Facility temperature control system, method and program

Abstract

To provide a facility temperature management system with which it is possible to manage the surface temperatures of facilities at low cost and reduce workloads.SOLUTION: A facility temperature management system pertaining to the present invention comprises unfixed imaging means and image processing means. The imaging means images the surface 10a of a facility 10 and acquires a visible image 31 and a thermal image. The image processing means sets, on the basis of the shape information of a reference part 33 existing in common in a first visible image and a second visible image 31b, a comparison area at the same position in the same range of the first visible image and second visible image 31b. Furthermore, the image processing means corrects a drift of field angle with respect to the comparison area of a first and a second thermal image and displays temperature difference information 35 obtained by comparing the thermal images after correction with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment temperature management system, method, and program for managing the surface temperature of equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, equipment such as paint drying ovens has been used to dry paint applied to workpieces such as automobile bodies. For this reason, hot air is constantly supplied to the drying oven to ensure that the paint dries reliably. However, due to deterioration of the drying oven, cracks may develop in the exhaust duct (not shown) or the oven wall, causing the hot air inside the oven to leak to the outside through the cracks. Therefore, a technology has been proposed to detect hot air leaks by periodically capturing images of the oven surface with a thermal camera to check the surface temperature (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP-A-10-111714 (Fig. 9, etc.) [Patent Document 2] JP-A-6-138003 (Fig. 1 etc.) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The images captured by the thermal camera are sent to a computer, where the surface temperature is confirmed based on the images. However, to compare the captured images on the computer, a fixed thermal camera must be used to prevent the image position and angle from changing. However, fixed thermal cameras are relatively expensive. Furthermore, drying ovens extend along the workpiece transport direction and are several tens of meters long. Therefore, to capture the entire surface of a drying oven, multiple expensive thermal cameras must be installed along the transport direction, resulting in significant installation costs. Furthermore, if a non-fixed thermal camera were used, the surface of the drying oven would need to be imaged from the same position and angle each time, which increases the workload of the operator.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an equipment temperature management system, an equipment temperature management method, and an equipment temperature management program that can manage the surface temperature of equipment at low cost and reduce workload. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a system for managing the surface temperature of equipment, wherein a two-dimensional Polygonal a marker; a non-fixed imaging means for capturing an image of the surface of the facility to obtain a visible image and a thermal image; a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image; and a first visible image obtained by capturing an image of a specific measurement point on the facility and a second visible image obtained by capturing an image of the same measurement point on the facility at a different time. Contour, posture, position based on the information, the marker in the first visible image. Outline ofand then setting a first frame in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame contacts an outer periphery of the first visible image, and then setting a second frame by reflecting the first frame set in the first visible image in the second visible image, and superimposing the first frame set in the first visible image on a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and reflecting the second frame set in the second visible image on a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image, and The gist of the present invention is an equipment temperature management system characterized by comprising: an image processing means for correcting at least one of the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion so that the first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image can be superimposed, thereby making the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion the same area and shape, thereby correcting the difference in angle of view between the first thermal image and the second thermal image; and displaying temperature difference information obtained by comparing the corrected thermal images on the display means.

[0007] In the invention described in claim 1, a non-fixed imaging means is used to capture images of the equipment surface, which is relatively cheaper than a fixed one. Moreover, because the imaging means is non-fixed, the entire equipment surface can be captured with a single imaging means, eliminating the need to install multiple imaging means to capture the entire equipment surface. Therefore, compared to using a fixed imaging means, the cost required to manage the equipment surface temperature can be significantly reduced.

[0008] However, when using a non-fixed imaging device, the angle of view of the visible image and the thermal image changes each time they are captured, making it impossible to accurately compare images captured at different times and accurately manage changes in the equipment's surface temperature. Therefore, in claim 1, the image processing device sets a comparison area at the same position and in the same area in the first visible image and the second visible image captured at different times. The image processing device then automatically corrects the difference in the angle of view of the comparison area between these thermal images so that the first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image can be superimposed. As a result, thermal images can be compared, allowing accurate management of changes in the equipment's surface temperature. Furthermore, because the image processing device automatically corrects the difference in the angle of view, workers do not need to capture images of the equipment's surface from the same position and angle each time, thereby reducing the worker's workload.

[0009] Methods for correcting the misalignment of the angle of view of the thermal images include correcting the misalignment of the angle of view of both the first thermal image and the second thermal image, correcting the misalignment of the angle of view of the first thermal image to match the angle of view of the second thermal image, or correcting the misalignment of the angle of view of the second thermal image to match the angle of view of the first thermal image.

[0010] The invention described in claim 2 is based on claim 1, and its gist is that the image processing means corrects a deviation in the angle of view of at least one of the first visible image and the second visible image based on the comparison area, and superimposes the temperature difference information on a corresponding location on the corrected first visible image or the corrected second visible image, and displays it on the display means.

