Patent ID: 8416125

Claim:
An imaging array for sensing scene energy comprising: a plurality of sensors; a radiative noise source for radiating noise energy, the radiative noise source comprising an amplifier; a modulator for turning the radiative noise source on and off; and a coupling device for combining a first portion of the scene energy and a second portion of the noise energy to form a combined scene and noise energy for sensing by the plurality of sensors; and a processor coupled to at least one output of the plurality of sensors, the processor configured to: integrate the output for a period of time during which the noise source is turned off for a set of noise source off periods to form a set of integrated off outputs; integrate the output for a period of time during which the noise source is turned on for a set of noise source on periods to form a set of integrated on outputs; average the set of integrated off outputs to form an average off output; average the set of integrated on outputs to form an average on output; and divide the average off output by the average on output minus the average off output.