Nonuniformity correction algorithm with nonlinear model for infrared focal plane arrays

For the detector in infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPA) with a large dynamic range of response, a nonlinear model of response curve of the detector in IRFPA is introduced in this paper. With the model, the Kalman-filter nonuniformity correction (NUC) algorithm with linear model, developed by Torres and Hayat, is extended. In the extended algorithm, the raw image is translated into a linearized one firstly by directly employing a logarithm-based transformation. Then the linearized image is corrected by the Kalman-filter NUC algorithm with linear model, and the corrected linearized image is obtained. Finally the uniformity image of the original one is achieved by fulfilling an exponent transformation to the corrected linearized image. The presented algorithm not only inherits the advantage of the original algorithm that resolves the problem of the temporal drift in the gain and the bias in each detector by updating NUC parameters with information of the current scene, but also reduce the influence of the detector nonlinear response to the NUC performance, so it is suitable for IRFPA under large response-range. The NUC ability of the presented algorithm is demonstrated by experiments with real infrared image sequences.     

Improvement in adaptive nonuniformity correction method with nonlinear model for infrared focal plane arrays

The scene adaptive nonuniformity correction (NUC) technique is commonly used to decrease the fixed pattern noise (FPN) in infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPA). However, the correction precision of existing scene adaptive NUC methods is reduced by the nonlinear response of IRFPA detectors seriously. In this paper, an improved scene adaptive NUC method that employs “S”-curve model to approximate the detector response is presented. The performance of the proposed method is tested with real infrared video sequence, and the experimental results validate that our method can promote the correction precision considerably.     

一种具有自适应非均匀校正功能的非制冷焦平面探测器组件

基于场景的非均匀校正算法(scene based nonuniformity correction,SBNUC)是非均匀校正技术今后的重点发展方向,介绍了近年来基于恒定统计约束的SBNUC、神经网络的SBNUC和运动估计的SBNUC算法的研究进展。研究了SBNUC算法在实际焦平面探测器组件上的实现方法,该方法仅依赖拍摄序列的信息对焦平面探测器的增益和偏置参数进行组间更新或帧间更新,可有效补偿温漂。研制了一种具有自适应非均匀校正功能的非制冷焦平面探测器组件,红外视频经该组件处理后,图像质量有所提高。该组件可明显提高热成像系统的成像性能,并能动态地保证热成像系统随场景变化的稳定性。     

Research on the response model of microbolometer

There are certain limitations in the application of uncooled focal plane array (FPA) detector due to the lack of an effective response model which reliably transforms the target temperature to analog output voltage. This paper establishes the response model of microbolometer through researching the detection theory of microbolometer and the heat balance equation under the condition of the pulsed voltage bias. In the establishing process, we simplified the heat balance equation to acquire a simple answer. The experimental data show that, in the temperature dynamic range of 30 K, the biggest tolerance between the model data and the experiment data is 0.2 K; while in the temperature dynamic range of 100 K, it is 1 K. This model can reflect the real response of the microbolometer with only small differences which are acceptable in engineering applications.     

场景自适应的红外焦平面成像动态范围调整技术

针对红外焦平面对辐射强度较大的目标输出动态范围不足的问题,提出了一种场景自适应的红外焦平面成像动态范围调整技术。包括3个方面的内容:从图像中提取目标灰度特征,获取动态范围自适应依据;结合最小均方自适应滤波算法,对调整依据进行滤波预测后给出调节值;把灰度调节值转换成电平值,利用电平值设置红外焦平面偏置电压完成焦平面成像动态范围自适应。最后,对整体方案进行了实验验证。通过在红外焦平面成像系统中实验证明了基于场景成像动态范围自适应方法的可行性,并获得了很好的效果,成像质量有明显提高。     

Response model of resistance-type microbolometer

There are certain limitations in the application of uncooled focal plane array (FPA) detectors owing to the shortage of the response model that transforms bias voltage to analog output voltage at a certain constant radiation power; Moreover, bias voltage affects the input radiation gain. In this study, we established a response model of a microbolometer through examining the detection theory of a microbolometer and the heat balance equation under the condition of the pulse voltage bias. In the establishment process, we simplified the heat balance equation in order to acquire a simple answer. The experimental data show that, in the full variable range of bias voltages, the biggest difference between the model data and the experiment data is about 0.7 K. This model can reflect the real responses of microbolometers with only small differences, which are acceptable in engineering applications.     

