Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system has an emitter which produces a sequence of outgoing pulses of coherent collimated light that transmitted in a given direction, a mirror system having a scanning mirror that is positioned to deflect the outgoing pulse sequence towards a scene, and a detector collocated with the emitter and aimed to detect a sequence of incoming pulses being reflections of the outgoing pulses that are returning from said given direction and have been deflected by the scanning mirror. An electronic controller communicates with the emitter and the detector and controls the scanning mirror, so that the outgoing pulses scan the scene and the controller computes a radial distance or depth for each pair of outgoing and incoming pulses and uses the computed radial distance to provide a scanned 3D depth map of objects in the scene. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A camera includes a pulse transmitter for transmitting at a transmit time through an aperture and along an optical path to a target a coherent electromagnetic ranging pulse at a first wavelength range outside the visible spectrum. In some embodiments, the camera includes a reflected pulse detector for receiving a reflected electromagnetic pulse reflected by the target back along the optical path and through the aperture at a detect time subsequent to the transmit time. In some embodiments, the camera includes a shutter positioned for shielding the pulse detector from at least transmit time to an intermediate time between the transmit time and the detect time. In some embodiments, the shutter includes a layer of semiconductor material placed in the optical path at a point between the target and the detector.

Abstract: The color response of camera devices may be calibrated, using a correction factor that can account for differences in the spectra of light emitted by different light sources used during calibration. The correction factor may be calculated based on the expected spectral sensitivities of the camera devices, the power spectrum of an actual light source, and the power spectrum of a canonical light source. The correction factor is then applied to adjust a measured color response of a given camera device, so that the adjusted color response is effectively the response of the given camera device if it had been illuminated by the canonical light source. In this manner, any measured color response differences, which may be due to differences between the actual light source used and the canonical light source, can be effectively reduced (if not essentially eliminated.) Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: To generate data for color pixels in an image, Bayer symmetric interleaved exposures can more evenly spread the long exposure pixels in the vertical direction and produce a higher dynamic range by having pixels with different exposure times interleaved within different rows. Long and short exposure pixels can be interleaved across two adjacent rows to form 4 pixel wide by 2 pixel tall blocks that are repeated across a Bayer pattern color array. In each block, the first row can be three long and one short exposure pixel; and the second row can be three short and one long exposure pixel. The long exposure pixels can form an “L” shaped pattern rotated 90 degrees clockwise; and the short exposure pixels can form an “L” shaped pattern rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Subsequent rows of the blocks may be offset horizontally to form diagonal bands of long and short exposure pixels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing spatially dynamic illumination in camera systems. A spatially dynamic illumination source enables the illumination of only desired objects in the field of view of the camera, thereby reducing the amount of light required from the illumination source. The spatially dynamic illumination source may include an array of illumination elements and a control component. Each illumination element in the illumination array may include a light-emitting element combined with an optical element. A camera and the spatially dynamic illumination source may be combined in a camera and illumination system. The camera and illumination system may dynamically detect, track, and selectively illuminate only desired objects in the camera field of view.

Abstract: The color response of camera devices may be calibrated, using a correction factor that can account for differences in the spectra of light emitted by different light sources used during calibration. The correction factor may be calculated based on the expected spectral sensitivities of the camera devices, the power spectrum of an actual light source, and the power spectrum of a canonical light source. The correction factor is then applied to adjust a measured color response of a given camera device, so that the adjusted color response is effectively the response of the given camera device if it had been illuminated by the canonical light source. In this manner, any measured color response differences, which may be due to differences between the actual light source used and the canonical light source, can be effectively reduced (if not essentially eliminated.) Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: To generate data for color pixels in an image, Bayer symmetric interleaved exposures can more evenly spread the long exposure pixels in the vertical direction and produce a higher dynamic range by having pixels with different exposure times interleaved within different rows. Long and short exposure pixels can be interleaved across two adjacent rows to form 4 pixel wide by 2 pixel tall blocks that are repeated across a Bayer pattern color array. In each block, the first row can be three long and one short exposure pixel; and the second row can be three short and one long exposure pixel. The long exposure pixels can form an “L” shaped pattern rotated 90 degrees clockwise; and the short exposure pixels can form an “L” shaped pattern rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Subsequent rows of the blocks may be offset horizontally to form diagonal bands of long and short exposure pixels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imager for improving image quality. The imager includes a pixel array of a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns. The imager also includes a color filter array (CFA) including a color pattern of a first color filter allowing a first pixel to detect a first color of light, and a second color filter allowing a second pixel to detect a second color of light and a third color of light. Each of the color filters in the color pattern are included in each row of the pixel array.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imager for improving image quality. The imager includes a pixel array of a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns. The imager also includes a color filter array (CFA) including a color pattern of a first color filter allowing a first pixel to detect a first color of light, and a second color filter allowing a second pixel to detect a second color of light and a third color of light. Each of the color filters in the color pattern are included in each row of the pixel array.