[0011] In the invention described in claim 2, the temperature difference information indicating the magnitude of the temperature change is superimposed on the first visible image or the second visible image where the equipment surface is easily visible, rather than on the thermal image where the equipment surface is difficult to see, and is displayed on the display means. This allows the worker to accurately recognize which part of the equipment surface has the largest temperature change.

[0012] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the image processing means superimposes the temperature difference information on the corresponding location on the corrected first thermal image or the corrected second thermal image and displays it on the display means.

[0013] In the invention described in claim 3, temperature difference information indicating the magnitude of temperature change is superimposed on the first thermal image or the second thermal image showing the surface temperature of the equipment, allowing the operator to know not only the temperature change but also the surface temperature of the equipment.

[0018] Claim 4 The invention described in claims 1 to 3 In any one of the above, the temperature difference information is a color image in which different colors are set according to the level of the temperature difference.

[0019] Claim 4 According to the invention described above, the temperature difference information is a color image that implicitly indicates the level of the temperature difference, so that the worker can quickly confirm the extent of the temperature difference simply by looking at the temperature difference information.

[0020] Claim 5 The invention described in claims 1 to 4 The gist of the present invention is that the device further comprises a warning unit that issues a warning when a temperature difference obtained by comparing the thermal images exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0021] Claim 5 According to the invention described in (1), a warning is issued when the temperature difference exceeds a threshold, so that the operator can be sure to notice that the change in the surface temperature of the equipment is too large. As a result, it becomes possible to respond quickly to the abnormality in the surface temperature.

[0022] Examples of the warning means include light-emitting means such as a lamp that emits light (lights up, flashes, etc.) to warn that the temperature difference has exceeded the threshold, audio output means such as an alarm that emits audio (warning sound, etc.) to warn that the temperature difference has exceeded the threshold, and display means such as a liquid crystal display device that displays (letters, symbols, pictures, etc.) to warn that the temperature difference has exceeded the threshold.

[0023] Claim 6 The invention described in the above is a two-dimensional object attached to the surface of the equipment. Polygonal A method for managing the surface temperature of a facility using a marker, a non-fixed imaging means for capturing an image of the surface of the facility to obtain a visible image and a thermal image, and a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image, wherein the marker is a common reference part that exists in a first visible image obtained by capturing an image of a specific measurement point on the facility and a second visible image obtained by capturing an image of the same measurement point on the facility at a different time. Contour, posture, position based on the information, the marker in the first visible image. Outline ofa frame setting step of setting an initial frame having a similar shape to the first frame in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame contacts an outer periphery of the first visible image, and then setting a second frame by reflecting the first frame set in the first visible image in the second visible image; a frame reflecting step of superimposing the first frame set in the first visible image onto a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and superimposing the second frame set in the second visible image onto a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; The gist of this equipment temperature management method is that it includes a correction step of correcting the difference in the angle of view of the comparison areas of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by correcting at least one of the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion so that the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion have the same area and shape so that the first thermal image can be superimposed on the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; a temperature difference information acquisition step of comparing the corrected thermal images to obtain temperature difference information; and a temperature difference information display step of displaying the temperature difference information on the display means.

[0024] Claim 7 The invention described in the above is a two-dimensional object attached to the surface of the equipment. Polygonal A processor for controlling an equipment temperature management system including a marker, a non-fixed imaging means for imaging the surface of the equipment to obtain a visible image and a thermal image, and a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image, is provided with a display unit for displaying the visible image and the thermal image, and the processor is provided with a display unit for displaying the visible image and the thermal image, and the display unit ... Contour, posture, position based on the information, the marker in the first visible image. Outline ofa frame setting step of setting an initial frame having a similar shape to the first frame in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame contacts an outer periphery of the first visible image, and then setting a second frame by reflecting the first frame set in the first visible image in the second visible image; a frame reflecting step of superimposing the first frame set in the first visible image onto a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and superimposing the second frame set in the second visible image onto a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; The gist of the present invention is an equipment temperature management program for executing a correction step of correcting the difference in the angle of view of the comparison areas of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by correcting at least one of the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion so that the image within the comparison area defined by the first frame portion and the image within the comparison area defined by the second frame portion have the same area and shape so that the first thermal image can be superimposed on the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; a temperature difference information acquisition step of comparing the corrected thermal images to obtain temperature difference information; and a temperature difference information display step of displaying the temperature difference information on the display means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] As described above in detail, claims 1 to 7 According to the invention described in the above, the surface temperature of the equipment can be controlled at low cost and the workload can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an equipment temperature management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] (a) is a schematic diagram showing a first visible image, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing a second visible image. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for managing the surface temperature of a drying furnace. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for determining a frame portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing a first visible image in which a frame is set, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing a second visible image in which a frame is set. [Figure 6] (a) is a photograph showing a first visible image in which a frame is set, and (b) is a photograph showing a second visible image in which a frame is set. [Figure 7] FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a first thermal image correction method, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a second thermal image correction method. [Figure 8] Schematic diagram showing a second visible image in which a color image is displayed. [Figure 9] 1 is a table showing the correspondence between temperature changes and display. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the display on the display in the temperature difference information display step. [Figure 11] FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing a first thermal image, and FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram showing a second thermal image in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a second visible image in which a color image is displayed in the second embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a table showing the correspondence between temperature changes and displays in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the facility temperature management system 1 of this embodiment is a system for managing the surface temperature of a drying furnace 10 (facility). The drying furnace 10 is used to dry paint applied to the surface of a workpiece W1 (an automobile body in this embodiment) that has passed through a paint booth (not shown). The drying furnace 10 is formed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape using a wall material such as a steel plate, and includes a ceiling 11, a floor 12, and a pair of side walls 13. A conveyor 21 is provided on the floor 12 of the drying furnace 10. The conveyor 21 is a device that transports a plurality of carts 22, each carrying the workpiece W1, along a transport direction (to the right in FIG. 1).