Minimum mean square error method for stripe nonuniformity correction

Stripe nonuniformity is very typical in line infrared focal plane (IRFPA) and uncooled starring IRFPA. We develop the minimum mean square error (MMSE) method for stripe nonuniformity correction (NUC). The goal of the MMSE method is to determine the optimal NUC parameters for making the corrected image the closest to the ideal image. Moreover, this method can be achieved in one frame, making it more competitive than other scene-based NUC algorithms. We also demonstrate the calibration results of our algorithm using real and virtual infrared image sequences. The experiments verify the positive effect of our algorithm.     

基于三次样条插值的IRFPA非均匀性校正算法*

针对红外成像制导跟踪系统工程应用的实际要求,对红外焦平面阵列工作在大动态范围条件下的非均匀性校正算法进行了深入研究,依据函数插值原理,导出了三次样条插值非均匀性校正算法.用模拟的非均匀性图像和实际的红外图像对算法进行了校验.结果表明该算法具有动态范围大、校正准确度高的优点,可对红外焦平面阵列实现非均匀性和非线性双重校正效果.     

基于三次样条插值的IRFPA非均匀性校正算法

针对红外成像制导跟踪系统工程应用的实际要求,对红外焦平面阵列工作在大动态范围条件下的非均匀性校正算法进行了深入研究,依据函数插值原理,导出了三次样条插值非均匀性校正算法.用模拟的非均匀性图像和实际的红外图像对算法进行了校验.结果表明该算法具有动态范围大、校正准确度高的优点,可对红外焦平面阵列实现非均匀性和非线性双重校正效果.     

基于变积分时间的红外焦平面非均匀性校正算法研究

针对两点温度定标算法在应用过程中曝露的问题,提出了基于变积分时间的红外焦平面非均匀性校正算法.该算法先对图像进行非线性压缩,转换为线性图像,再利用红外焦平面阵列探测元的响应特性与积分时间之间的关系,采用改变积分时间的方法拟合红外焦平面探测器的平均响应特性曲线,进行两点校正,然后对结果进行取指数操作,即得到原图非均匀校正后的图像.分别利用两点温度定标法和变积分法对航拍红外图像进行校正效果验证,同时进行了不同校正算法的非均匀性适应性评价实验.实验结果表明新算法计算量小,校正准确度高,反应速度快,并在一定程度上解决了大动态范围下响应非线性对校正性能的影响,具有很好的工程应用价值.     

一种基于DSP+CPLD的低功耗实时红外成像系统实现方法

非致冷红外焦平面阵列(IRFPA)固有的非均匀性严重制约了系统成像质量,其输出动态范围大和监视器显示输出动态范围小也构成了矛盾。为解决这些问题,采用了复杂可编程逻辑器件(CPLD)设计红外焦平面阵列输出驱动和视频编码芯片的显示时序,以高速低功耗数字信号处理器(DSP)为核心,实现了嵌入式红外图像实时采集与压缩校正硬件系统。提出了一种结合两点校正的灰度直方图统计阈值分段线性压缩变换算法,并进行了实验。结果表明,系统可以实时的对红外图像进行采集和压缩校正,处理后图像的非均匀性得到很好的校正,背景被抑制的同时目标和细节得到了增强。该方案简单可靠,电路功耗较低,可为小型化红外热像仪的研制提供参考。     

基于衬底温度和贝叶斯估计的红外非均匀性校正（英）

分析了红外焦平面阵列(IRFPA)基于定标的非均匀性校正法(NUC)和基于场景的NUC算法各自的优势和问题,在此基础上提出了联合非均匀性校正方法。根据上电时刻焦平面衬底的温度值,从FLASH中提取事先存储的对应温度区间的增益和偏置校正参数,初步消除探测器的非均匀性。通过分析初步校正后图像残余非均匀性噪声的特性,提出了一种自适应非均匀性校正算法NSCT,对经过NSCT分解后的子带图像,利用贝叶斯阈值逐点进行信号方差和噪声方差估计,计算出残余非均匀性噪声后并加以去除。实验结果表明,该算法能有效提高校正精度,并具有更强的环境适应性。     

小波变换的红外焦平面阵列非均匀性校正算法

红外焦平面阵列(IRFPA)的非均匀性是其应用中必须解决的技术难题之一。基于小波理论,提出了一种基于成像场景的红外焦平面非均匀性校正算法。该算法选择合适的小波函数对红外成像序列进行小波分解,而后对分解的信号计算出相应的统计量,从而得出红外焦平面非均匀性校正的偏置和增益校正系数,以此最终实现非均匀性校正。对真实红外序列图像的处理效果验证了该算法可较好地实现非均匀性校正。此外该算法对慢变化量具有较好的自适应性,可较好地抑制一般基于场景统计的非均匀性校正算法中出现的"人工虚影"的现象。     

