Time-Encoded Multiplexed Imaging System

Imaging technologies encompass a wide range of applications, from digital cameras to medical imaging. High-quality image processing has always been a challenging task, given the complexity of light fields. A need exists for an improvement in the ability of imaging systems to effectively capture and process multiple degrees of a light field concurrently. Conventional techniques often struggle with producing high-resolution images because they lack the capability to encode several aspects of a light field and decode them efficiently. This shortcoming limits the extent of data capture and hinders the generation of high-quality, detailed images. Current image processing methods may produce lower-quality imagery because they may struggle with identifying solutions to an overdetermined or underdetermined system of linear equations.

Technology Description

The technology involves an imaging system using a dynamic, variable coded mask, like a spatial light modulator (SLM), to concurrently time-encode several degrees of freedom of a light field. The system uses a detector and processor to decode the encoded information at the pixel level, either on an integrated circuit connected to the detector or on a circuit external to the detector. For instance, the SLM, detector, and processor may develop modulation sequences representing a system of linear equations; the variables represent a degree of freedom of the light field being sensed. This technology stands out because if the number of equations and variables create a fully determined or overdetermined system of linear equations, a solution can be found through a matrix inverse. Otherwise, a solution can be generated using compressed sensing reconstruction techniques, given the signal is sparse in the frequency domain. The dynamic nature and flexibility of the system offer improved image processing capabilities.