Key performance requirements for military low-light television cameras

Steven Shimer; Gerald Heim

doi:10.1117/12.717636

20 April 2007 Key performance requirements for military low-light television cameras

Steven Shimer, Gerald Heim

Proceedings Volume 6546, Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems and Applications IV; 654602 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.717636
Event: Defense and Security Symposium, 2007, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Low-light-level video cameras have benefited from rapid advances in digital technology during the past two decades. In legacy cameras, the video signal was processed using analog electronics which made real-time, nonlinear processing of the video signal very difficult. In state-of-the-art cameras, the analog signal is digitized directly from the sensor and processed entirely in the digital domain, enabling the application of advanced processing techniques to the video signal in real time. In fact, all aspects of modern low-light television cameras are controlled via digital technology, resulting in various enhancements that surpass analog electronics. In addition to video processing, large-scale digital integration in these low-light level cameras enables precise control of the image intensifier and image sensor, facilitating large inter-scene dynamic range capability, extended intra-scene dynamic range and blooming control. Digital video processing and digital camera control are used to provide improved system-level performance, including nearly perfect pixel response uniformity, correction of blemishes, and electronic boresight. Compact digital electronics also enable comprehensive camera built-in-test (BIT) capability which provides coverage for the entire camera--from photons into the sensor to the processed video signal going out the connector. Individuals involved in the procurement of present and future low-light-level cameras need to understand these advanced camera capabilities in order to write accurate specifications for their advanced video system requirements. This paper provides an overview of these modern video system capabilities along with example specification text.

Citation Download Citation

Steven Shimer and Gerald Heim "Key performance requirements for military low-light television cameras", Proc. SPIE 6546, Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems and Applications IV, 654602 (20 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.717636

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
7 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Cameras

Signal processing

Video processing

Electron multiplying charge coupled devices

Video

Sensors

Manufacturing

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years