Theoretical analysis and experimental application of CDS CMOS integrated circuit for uncooled infrared focal plane arrays

In this paper, a typical correlated double sampling (CDS) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit for uncooled infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) is theoretically analyzed, the key factor of CDS CMOS integrated circuit is pointed out, and a new CDS integrated circuit which is high correlative for low-frequency noise is applied in an experimental readout chip for uncooled IRFPA. Theoretical analysis indicates that the sample transfer function of a noise source acted on by CDS processing is related to noise frequency and sampling time interval and the key factor of CDS circuit for reducing or eliminating noise in readout integrated circuit is the sampling time interval. The experimental readout chip with high noise-correlative CDS integrated circuit is fabricated to verify the theoretical analysis, which can be applied to uncooled IRFPAs.     

凝视型非制冷红外热像仪的优化设计

概述了凝视型非制冷热像仪作用距离估算的几种模型及其特点.采用NVTherm分析了320×240凝视型非制冷热像仪的调制传递函数、最小可分辨温差和探测距离.分析结果表小F/#、减小像元间距都能够改善凝视型非制冷热像仪的性能,增加作用距离.外场试验结果与NVTherm的仿真值符合得比较好,表明可以利用NVTherm对凝视型非制冷红外热像仪的设计过程进行优化,并能缩短设计周期.     

Nonuniformity correction algorithm based on adaptive filter for infrared focal plane arrays

Response nonuniformity is a key problem that influences the imaging performance of infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPA) imaging system. A parallel processing algorithm to adaptively estimate the nonuniformity correction (NUC) parameters for IRFPA is presented. In this algorithm, a bank of the adaptive filter is applied to adaptively estimate the NUC parameters for every detector in IRFPA. The infrared image sequences are input into the bank of adaptive filter. After certain times recursion calculations are executed frame-by-frame, then the optimal coefficients of the gain and the offset of detector in IRFPA are achieved. Then the NUC is fulfilled ultimately. The algorithm reduces the influence that the response drift with time imposed on NUC effectively, and achieves good NUC effect. It was validated by real experimental imaging procedures.     

一种基于图像局部信息的红外图像动态范围压缩算法

红外焦平面探测器输出的信号通常为14bit数字图像,要在常用的显示器上显示必须将14bit的图像压缩到8bit,压缩算法直接影响到了图像的细节和对比度。提出了一种基于图像局部信息的红外图像动态范围压缩算法,通过高斯滤波器将原始红外图像分解为基图像和细节图像,并统计原始图像每个像素的局部方差,然后根据每个像素的局部方差计算细节图像的自动增益函数,最后,将基图像进行平台直方图均衡化后与细节图像合成得到压缩后的图像。通过对多种场景的红外图像进行仿真验证,表明该算法能较好地增强图像的细节。     

基于低次插值的红外焦平面器件非均匀性多点校正算法

提出了分段线性插值和三次样条插值两种基于低次插值的红外焦平面阵列非均匀性多点校正算法,该算法能有效地克服工程上常用的一点和二点校正算法的不足,具有校正精度高、动态范围大、在线计算量小、易于实时实现等优点,并且能有效克服IRFPA各探测单元响应特性的非线性对校正精度的影响.     

高精度非致冷长波红外热像仪的辐射标定

为使非致冷长波红外热像仪在不同温度下保持较高的测温精度,建立了考虑探测器工作温度效应的非致冷长波红外热像仪的辐射标定模型。对非致冷长波红外热像仪进行辐射标定实验,在不同黑体温度和不同亮度增益值条件下,获得了16组图像灰度与探测器工作温度之间的函数关系,建立了目标温度的数学计算模型,并对定标结果进行了实验验证。结果表明：在25～40℃,探测器的工作温度效应可做线性化处理,且与目标温度无关。通过设定合适的亮度增益值可使红外热像仪的测温误差〈0.5℃,极大地提高了非致冷长波红外热像仪在不同温度环境下的测温精度。     

Microbolometer dynamic range adaptive technology based on the scene target temperature calculation

A new adaptive technology applied for adjusting the output dynamic range of microbolometer has been described in this paper. This technology is based on the temperature calculation of the scene target. According to the microbolometer, when the temperature of the scene target becomes too high/low to exceed or almost exceed the maxim/minimum resolution of the system, it will lower the temperature resolution of the image. When this happens, this technology will calculate the raw image data, determine the temperature level of the scene target, and rearrange the crucial bias voltages which relates to the dynamic range of microbolometer. This technology adjusts the dynamic range of the output signal and enriches the image details. This technology has greatly improved the performance of the system, elevated the real-time ability, and lowered the total power consumption.