Abstract: A video inspection device using a field mode CCD camera. In order to inspect the printing on a moving web, a field mode CCD camera is provided with a zoom lens and strobe light. The image obtained is processed so that only alternate pixels of the image are stored. When reading out the stored image, the image is blown up by a factor of two and the missing pixels are interpolated horizontally and vertically. The resultant image is displayed in a monitor for the operator to inspect.

Abstract: A visual monitoring system for an electric power substation includes at least one camera for obtaining the image of various operational indicators in the substation, either within the control house, outdoors or both. The indicators could be the status of various gauges, including current, voltage and temperature gauges, or other structural elements, such as the position of various switches, the level of oil in a transformer sight glass, or whether a transformer fan is running, among others. The image is then enhanced to accentuate the desired features, and the desired data is then image detected. The resulting information is then compared against a standard to determine whether or not the operational status of the indicator is abnormal.

Abstract: A system for automatically performing the Minimum Resolvable Contrast (MRC) test on an image sensor, such as a TV camera, using a digital signal processor for controlling the testing, wherein an edge response from a square aperture target edge is used to generate a Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) which, in combination with signal and noise data obtained using the square aperture target, provides an input to automated MRC (AMRC) processing equations, from which a value can be calculated for an AMRC output. Alternatively, a slit target may be substituted for the square target aperture when measuring camera MTF.

Abstract: A method for adjusting the lens offset of a video camera, in which the offset value of the lens is calculated quickly and exactly during only a small travel of a focus lens and a zoom lens, thereby shortening the time required for calculating the offset value conventionally involving a large travel of the focus lens and the zoom lens, preventing an error, and further curtailing the cost of production.

Abstract: A television camera lens diagnostic system for diagnosing the state of operation of a movable mechanism in a lens unit has a start button which generates a start signal for commanding initiation of the diagnosis when pushed and a diagnostic action commanding circuit commands the movable mechanism to take a predetermined action for the diagnosis upon receipt of the start signal. Potentiometers detects the actual action of the movable mechanism and a microcomputer determines whether the movable mechanism has trouble on the basis of the actual action of the movable mechanism detected by the potentiometers and the extent and the condition of the trouble are displayed.

Abstract: Video cameras, such as charge coupled device cameras, are used for optically making dimensional measurements of laser beams. Such cameras have drawbacks including baseline offset error, shading error, pixel-to-pixel fixed pattern offsets, and poor signal-to-noise ratio. Methods and apparatus to correct for these errors, without losing any desired signal components, wherein the baseline offset error is corrected without the loss of any signal components that may otherwise be obscured due to noise. The baseline of the signal is raised above a digitizer's zero level, an average baseline without an input signal present is determined, and then the average baseline is subtracted from the subsequently obtained signals. The subtraction process is performed such that the subsequent frames in memory retain all negative signal components, as well as positive signal components, and thus there is no loss of the desired signal.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus includes a solid state image pickup device for receiving an optical image of an object and generating an electrical image signal representing the optical image of the object in synchronism with a driving pulse from a driving circuit. A sampling circuit generates a sampled image signal by sampling the electrical image signal read out of the solid state image pickup device with a first sampling pulse from a first pulse circuit synchronized with the driving pulse. An analog-to-digital convertor converts the sampled image signal to a digital image signal with a second sampling pulse from a second pulse circuit. A test signal generator generates a test signal which is synchronized with the driving pulse and alternately changes in level between consecutive pixels. A controller controls the phase of the first sampling pulse and the phase of the second sampling pulse relative to each other by processing the test signal.

Abstract: An image mapping radiometer mounted on a craft flying an orbit above an object zone. The radiometer includes main optics having in the visible field thereof a unit object zone defined by the swath width over the object zone and a distance in the direction of orbit, and a plurality of linear photoelectic detectors each being assigned to one of a plurality of observation spectral bands and located in the focal plane of the main optics, thereby sequentially imaging the unit object zone. A correcting section has correction optics for projecting a correction pattern onto the photoelectric detectors so as to correct the band-to-band registration, i.e., the positional deviation between the elements of the detectors. A movable mirror is provided for selecting either of the main optics and correction optics. When the correction pattern is projected, a lattice pattern having a pitch different from the element pitch is generated on the light-sensitive surfaces of the detectors.