select an optimal flutter shutter sequence for implementation with a flutter shutter camera.

Abstract: An image acquisition system that includes a first image recording device that records a series of images of a subject. A lateral velocity vector estimator receives the series of images from the first image recording device and estimates the lateral velocity vectors of the subject relative to the image acquisition system. The image acquisition system further includes a second image recording device that includes an orthogonal transfer CCD sensing element which records a target image of the subject. The orthogonal transfer CCD sensing element includes an array of pixels. A control adjusts the array of pixels within the orthogonal transfer CCD sensing element based on the lateral velocity vector estimates provided by the lateral velocity estimator.

Abstract: A camera system may be used to capture iris images of targeted people who may be unaware of being targeted and hence their movement may not be constrained in any way. Iris images may be used for identification and/or tracking of people. In one illustrative embodiment, a camera system may include a focus camera and an iris camera, where the focus camera is sensitive to ambient light or some spectrum thereof, and the iris camera is sensitive to infrared or some other wavelength light. The focus camera and the iris camera may share an optical lens, and the focus camera may be used to auto-focus the lens on a focus target. A beam splitter or other optical element may be used to direct light of some wavelengths to the focus camera for auto-focusing the lens, and other wavelengths to the iris camera for image capture of the iris images.

Abstract: A smoke detector includes processing circuitry coupled to a camera. The field of view of the camera contains one or more targets, each having spatial indicia thereon. The processing circuitry collects a sequence of spatial frequency measures, such as contrast indicating parameters. Members of the sequence can be compared to at least one reference spatial frequency measure to establish the presence of smoke between the target and the camera.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium for determining shutter fluttering sequence. The disclosed approach is based on the use of shutter flutter technology, which means that an image can be acquired in such a manner as to encode all information about the moving subject. The disclosed approach involves determining a shutter's fluttering pattern that optimally encodes information at all frequencies. The disclosed approach involves an optimization method for finding a shutter fluttering pattern that has several desired properties. These properties can be expressed in the context of a fitness function: given a fluttering pattern and the target subject's velocity, it produces the equivalent Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), measures three attributes, and produces a fitness score. These attributes are the minimum contrast, the variance in contrast across spatial frequencies, and the mean contrast.

Abstract: A feature-based method and system for blur estimation in eye images. A blur estimation can be performed from eye/iris images in order to produce de-blurred images that are more useful for biometric identification. The eye/iris region, in particular the edge between the iris and pupil regions, can be utilized. The pattern of shutter motion or a characterization of the optical system can be utilized. By capturing a burst of images, or a video stream, one can use eye position in the images before and after a given capture to predict the motion of the eye within that capture. Because the before/after image frames need only contain the information necessary to locate the eye, and need not contain sufficient information to perform matching, the capture of these images can be accomplished with a wider range of settings.

Abstract: A system for providing a predictive autofocus prior to capturing an image of an iris of a subject. A sequence of images of the subject may be taken with a visible light sensitive camera. A speed and/or location of the subject may be estimated from the images. An encounter may be when the subject is within focus of the camera or, in other words, a focus distance and subject distance coincide. The focus may be determined in accordance with an intensity variance determination of the subject in the image, and more particularly of a subject's eye within a window of an image. Upon an encounter, an image of the iris of the eye may be captured with an infrared sensitive camera.

Abstract: A system having a sensor and variable focus lens for iris image standoff acquisition. The sensor may capture a sequence of images at a high frame rate of a person for getting an eye or an iris in a window within the images. Even if the eye moves around in the image, the window may stay on the eye. During this capture, the focus of the lens may be changed, with a best focus situated somewhere in between the end focus positions of the lens. The sensor may be an infrared (IR) sensor and an IR illuminator or flash may provide light for the capture of images. An intensity variance indicator may be incorporated to select an in-focus image of the sequence. Processing of the images may be subsequent to the capture of images, thus not hindering the frame rate of the system.