Computationally enhanced low-performance infrared focal plane arrays
A method uses inpainting, whereby the ability to optimize the reconstruction of images at high resolution and sensitivity with minimal pixels is hard wired into the IRFPA. By combining several of these systems, or by selecting different pixels in the array to form images of different colors, hyperspectral images and 3-D tomograms can also be obtained with a significantly smaller number of pixels.
1 . A method of acquiring an image, comprising the steps of:
illuminating an infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) with electro-magnetic (EM) radiation of a desired infrared wavelength;
identifying best responding pixels;
using the best responding pixels, forming a sub-sampled acquisition; and
reconstructing the image from the sub-sampled acquisition using inpainting.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of illuminating is further defined by illuminating the infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) with multiple wavelengths to identify the best performing pixels for short wavelength infrared (SWIR), long wavelength infrared (LWIR) and medium wavelength infrared (MWIR);
forming masks for individual color images by inpainting; and
combining the masks together to form an inpainted hyperspectral image.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the best performing pixels are mapped to the IRFPA for the sub-sampled acquisition.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the best performing pixels are determined for each of multiple wavelengths illuminated on the IRFPA, and maps are formed for each wavelength illuminated on the IRFPA, and using the maps, masks are formed for individual color images by inpainting; and combining the masks together to form an inpainted hyperspectral image.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the multiple wavelengths illuminated on the IRFPA are illuminated sequentially to form maps for each of the multiple wavelengths.
6 . An infrared imaging system comprised of a focal plane array, readout electronics and a computing system in which the pixels are computationally enhanced during operation by during manufacturing of the infrared imaging system, illuminating the focal plane array with electro-magnetic (EM) radiation of a desired infrared wavelength;
identifying best responding pixels for the desired infrared wavelength and forming a mapping of the best responding pixels for the infrared imaging system; and
during operation, using the mapping, forming a sub-sampled acquisition of the best performing pixels; and
reconstructing the image from the sub-sampled acquisition using inpainting.
7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the best performing pixels are determined for each of multiple desired wavelengths illuminated on the IRFPA and maps are formed for each wavelength illuminated on the IRFPA, and using the maps, masks are formed for individual color images by inpainting; and combining the masks together to form an inpainted hyperspectral image.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the multiple desired wavelengths illuminated on the IRFPA are illuminated sequentially to form maps for each of the multiple desired wavelengths.