Synthetic-color night vision

Abstract

A synthetic color arrangement for a night vision inclusive surveillance system and its display is disclosed. The system partitions an input scene video signal into spectrally segregated scene components which are provided with separate processing as video signals and then recombined into a composite but now multiple color inclusive output representation of the input scene. The system in effect shifts input spectral components to a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the visible range of the spectrum, where operator controllable new spectral wavelength values are assigned to each different input scene spectral wavelength. Use of charge coupled device video camera elements, a video signal mixer apparatus, input wavelengths within both the visible and infrared spectral regions and signal processing according to the NTSC standards are also included. Military and non military uses of the apparatus are contemplated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Night vision display apparatus for communicating visible to infrared spectrum-resident viewed scene input data to a user person as color-contrasted output images, said apparatus comprising the combination of: means for dividing an image representing said viewed scene input data into a plurality of component images each comprising input scene partial images of a selected different spectrum range location;   means for displaying said component images as an in-registration different color component of a spectrum wavelength-shifted, visible spectrum wavelength-resident, composite common output image.   
     
     
       2. The night vision display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said component images comprise mutually exclusive wavelength range portions of said visible to near infrared spectrum-resident viewed scene input data. 
     
     
       3. The night vision display apparatus of claim 2 wherein said component images are two in number. 
     
     
       4. The night vision display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for dividing said input image into a plurality of component images comprises wavelength segregated inherent response characteristics in optical elements of said apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The night vision display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for dividing said input image into a plurality of component images comprises: a plurality of radiant energy bandpass filter elements; and   a plurality of radiant energy signal to video electrical signal transducer members each having a radiant energy input port connected with a radiant energy output of one of said bandpass filter elements.   
     
     
       6. The night vision display apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for dividing said input image into a plurality of component images further comprises image intensifier means disposed intermediate each of said radiant energy bandpass filter elements and an associated radiant energy signal to video electrical signal transducer member. 
     
     
       7. The night vision display apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said image intensifier means comprises an extended-blue image intensifier tube member;   said radiant energy signal to video electrical signal transducer members each comprise a charge coupled device low light level television camera member; and   wherein said apparatus further includes:   tapered fiber-optic bundle means disposed intermediate said extended-blue image intensifier tube member and each said charge coupled device low light level television camera member for conveying said component images therebetween.   
     
     
       8. The night vision display apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for displaying said component images further comprises: video mixer electrical circuit means for converting each of said component images into a color-related component of said composite common output image; and   color coded signal responsive means for visually communicating said composite common output image as a color image to said user person.   
     
     
       9. The method of communicating a composite image, representative of an input scene which includes objects generating signatures of differing visible to near infrared spectral wavelengths, to a user person comprising the steps of: dividing said input image into a plurality of component images each containing input scene partial portions received from a selected different signature spectrum wavelength range of said input image; and   displaying each of said component images to said user person as an in-registration different color component of a visible spectrum wavelength resident, composite common output image.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein said input image comprises a near infrared spectral range limited night vision device-collected image. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 9 wherein said input image components are two in number. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 9 wherein said dividing step includes communicating said input image to a plurality of radiant energy signal to video electrical signal transducer members via a plurality of radiant energy bandpass filter elements. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 9 wherein said displaying step includes combining said input image components in a video mixer electrical circuit. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13 wherein said combining step includes one of the concepts of signal addition and synchronization signal generation in accordance with National Television System Committee (NTSC) standards. 
     
     
       15. The method of displaying the output of a night vision device to a user person comprising the steps of; dividing a near infrared spectrum input image received by said night vision device into a plurality of component images each inclusive of input image objects residing in a selected different near infrared spectrum band;   shifting a wavelength characteristic of each said selected different near infrared spectrum band into a different color portion of the visible spectrum wavelength band to form color components of an output image of said night vision device; and   combining said color components of an output image into a composite night vision device output image.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15 wherein said shifting step includes converting said near infrared spectrum input image received by said night vision device into an image within Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) color space. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 15 wherein said shifting step includes converting said near infrared spectrum input image received by said night vision device into input a plurality of optical wavelength-segregated electrical signals. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 wherein said combining step includes mixing said electrical signals and mixing color components of said composite night vision device output image.