Instruction manual

Glossary
PIKE Technical Manual V3.1.0
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Scalable mode Scalable mode allows selection of an area within a full image for output.
Sensitivity Sensitivity is a measure of how sensitive the camera sensor is to light
input. Unfortunately there is no standardized method of describing sensi-
tivity for digital CCD or CMOS cameras.
Shading The variation of the brightness or relative illumination over the surface of
an object, often caused by color variations or surface curvature.
Signal-to-noise ratio also called SNR
Signal-to-noise ratio specifies the quality of a signal with regard to its
reproduction of intensities. The value signifies how high the ratio of noise
is in regard to the maximum wanted signal intensity expected.
The higher this value, the better the signal quality. The unit of measure-
ment used is generally known as the decibel (dB), a logarithmic power
level. 6 dB is the signal level at approximately a factor of 2.
However, the advantages of increasing signal quality are accompanied by
a reduction in resolution.
Signal-to-noise
separation
Signal-to-noise separation specifies the quality of a signal with regard to
its reproduction of intensities. The value signifies how high the ratio of
noise is in regard to the maximum wanted signal intensity expected.
The higher this value, the better the signal quality. The unit of measure-
ment used is generally known as the decibel (dB), a logarithmic power
level. 6 dB is the signal level at approximately a factor of 2.
However, the advantages of increasing signal quality are accompanied by
a reduction in resolution.
Smart camera A term for a complete vision system contained in the camera body itself,
including imaging, image processing and decision making functions. While
the common smart cameras are intended just for the dedicated systems,
the latest PC technology enables development of devices fully compatible
with desktop PCs. This category of smart cameras thus provides a standard
API and thus much wider functionality.
Smear Smear is an undesirable artifact of CCDs that appears in the picture as a
vertical streak above and below a very bright object in the scene. Smear is
caused by parasitic light getting into the vertical transfer registers. It is
greatly reduced by the microlens-type of CCD used in Hyper HAD and Power
HAD sensors. Almost suppressed in FIT CCDs.
SNR SNR = signal-to-noise ratio