Abstract: The invention, in various exemplary embodiments, incorporates multiple image sensor arrays, with separate respective color filters, on the same imager die. One exemplary embodiment is an image sensor comprising a plurality of arrays of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate, wherein each pixel cell comprises a photo-conversion device. The arrays are configured to commonly capture an image. An image processor circuit is connected to said plurality of arrays and configured to combine the captured images, captured by the plurality of arrays, and output a color image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating the interior of a blood vessel include a variety of improved catheter designs, methods and apparatus for accessing and occluding a blood vessel.

Abstract: A system for detecting and graphically displaying a contents of a fast-moving target object comprises: a radiation source, having a position such that at least a portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source passes through the fast-moving target object, the fast-moving target object having a variable velocity and acceleration while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the radiation source and being selected from the group consisting of: a vehicle, a cargo container and a railroad car; a velocity measuring device configured to measure the variable velocity of the fast-moving target object; a detector array comprising a plurality of photon detectors, having a position such that at least some of the at least a portion of the radiation passing through the target object is received thereby, the detector array having a variable count time according to the variable velocity and a grid unit size; a counter circuit coupled to the detector array for discretely counting a number of photons enterin

Abstract: Digital pixel data is obtained from radiographic imaging of one or more objects, and corresponds to an imaged area containing a feature to be measured. A data profile for a region around the measured feature is created from the digital pixel data. A reference profile is then created from the data profile. The reference profile represents an expected data profile for a reference condition of the objects, and accounts for the point spread function of the imager. The difference between the data profile and the reference profile is calculated. Based on that difference, the degree by which the actual condition of the objects varies from the reference condition is determined. The calculated difference can be compared to a lookup table mapping previously calculated differences to degrees of variation from the reference condition. The calculated difference can also be used as an input to an experimentally derived formula.

Abstract: A system for detecting and graphically displaying a contents of a fast-moving target object comprises: a radiation source, having a position such that at least a portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source passes through the fast-moving target object, the fast-moving target object having a variable velocity and acceleration while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the radiation source and being selected from the group consisting of: a vehicle, a cargo container and a railroad car; a velocity measuring device configured to measure the variable velocity of the fast-moving target object; a detector array comprising a plurality of photon detectors, having a position such that at least some of the at least a portion of the radiation passing through the target object is received thereby, the detector array having a variable count time according to the variable velocity and a grid unit size; a counter circuit coupled to the detector array for discretely counting a number of photons enterin

Abstract: A system for detecting and graphically displaying a contents of a fast-moving target object comprises: a radiation source, having a position such that at least a portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source passes through the fast-moving target object, the fast-moving target object having a variable velocity and acceleration while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the radiation source and being selected from the group consisting of: a vehicle, a cargo container and a railroad car; a velocity measuring device configured to measure the variable velocity of the fast-moving target object; a detector array comprising a plurality of photon detectors, having a position such that at least some of the at least a portion of the radiation passing through the target object is received thereby, the detector array having a variable count time according to the variable velocity and a grid unit size; a counter circuit coupled to the detector array for discretely counting a number of photons enterin

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments of the invention provide an extended depth of field. One embodiment provides an image restoration procedure, comprising determining sample point pixels from a pixel array based upon a distance of an object being imaged to the pixel array, and reading intensities of the sample point pixels into a memory. Another embodiment provides an image capture procedure comprising capturing light rays on a pixel array of an imaging sensor, wherein specific sampling point pixels are selected to be evaluated based on spread of an image spot across a based on spread of an image spot across the plurality of pixels of the pixel array plurality of pixels of the pixel array.

Abstract: Digital pixel data is obtained from radiographic imaging of one or more objects, and corresponds to an imaged area containing a feature to be measured. A data profile for a region around the measured feature is created from the digital pixel data. A reference profile is then created from the data profile. The reference profile represents an expected data profile for a reference condition of the objects, and accounts for the point spread function of the imager. The difference between the data profile and the reference profile is calculated. Based on that difference, the degree by which the actual condition of the objects varies from the reference condition is determined. The calculated difference can be compared to a lookup table mapping previously calculated differences to degrees of variation from the reference condition. The calculated difference can also be used as an input to an experimentally derived formula.

Abstract: An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in a F2 laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0.25 milliseconds between pulses.

Abstract: An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in an ArF excimer laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0.25 milliseconds between pulses.