Abstract: FPAs on a wafer can be tested prior to dicing the wafer into individual dies. A focal plane array (FPA) can comprise an array of photodetectors, such as microbolometers, on a semiconductor substrate or die. FPAs can be manufactured on a wafer to make multiple FPAs on a single wafer that can be later diced or divided into individual FPAs. Prior to dicing the wafer, the FPAs can be tested electrically and radiometrically in bulk to characterize individual FPAs, to identify bad pixels, to identify bad chips, to calibrate individual FPAs, and the like. These test results can be used to determine acceptable FPAs and can be used to provide initial settings for imaging systems with the tested and integrated FPA.

Abstract: Edge enhancement of a digital image can include using at least two signal processing paths to adjust a display-formatted pixel value to enhance the appearance of edges in displayed image data. A digital image can be filtered by producing an edge enhancement factor, ?, per pixel from at least one look up table (LUT). Digital image data can also be adjusted using at least two signal processing paths, where the image data is adjusted if a pixel value and its neighboring pixel values are all within a smoothing range or where the pixel delta value is outside of a bad pixel range and its neighboring pixel delta values are all within the bad pixel range. In such cases, the image data can be adjusted by replacing the pixel value with an average or median value of the neighboring pixels.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an array of photodetectors and electronic circuitry associated with the photodetectors to read intensity values from the photodetectors. The electronic circuitry can include an integrator with an integrator capacitor having a nominal capacitance, wherein a gain of the electronic circuitry associated with a photodetector can depend at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor, the actual capacitance differing from the nominal capacitance. The imaging system can be configured to determine a gain factor that depends at least in part on the actual capacitance and/or a signal voltage input to the integrator. The imaging system can be configured to apply the gain factor based at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor calculated. The imaging system can be a thermal imaging system and may include an infrared camera core.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermal monitoring of a Field of View (FOV), including at least one thermal imaging module. The thermal imaging module includes an Infrared Focal Plane Array (IR FPA) and optics for producing a thermal image of a scene including a portion of the FOV, at least one processor, a battery based power supply controlled by the processor, and a network interface to the processor. Also included is an application executing on the processor, configured to put the module into a low power mode, wherein only minimal timing and network interface functions are operable, for at least one of predetermined intervals or in response to a network wake-up command, power up module and acquire thermal image data of the scene, segment the image of the scene into two or more regions, perform thermographic analysis to determine the temperature of each region, return to low power mode and repeat, and at least one system controller in communication with the modules over the network.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an array of photodetectors and electronic circuitry associated with the photodetectors to read intensity values from the photodetectors. The electronic circuitry can include an integrator with an integrator capacitor having a nominal capacitance, wherein a gain of the electronic circuitry associated with a photodetector can depend at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor, the actual capacitance differing from the nominal capacitance. The imaging system can be configured to determine a gain factor that depends at least in part on the actual capacitance and/or a signal voltage input to the integrator. The imaging system can be configured to apply the gain factor based at least in part on the actual capacitance of the integrator capacitor calculated. The imaging system can be a thermal imaging system and may include an infrared camera core.

Abstract: A method and an imaging system for adaptive shutter control wherein an imaging system can be configured to actuate a calibration element at various times and develop an offset correction or Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC). The system control processing units may acquire information derived from calibration data, regular imaging data or external data, which may be correlated with how fast the NUC is changing over time. How often calibration element is actuated may be adaptively determined from the correlating information and the actuation times may be adaptively controlled to optimally actuate as needed. In some embodiments the calibration element may be a shutter and calibration activation may include closing the shutter and providing a flat field image for calibration purposes.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods are disclosed that use locally flat scenes to adjust image data. An imaging system includes an array of photodetectors configured to produce an array of intensity values corresponding to light intensity at the photodetectors. The imaging system can be configured to acquire a frame of intensity values, or an image frame, and analyze the image frame to determine if it is locally flat. If the image frame is locally flat, then that image data can be used to determine gradients present in the image frame. An offset mask can be determined from the image data and that offset mask can be used to adjust subsequently acquired image frames to reduce or remove gradients.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for testing FPAs on a wafer prior to dicing the wafer into individual dies. A focal plane array (FPA) can comprise an array of photodetectors, such as microbolometers, on a semiconductor substrate or die. FPAs can be manufactured on a wafer to make multiple FPAs on a single wafer that can be later diced or divided into individual FPAs. Prior to dicing the wafer, the FPAs can be tested electrically and radiometrically in bulk to characterize individual FPAs, to identify bad pixels, to identify bad chips, to calibrate individual FPAs, and the like. These test results can be used to determine acceptable FPAs and can be used to provide initial settings for imaging systems with the tested and integrated FPA.

