Talktronics, Inc.

United States

Socket Adapters are used in the CCH Dewar to connect a given CCD or FPA to the Camera Head electronics. A Camera Head may therefore support a number of sensors, with the appropriate configuration of the timing generator and support software. All socket adapters are designed to permit cooling of the sensor by a "cold finger" against the back of the sensor package. Currently, the following devices are supported:

The DTS 4.0 Imaging Software (below) is used along with the IDS-2100 Imaging System and a frame grabber to collect imaging data. The DTS 4.0 application runs on MS Windows (98, NT, 2000) platforms using a digital frame grabber to capture real-time images from an IRFPA or CCD. The images are displayed in real-time, and intensity calculations are performed on pixels with real-time plots of intensity, average, max and min, and noise. The bottom left box is a live video feed of the data being collected by the camera. The green "Top Intensity" and "Bottom Intensity" graphs display the vertically summed "super-pixel" intensity at each column of the Area-of-Interest (AOI), denoted by the red and green stripes on the video window. The bottom graph displays the Spectral Track Ratio (log(topbottom)). The average, minimum and maximum values above and below each of the three graphs show the real-time pixel values collected in each image frame. All image and intensity data can be saved to disk files, or exported through a network connection. Various image and data formats are supported. DTS 4.0 works with CCD's and IRFPA's. Data collection modes can be selected by the user to specify the number of images to be averaged per screen update. The user may also specify whether or not image summation will be applied, and the number of image frames to be collected. Experiments can be defined to run in Step-Scan, FTIR or basic image collection modes, with user control of number of steps, image frames per step, and number of collection cycles to automatically build "image cubes" as required with unattended operation. DTS 4.0 can interface to popular step-scan interferometers and be synchronized with the optics. An interface to IEEE-488 controlled monochromators is also available.

• VIC TALKER SAYSone hundred twenty six thousand nine hundred thirty three
• INPUT TEXT126933

Advanced English text-to-speech rulesimg1.gif (32151 bytes) Numeric, decimal and simple fraction rules Rules for dollars and cents Two user-definable voices Automatic or direct intonation control Text, proofreading, spell & say and spell-only modes User-programmable exceptions memory VIC-TALKER provides unlimited vocabulary translation of text to synthesized speech using advanced English language pronunciation rules and a user-expandable exception memory. The cartridge incorporates an internal audio mixer to blend the synthesized voice output with sounds generated by the "VIC" sound chip for simultaneous sound effects with voice. The English text to speech rules have been developed to maximize performance of the phoneme synthesizer chip, producing an intelligible synthesized voice from unedited text. In addition to the over 360 English rules, interpretation of numeric strings involving decimal fractions, simple fractions, dollars and cents is accomplished to permit proper voice synthesis of virtually any word processor output. BASIC commands such as GOTO, GOSUB and PRINT# are translated to allow easy interpretation of BASIC program listings. Special modes are provided to define and select two different "voices", either one to be used on a word by word basis. In a "proofreading" mode, the second voice is used to call out punctuation and symbols. The primary voice is then used to synthesize the words and numbers in the text. The VIC-TALKER may also be programmed to work in "spell and say" or "spell-only" modes. Changing the two pre-programmed voices is extremely easy for the user, and once set, each of the two voices can be selected by control commands. VIC-TALKER uses sentence-weighted intonation to provide a variable pitch voice to emphasize statements, questions, and exclamations. In the monotonic mode, intonation is controlled directly by commands on a word by word or letter by letter basis. Using direct control of pitch, the user can synthesize a singing voice, with the range of seven octaves on an even-tempered scale. Programming of the user-defined exception words is easily accomplished in the "learning" mode. The user commands VIC-TALKER to produce the desired pronunciation of a special word by sending the word followed by a phonetic spelling of the word. The letter string is pronounced according to the English rules, producing an output phoneme string for the synthesizer chip. This output string is then stored, upon user command, in the exception dictionary, along with the original word. In this way, personal names, city and street names, or any otherwise special translations of words will subsequently produce the desired pronunciation. The exception dictionary resides in EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), such that the exception dictionary is never lost during power-down, and becomes a permanent extension of the internal rules. Facilities are provided to edit the exceptions and to prevent redundant storage.

