Method and system for real-time image fusion

1. A method for image fusion, the method comprising:

sensing light using a plurality of image sensors;

generating image sensor data in response to the light;

detecting, proximate each image sensor, energy of the light;

determining a voltage value corresponding to the detected energy proximate the image sensor;

calculating a weight factor for each image sensor according to the voltage value corresponding to the detected energy proximate the image sensor;

weighting the image sensor data from each image sensor according to the weight factor for the image sensor; and

fusing the weighted image sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the voltage value comprises:

determining a plurality of energy values of the detected energy within a range of wavelengths associated with the image sensor;

integrating the energy values; and

calculating the voltage value using the integrated energy values.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the voltage value comprises:

filtering the detected energy; and

calculating the voltage values from the filtered energy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the voltage value comprises:

amplifying the detected energy; and

calculating the voltage values from the amplified energy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the weight factor for an image sensor comprises:

adding the voltage values to calculate a total voltage value; and

dividing the voltage value corresponding to the image sensor by the total voltage value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the energy comprises using a spectral detector proximate the image sensor to detect the energy.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

a first image sensor is operable to sense light within a first range of wavelengths; and

a second image sensor is operable to sense light within a second range of wavelengths, the first range of wavelengths overlapping the second range of wavelengths.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an image generated from the fused image sensor data.

9. A system for image fusion, the system comprising:

a plurality of image sensors operable to:

sense light; and

generate image sensor data in response to the light;

a plurality of spectral detectors, each spectral detector proximate an image sensor and operable to:

detect energy of the light proximate the image sensor; and

determine a voltage value in response to the detected energy; and

a fusing module coupled to the image sensors and to the spectral detectors and operable to:

calculate a weight factor for each image sensor according to the voltage value corresponding to the detected energy proximate the image sensor;

weight the image sensor data from each image sensor according to the weight factor for the image sensor; and

fuse the weighted image sensor data.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each spectral detector is operable to determine the voltage value by:

determining a plurality of energy values of the detected energy within a range of wavelengths associated with the image sensor;

integrating the energy values; and

calculating the voltage value from the integrated energy values.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein each spectral detector is operable to:

filter the detected energy; and

calculate the voltage values from the filtered energy.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein each spectral detector is operable to:

amplify the detected energy; and

calculate the voltage values from the amplified energy.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the fusing module is operable to calculate the weight factor for an image sensor by:

adding the voltage values to calculate a total voltage value; and

dividing the voltage value corresponding to the image sensor by the total voltage value.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

a first image sensor is operable to sense light within a first range of wavelengths; and

a second image sensor is operable to sense light within a second range of wavelengths, the first range of wavelengths overlapping the second range of wavelengths.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a display coupled to the fusing module and operable to display an image generated from the fused image sensor data.

16. A computer program for image fusion, encoded on a computer readable medium for execution by a computer, the program operable to:

receive image sensor data generated by a plurality of image sensors in response to sensing light;

receive data describing energy detected proximate each image sensor;

determine a voltage value corresponding to the detected energy proximate the image sensor;

calculate a weight factor for each image sensor according to the voltage value corresponding to the detected energy proximate the image sensor;

weight the image sensor data from each image sensor according to the weight factor for the image sensor; and

fuse the weighted image sensor data.

17. The program of claim 16 , wherein the software when executed by a computer is operable to determine the voltage value by:

determining a plurality of energy values of the detected energy within a range of wavelengths associated with the image sensor;

integrating the energy values; and

calculating the voltage value using the integrated energy values.

18. The program of claim 16 , wherein the software when executed by a computer is operable to determine the voltage value by:

filtering the detected energy; and

calculating the voltage values from the filtered energy.

19. The program of claim 16 , wherein the software when executed by a computer is operable to determine the voltage value by:

amplifying the detected energy; and

calculating the voltage values from the amplified energy.

20. The program of claim 16 , wherein the software when executed by a computer is operable to calculate the weight factor for an image sensor by:

adding the voltage values to calculate a total voltage value; and

dividing the voltage value corresponding to the image sensor by the total voltage value.

21. The program of claim 16 , wherein:

a first image sensor is operable to sense light within a first range of wavelengths; and

a second image sensor is operable to sense light within a second range of wavelengths, the first range of wavelengths overlapping the second range of wavelengths.

22. The program of claim 16 , wherein the software when executed by a computer is operable to generate an image from the fused image sensor data.

23. A system for image fusion, the system comprising:

a plurality of image sensors, each image sensor operable to:

sense light within a range of wavelengths; and

generate image sensor data in response to the light;

a plurality of spectral detectors, each spectral detector proximate an image sensor and operable to:

detect energy of the light proximate the image sensor;

filter the detected energy;

amplify the detected energy; and

determine a voltage value in response to the detected energy by:

determining a plurality of energy values of the detected energy within the range of wavelengths associated with the image sensor;

integrating the energy values; and

calculating the voltage value from the integrated energy values;

a fusing module coupled to the image sensors and to the spectral detectors and operable to:

calculate a weight factor for each image sensor according to the voltage value corresponding to the image sensor by:

adding the voltage values corresponding to the plurality of image sensors to calculate a total voltage value; and

dividing the voltage value for the image sensor by the total voltage value;

weight the image sensor data from each image sensor according to the weight factor for the image sensor; and

fuse the weighted image sensor data; and

a display coupled to the fusing module and operable to display an image generated from the fused image sensor data.