Abstract: A shutter for an optical system, such as a small infrared camera, for alternately blocking and exposing an optical sensor to light includes an electrically conductive coil, having a center long axis, a magnet element rotatably mounted within the coil with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the center long axis of the coil, a shutter flag element connected to the magnet element, and a shutter base element supporting the shutter flag, magnet, and coil. Energizing the coil in a first manner causes the rotatable magnet to rotate from a first position to a second position and energizing the coil in a second manner returns the magnet to the first position, causing the flag to alternately block and expose the optical sensor.

Abstract: Edge enhancement of a digital image can include using at least two signal processing paths to adjust a display-formatted pixel value to enhance the appearance of edges in displayed image data. A digital image can be filtered by producing an edge enhancement factor, a, per pixel from at least one look up table (LUT). Digital image data can also be adjusted using at least two signal processing paths, where the image data is adjusted if a pixel value and its neighboring pixel values are all within a smoothing range or where the pixel delta value is outside of a bad pixel range and its neighboring pixel delta values are all within the bad pixel range. In such cases, the image data can be adjusted by replacing the pixel value with an average or median value of the neighboring pixels.

Abstract: A method for offset correction in an imaging system comprising acquiring image data representative of at least a portion of a frame of pixel intensity values from the detector array at two times with a shutter closed. The method includes determining an offset value function for individual pixels based on the image data acquired with the shutter closed. The method includes acquiring subsequent scene image data with the shutter open, and adjusting the scene image data relative to the flat field as predicted by the offset value function at the time the scene image data was acquired to correct for offset drift of the imaging system. In some embodiments, the imaging array is an infrared Focal Plane Array (IR FPA) in a thermal imaging camera.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical element, which may be suitable for use in an infrared camera with sharp surface features and low emissivity surfaces, including the steps of casting the element in the desired shape in a zinc alloy, deburring the zinc alloy element with a thermal deburring operation, and coating the deburred zinc alloy element with an electrocoating operation.

Abstract: A system and method for digitizing data from an imaging system includes sampling a signal from an optical detector with a first circuit having a first attenuation and with a second circuit having a second attenuation different than the first attenuation. The system and method further includes digitizing the sampled signal at a predetermined number of bits desired for an analog to digital conversion of the sampled signal by allocating a first portion of bits to digitizing a signal from the first circuit and allocating a second portion of bits to digitizing a signal from the second circuit. The system and method further includes encoding the first and second portion of bits into one monotonic digital word corresponding to a range of the sampled signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a sealed container having a reduced pressure atmosphere are disclosed. The container is suitable for housing an infrared detector array. Outgassing can be enhanced by adding features to solder preforms that maintain pathways for gasses to more readily exit the container prior to sealing thereof. Getters can be used to mitigate undesirable gases within the sealed container. One or more bolometers can be used to determine if the sealed container is leaking. A vacuum positioning fixture can be used to assemble the components of the infrared detector assembly and to place the infrared detector assemblies into a vacuum chamber. The cost of manufacturing such infrared detector assemblies may be reduced and the reliability thereof enhanced.

Abstract: A bolometer circuit has a substrate, bolometer detectors coupled to the substrate, a source of calibration data and a compensation circuit. Each bolometer detector has an associated calibration data. The compensation circuit is configured to generate a time varying compensation signal for each bolometer detector based on its associated calibration data.

Abstract: A bolometer circuit has a substrate, bolometer detectors coupled to the substrate, a source of calibration data and a compensation circuit. Each bolometer detector has an associated calibration data. The compensation circuit is configured to generate a time varying compensation signal for each bolometer detector based on its associated calibration data.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, an infrared camera includes an infrared detector providing infrared data and a programmable logic device providing timing and control signals to the infrared detector and processing the infrared data to provide an output signal based on the infrared data. Additional memory devices, if present, may be controlled by the programmable logic device, which manages the flow of information for the memory devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a sealed container having a reduced pressure atmosphere are disclosed. The container is suitable for housing an infrared detector array. Outgassing can be enhanced by adding features to solder preforms that maintain pathways for gasses to more readily exit the container prior to sealing thereof. Getters can be used to mitigate undesirable gases within the sealed container. One or more bolometers can be used to determine if the sealed container is leaking. A vacuum positioning fixture can be used to assemble the components of the infrared detector assembly and to place the infrared detector assemblies into a vacuum chamber. The cost of manufacturing such infrared detector assemblies may be reduced and the reliability thereof enhanced.

Abstract: Systems and methods for microbolometer focal plane arrays are disclosed. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, microbolometer focal plane array circuitry is disclosed for a microbolometer array having shared contacts between adjacent microbolometers. Various techniques may be applied to compensate for non-uniformities, such as for example, to allow operation over a calibrated temperature range.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for measuring a distance (or gap) between substrates of a hybrid semiconductor. The measurements may be made during a hybridization process to, for example, provide alignment feedback during the hybridization process. The measurements may also be made after the hybridization process to further calibrate the process or to provide information useful for further processing operations.