• modelIDS 2100

IDS-2100 Features • The IDS2100 is a general purpose data acquisition system tailored for imaging • Can be used for CCD and FPA device characterization, testing, or end-use application • Contains two to four ADC channels, each 12 - 16 bits (user option), and sample up to 3 MHz per channel • Useful for MCT and InSb IRFPA applications in FTIR, spectroscopy, and general imaging • Applications include low-noise, large format (4K x 4K) CCD applications for Astronomy • Configure the system for any FPA or CCD by software download from a PC • System accessories including TEC, LN2 or closed-cycle cooled dewars, socket adapters for many CCD's and FPA's, customized software and packaging The IDS2100 FPACCD Camera System consists of a desktop or rack-mount electronics system which contains the timing generator, bias voltage regulators, analog signal processors and power supply for controlling an FPA or CCD. The electronics controller connects to a remote camera head which contains the FPA or CCD. The camera head includes an externally mounted electronics package containing video preamps, bias generators, clock drivers and the interconnect adapter for a particular sensor. The sensor is socketed internally using a socket adapter for the device package and pinouts. Sensor cooling is provided by the pour-fill LN2 dewar, or can be provided by other types of cooling (Stirling cycle or other closed-cycle coolers). Closed-loop thermal control is available as an option to allow device temperature setpoints between room temperature and 80K. Talktronics designs and manufactures imaging systems based on the IDS2100 for scientific applications in infrared and visible regions, employing CCD and FPA sensor technology. IDS2100 IRFPA and CCD imaging platforms serve well for linear or area array applications in Astronomy, Microbiology, Physics and Chemistry. Infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) systems and software provide imaging and spectrometer capabilities in medium (MWIR 0.5-5.0 microns) and longwave (LWIR 2-15 microns) regions. The IDS2100 system is intended to serve engineers and scientists for high-resolution, low-noise applications, for unique camera system development, and for evaluating and characterizing sensors. The system serves equally well as a development tool or as a standalone camera system.

The Universal FPACCD Camera System consists of a desktop or rack-mount Controller Card Cage, a low-noise Power Supply, and a remote Camera Head. The Universal FPACCD Camera System is intended to serve as a development system for engineers and scientists interested in evaluating FPA's and CCD's or developing FPACCD applications. These imaging platforms also serve as standalone Linear and Area Array Camera Systems for dedicated installations in Astronomy, Microbiology, Physics and Chemistry. boards2.jpg (172876 bytes)The Universal FPACCD Camera Electronics system includes the following boards and modules: CCD Head Board (Basic or High-Speed versions, includes drivers and two video preamps), FPACCD Head Board (includes extra drivers and four video preamps), Signal Chain Board (Basic or High-Speed versions), J1 Serial Clocks Board, J3 Clock Generator Board, J5 Parallel Clocks Board, J17 Voltage Divider & Regulator Board, J25 Interface 1 Board (includes serial Digital Camera Interface), J27 Interface 2 Board, J29 Parallel Interface Board (Digital Camera Interface for frame grabber), J30 Temperature & Shutter Control Board, J31 ADC Board (assorted, 12 - 16 bits, up to 5 MHz), TEC Power Module. The simple LSTTL system can be configured for XY pixel count, special phasing, and pixel cycle timing by jumpering logic circuits as needed on the timing boards. Several ADC boards are available for different performance levels -- select the ADC that is appropriate for your application. The Basic System is useful for applications up to a few hundred kHz, especially low-noise, slow-scan imaging, and employs a correlated double-sampling (CDS) analog processor developed at JPL. The High Speed System is offered for applications up to several MHz. The Dual-Channel System permits parallel analog pixel processing at rates up to 3 MHz per channel. Full documentation and schematics are provided. Perfect for applications in research settings and astronomy.