[0029] Furthermore, a plurality of markers 33 are provided along the conveyance direction on the surface 10a (see FIG. 2) of the side wall 13 (drying furnace 10). Each marker 33 is provided for each specific measurement point A0 to A13 in the drying furnace 10. Each marker 33 has different geometric characteristics for each of the measurement points A0 to A13, and is a two-dimensional square sticker attached to the surface 10a.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the equipment temperature management system 1 is equipped with a thermal camera 30, which is a non-fixed imaging means. The thermal camera 30 simultaneously acquires a visible image 31 (see Figure 2) and a thermal image 32 (see Figure 7) by capturing images of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 at each of measurement points A0 to A13. The thermal camera 30 then outputs image data of the acquired visible image 31 and thermal image 32. The visible image 31 is a color image, and the thermal image 32 is an infrared image.

[0031] Next, the electrical configuration of the facility temperature control system 1 will be described.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the facility temperature control system 1 includes a personal computer (not shown), which includes a control device 40 (processor) that controls the entire system. The control device 40 is configured using a well-known computer including a CPU 41 (image processing means), a ROM 42, a RAM 43, and the like. The CPU 41 is electrically connected to a keyboard 44, a display 45 (display means), and an alarm 46. In this embodiment, the thermal camera 30 is electrically connected to the CPU 41 by connecting the thermal camera 30 to the control device 40 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. The RAM 43 stores visible images 31 and thermal images 32 acquired by the thermal camera 30. The ROM 42 stores a program for controlling the facility temperature control system 1 (facility temperature control program).

[0033] Next, a method for controlling the temperature of the drying furnace 10 will be described.

[0034] First, an operator holds the thermal camera 30 and captures images of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 at each of the measurement points A0 to A13, acquiring a visible image 31 and a thermal image 32 at each of the measurement points A0 to A13. That is, the thermal camera 30 of this embodiment is a handheld camera that simultaneously captures the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32 along a common optical axis. Therefore, if the thermal camera 30 simultaneously captures the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32, the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32 can be obtained with the same angle of view. Furthermore, the operator periodically (e.g., once a month) captures images of each of the measurement points A0 to A13.

[0035] Then, each time the image capturing of each measurement point A0 to A13 is completed, the operator connects the thermal camera 30 to the PC control device 40 using a USB cable. At this point, the thermal camera 30 outputs the image data of the acquired visible image 31 and thermal image 32 to the CPU 41. The CPU 41 then stores the visible image 31 and thermal image 32 represented by the input image data in the RAM 43. In other words, the RAM 43 functions as a "storage means."

[0036] The visible images 31 stored in the RAM 43 include a first visible image 31a (see FIG. 2(a)), which is the source visible image 31, and a second visible image 31b (see FIG. 2(b)), which is the target visible image 31. The first visible image 31a is a visible image 31 obtained by capturing an image of the measurement points A0 to A13 in the past (one month ago in this embodiment), and the second visible image 31b is a visible image 31 obtained by capturing an image of the same measurement points A0 to A13 at a different time (today in this embodiment). The thermal images 32 stored in the RAM 43 include a first thermal image 32a (see FIG. 7(a)), which corresponds to the first visible image 31a, and a second thermal image 32b (see FIG. 7(b)), which corresponds to the second visible image 31b. The first thermal image 32a corresponding to the first visible image 31a is an image taken at the same position and angle of view as the first visible image 31a, and includes a marker 33 with the same ID number as the first visible image 31a. Similarly, the second thermal image 32b corresponding to the second visible image 32b is an image taken at the same position and angle of view as the second visible image 32b, and includes a marker 33 with the same ID number as the second visible image 32b. The first visible image 31a and the first thermal image 32a are stored in a first storage area of ​​the RAM 43, and the second visible image 31b and the second thermal image 32b are stored in a second storage area of ​​the RAM 43. The first visible image 31a and the second visible image 32b are images captured at different times, and therefore have different angles of view. Similarly, the second thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b are also images captured at different times, and therefore have different angles of view.

