Optical differentiation between plants and background utilizing a single CCD camera

摘要

An optical system for detecting vegetation with the use of a single image sensor, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) camera is provided by optical elements which project separate red and near infrared (NIR) images onto the CCD camera. The camera then can supply output signals representative of the two images to a signal processing device that determines the nature of the vegetation that provided the original image. Embodiments are described where the imaging sensor utilizes unitary optical splitters to provide wide-angle separate images. In another version a single lens and a group of mirrors provide a narrow-angle telescope device. Another version includes two separate lens, red and NIR filters, each adjacent to one of the lenses so as to project an image on separate areas of the CCD camera.