Robert F Bridge

US Patent:

8570405, Oct 29, 2013

Filed:

Jul 28, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/193553

Inventors:

Kevin F. Kelly - Houston TX, US
Richard G. Baraniuk - Houston TX, US
Leonore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
Sujoy Chatterjee - Austin TX, US
Donna E. Hewitt - Austin TX, US
Tyler H. Weston - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

InView Technology Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

H04N 5/217
H04N 5/228
H04N 7/12
H03M 1/00
H03M 1/78

US Classification:

348241, 3482221, 341123, 341155

Abstract:

An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

US Patent:

8570406, Oct 29, 2013

Filed:

Jul 28, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/193556

Inventors:

Kevin F. Kelly - Houston TX, US
Richard G. Baraniuk - Houston TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
Sujoy Chatterjee - Austin TX, US
Donna E. Hewitt - Austin TX, US
Tyler H. Weston - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

InView Technology Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

H04N 5/217
H04N 5/228
H04N 7/12
H03M 1/00
G06K 9/40

US Classification:

348241, 3482221, 341123, 382264

Abstract:

An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.

US Patent:

8634009, Jan 21, 2014

Filed:

Aug 10, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/207276

Inventors:

Kevin F. Kelly - Houston TX, US
Gary L. Woods - Houston TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
James M. Tidman - Round Rock TX, US
Donna E. Hewitt - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

InView Technology Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

H04N 3/14
H04N 5/335
H04N 5/225

US Classification:

348300, 348340, 348344

Abstract:

A compressive imaging system for optimizing dynamic range during the acquisition of compressed images. A light modulator modulates incident light with spatial patterns to produced modulated light. A light sensing device generates an electrical signal representing intensity of the modulated light over time. The system amplifies a difference between the electrical signal and an adjustable baseline voltage and captures samples of the amplified signal. The adjustable baseline voltage is set to be approximately equal to the average value of the electrical signal. A compressive imaging system for identifying and correcting hot spot(s) in the incident light field. Search patterns are sent to the light modulator and the corresponding samples of the electrical signal are analyzed. Once the hot spot is located, the light modulating elements corresponding to the hot spot may be turned off or their duty cycle may be reduced.

US Patent:

20120038786, Feb 16, 2012

Filed:

Aug 3, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/197304

Inventors:

Kevin F. Kelly - Houston TX, US
Richard G. Baraniuk - Houston TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
Sujoy Chatterjee - Austin TX, US
Tyler H. Weston - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

H04N 5/228
H04N 5/232
H01L 27/146
G06K 9/34

US Classification:

3482221, 382173, 348345, 2502081, 348E05045, 348E05031

Abstract:

Mechanisms for increasing the rate of acquisition of compressed/encoded image representations are disclosed. An imaging system may deliver subsets of a modulated light stream onto respective light sensing devices. The light sensing devices may be sampled in parallel. Samples from each light sensing device may be used to construct a respective sub-image of a final image. The parallelism allows compressed images to be acquired at a higher rate. The number of light sensing devices and/or the number of pixels per image may be selected to achieve a target image acquisition rate. In another embodiment, spatial portions of the incident light stream are separated and delivered to separate light modulators. In yet another embodiment, the incident light stream is split into a plurality of beams, each of which retains the image present in the incident light stream and is delivered to a separate light modulator.

US Patent:

20120241597, Sep 27, 2012

Filed:

May 1, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/461179

Inventors:

Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
James M. Tidman - Round Rock TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Donna E. Hewitt - Austin TX, US
Richard G. Baraniuk - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

H01L 27/146
G01J 1/44

US Classification:

2502081, 250214 P

Abstract:

A compressive imaging system for optimizing dynamic range during the acquisition of compressed images. A light modulator modulates incident light with spatial patterns to produced modulated light. A light sensing device generates an electrical signal representing intensity of the modulated light over time. The system amplifies a difference between the electrical signal and an adjustable baseline voltage and captures samples of the amplified signal. The adjustable baseline voltage is set to be approximately equal to the average value of the electrical signal. A compressive imaging system for identifying and correcting hot spot(s) in the incident light field. Search patterns are sent to the light modulator and the corresponding samples of the electrical signal are analyzed. Once the hot spot is located, the light modulating elements corresponding to the hot spot may be turned off or their duty cycle may be reduced.

US Patent:

20130002858, Jan 3, 2013

Filed:

Jun 27, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/534528

Inventors:

Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
James M. Tidman - Round Rock TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US
Sujoy Chatterjee - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

H04N 5/225
H04N 5/33
H04N 7/18

US Classification:

348135, 348340, 348164, 348E05024, 348E07085, 348E0509

Abstract:

A system and method for conserving power in compressive imaging. An optical subsystem separates an incident light stream into a primary light stream and a secondary light stream. The primary light stream is modulated with a sequence of spatial patterns by a light modulator. The modulated light stream is sensed by a first light sensing device. The secondary light stream is sensed by a second light sensing device. The signal(s) produced by the second light sensing device may be monitored to determine when to turn on power to the light modulator. Thus, the light modulator may remain off when not needed. In an alternative implementation, a light sensing device is used to sense the light reflected from the light modulator in its power-off state. The signal(s) produced by that light sensing device may be monitored to determine when to turn on power to the light modulator.

US Patent:

20130002968, Jan 3, 2013

Filed:

Jun 27, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/534249

Inventors:

Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
Donna E. Hewitt - Austin TX, US
Tyler H. Weston - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

H04N 5/64

US Classification:

348744, 348E05128

Abstract:

A compressive imaging system modulates an incident light stream and senses the modulated light stream to obtain compressive measurements. The measurements are algorithmically processed to reconstruct a sequence of images. The image sequence is displayed. The system receives user input (through a user interface) representing a user command to set or change one or more visual performance factors such as image quality and frame rate. The system immediately adjusts the visual performance factors by adjusting one or more underlying system parameters/algorithms. Thus, the visual consequences of any inputs to the user interface become immediately apparent in the displayed sequence of images. The user may therefore intuitively learn how to operate the user interface simply by making trial inputs and observing their effects in the displayed image sequence. The user interface may include one or more mechanical input devices and/or one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements.

US Patent:

20140002721, Jan 2, 2014

Filed:

Sep 4, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/017581

Inventors:

Kevin F. Kelly - Houston TX, US
Robert F. Bridge - Austin TX, US
Sujoy Chatterjee - Austin TX, US
Lenore McMackin - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

InView Technology Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

H04N 5/235

US Classification:

348369, 348370

Abstract:

An imaging system and method that captures compressive sensing (CS) measurements of a received light stream, and also obtains samples of background light level (BGLL). The BGLL samples may be used to compensate the CS measurements for variations in the BGLL. The system includes: a light modulator to spatially modulate the received light stream with spatial patterns, and a lens to concentrate the modulated light stream onto a light detector. The samples of BGLL may be obtained in various ways: (a) injecting calibration patterns among the spatial patterns; (b) measuring complementary light reflected by digital micromirrors onto a secondary output path; (c) separating and measuring a portion of light from the optical input path; (d) low-pass filtering the CS measurements; and (e) employing a light power meter with its own separate input path. Also, the CS measurements may be high-pass filtered to attenuate background light variation.