Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging range finder is disclosed using a transmitted pulse reflected from a target. The range finder includes a pixel sensor for receiving light from the target and the reflected pulse. A global counter is provided for determining a time-of-flight value of the transmitted pulse. A processing circuit, which is coupled to the pixel sensor and the global counter, extracts the reflected pulse received by the pixel sensor, and stores the time-of-flight value upon extracting the reflected pulse. The pixel sensor provides a luminance signal and the processing circuit includes a high pass filter to extract the reflected pulse from the luminance signal.

Abstract: An infrared imager includes an array of capacitance sensors that operate at room temperature. Each infrared capacitance sensor includes a deflectable first plate which expands due to absorbed thermal radiation relative to a non-deflectable second plate. In one embodiment each infrared capacitance sensor is composed of a bi-material strip which changes the position of one plate of a sensing capacitor in response to temperature changes due to absorbed incident thermal radiation. The bi-material strip is composed of two materials with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients.

Abstract: The invention relates to an extended dynamic range imager. An array of pixels provides an output signal for each pixel related to an amount of light captured for each pixel during an integration period. A row of extended dynamic range (XDR) sample and hold circuits having an XDR sample and hold circuit for each column of the array captures an XDR signal related to a difference between the output signal and an XDR clamp level to which the pixel is reset at a predetermined time before the end of the integration period. A row of linear sample and hold circuits having a linear sample and hold circuit for each column of the array captures a linear signal related to a difference between the output signal and an initial output signal to which the pixel is reset at the beginning of the integration period.

Abstract: An imaging system and method for correcting for differences between correlated double sampling (CDS) circuits of a row of CDS circuits of an imager of the imaging system. According to one embodiment, a plurality of gain correction coefficients having an initial value and a plurality of dc offset correction coefficients having an initial value are stored. A reference dc offset value and a reference gain value are determined, and a dc offset value and a gain value for each CDS circuit is determined. The dc offset value and gain value for each CDS circuit is compared to the reference dc offset value and reference gain value, respectively, and the plurality of gain correction coefficients and the plurality of dc offset correction coefficients is updated in accordance with the comparisons.

Abstract: An infrared imager includes an array of capacitance sensors that operate at room temperature. Each infrared capacitance sensor includes a deflectable first plate which expands due to absorbed thermal radiation relative to a non-deflectable second plate. In one embodiment each infrared capacitance sensor is composed of a bi-material strip which changes the position of one plate of a sensing capacitor in response to temperature changes due to absorbed incident thermal radiation. The bi-material strip is composed of two materials with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients.

Abstract: An infrared imager includes an array of capacitance sensors that operate at room temperature. Each infrared capacitance sensor includes a deflectable first plate which expands due to absorbed thermal radiation relative to a non-deflectable second plate. In one embodiment each infrared capacitance sensor is composed of a bi-material strip which changes the position of one plate of a sensing capacitor in response to temperature changes due to absorbed incident thermal radiation. The bi-material strip is composed of two materials with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients.

Abstract: Radiation illuminating the A register of a charge-coupled device (CCD) imager of the field transfer type during the transfer of a field from A to the B register results in smear in the reproduced image. Such smear is reduced by removing any charge which may be present in the A register, during a period which begins just after the transfer of a field from the A to the B register, and which terminates when the integration of the next field begins.

Abstract: Radiation illuminating the A register of a charge-coupled device (CCD) imager of the field transfer type during the transfer of a field from the A to the B register results in smear in the reproduced image. The smear charge signals are sensed during one line time of a field and stored, and the stored signals are employed to cancel the effects of the smear charge signals of the other lines of a field.

Abstract: Analog signals initially are stored in an a linear array such as a charge coupled device (CCD) register. There is provided, for each stage of the linear array, a different column of a CCD matrix, termed here a B register. During a transfer interval, the analog charge signals concurrently are permitted to flow into the columns. As the stages in the B register have much smaller charge storage capacity than the stages in the linear array, the charge signal fills and then overflows successive potential wells of each column until an equilibrium condition is reached. At equilibrium, the number of filled wells in a column will be proportional to the amplitude of the charge signal supplied to that column by the stage of the linear array coupled to the column. The matrix is read by concurrently sensing all of the signals present in one column, and then doing the same for each following column.

Abstract: During the integration time, the voltage applied to the electrodes of a charge coupled device (CCD) imager under which radiation induced charges are to be collected is changed as a function of time. To obtain dark current reduction, a linear ramp may be employed which starts at a relatively low voltage level. The lower average voltage employed to collect charge signals results in lower dark currents (especially at locations where defects are present) but does not appreciably change the number of radiation induced charge carriers which are collected. To obtain increased dynamic range, the voltage may be changed in non-linear fashion, for example, increased in discrete steps or increased by changing the slope of the voltage waveform. Similar techniques may be employed for gamma (.gamma.) correction.

Abstract: An improved operational blooming control circuit for a charge coupled device image sensing array in which the "accumulated" regions of the substrate are driven into "depletion" at the end of the integration time and prior to the transfer of the contents of the A to the B registers. This is found to improve the resolution of the reproduced image.

Abstract: The contents of the photosensing array of a charge coupled device (CCD) imager is transferred to a drain region during a portion of each integration time proportional to the scene's brightness. Such transfer is accomplished by shifting the accumulated charge in the backward direction along the columns to the drain region.