[0037] Next, the CPU 41 controls the surface temperature of the drying furnace 10 based on an equipment temperature management program stored in the ROM 42. More specifically, in step S1 shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 41 performs processes such as binarization, contour extraction, and intersection calculation on all visible images 31a and 31b stored in the RAM 43, and controls the extraction of markers 33 in each visible image 31a and 31b. In the following step S2, the CPU 41 calculates ID numbers (0 to 13) of the extracted markers 33 based on the shapes of the markers 33. The ID numbers (0 to 13) are numbers associated with the measurement points A0 to A13. Furthermore, in step S3, the CPU 41 calculates the attitudes (pitch, yaw, and roll) and positions of the extracted markers 33 using a conventionally known algorithm such as ARToolkit. Then, in step S4, the CPU 41 extracts one first visible image 31a and one second visible image 31b each having the same ID number (i.e., the same measurement point) from the multiple first visible images 31a and multiple second visible images 31b stored in the RAM 43, pairs them, and stores the pairs in the RAM 43.

[0038] Next, the CPU 41 performs a process of displaying changes in the surface temperature of the drying oven 10 at each of the measurement points A0 to A13. In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the process related to the measurement point A1 will be described among the measurement points A0 to A13. First, in step S5, the CPU 41 selects the second visible image 31b captured at the measurement point A1 and the corresponding second thermal image 32b based on the ID number (1) of the marker 33, and reads them from the RAM 43. Furthermore, the CPU 41 selects the first visible image 31a captured at the same measurement point A1 in the past (one month ago) and the corresponding first thermal image 32a based on the ID number (1), and reads them from the RAM 43. In other words, the CPU 41 functions as a "past image selection means."

[0039] Next, the CPU 41 performs processing of the comparison area setting step, and sets a frame portion 34 (see Figures 4 and 5) which is a comparison area in the same position and in the same range in the read visible images 31a and 31b based on the shape information (posture and position) of the marker 33 which is a common reference portion present in the read visible images 31a and 31b.

[0040] Specifically, the CPU 41 first performs the process of step S6 to set a red straight line frame 34 on the first visible image 31a selected in step S5. As shown in FIG. 4, the range of the frame 34 is defined by lengths in the top, bottom, left, and right directions relative to the center C1 of the marker 33. The frame 34 is set so as not to extend beyond the first visible image 31a and to occupy as large an area as possible within the first visible image 31a. The frame 34 does not have to be red and may be a dashed line. Although the frame 34 in this embodiment is displayed on the display screen of the display 45, it does not have to be displayed.

[0041] More specifically, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to display the frame 34 in its initial state superimposed on the first visible image 31a. The frame 34 in its initial state has a shape similar to that of the marker 33. First, the CPU 41 expands the frame 34 until one of the four vertices P1 of the frame 34 contacts the outer peripheral edge of the first visible image 31a. Next, the CPU 41 determines whether the frame 34 can be extended along the length of the diagonal line passing through the vertex P1 that contacts the outer peripheral edge, out of the two diagonals of the frame 34. If it is determined that the frame 34 can be extended, the CPU 41 controls the frame 34 to be extended along the length of the diagonal line until one of the remaining three vertices P1 that are not contacting the outer peripheral edge contacts the outer peripheral edge. Furthermore, if there are still two vertices P1 that are not in contact with the outer periphery of the first visible image 31a and the two vertices P1 are adjacent to each other, the CPU 41 performs control to extend the frame 34 in a direction perpendicular to the edge connecting the two vertices P1. For example, if the upper left vertex P1 and the upper right vertex P1 are not in contact with the outer periphery of the first visible image 31a, the CPU 41 performs control to extend the frame 34 upward. At this point, the frame 34 is set in the first visible image 31a (see FIGS. 5(a) and 6(a)). Note that the frame 34 may be set by a method different from the above method.

[0042] In the next step S7, the CPU 41 performs control to reflect the frame 34 set in the first visible image 31a in the second visible image 31b selected in step S5. Specifically, the CPU 41 performs control to superimpose the frame 34 set in the first visible image 31a on the second visible image 31b using the marker 33 in the second visible image 31b as a reference and display it on the display 45 (see FIGS. 5(b) and 6(b)). Note that in this embodiment, since the imaging range of the second visible image 31b is larger than the imaging range of the first visible image 31a, the reflected frame 34 is displayed so that its entirety fits within the second visible image 31b.

[0043] In the next step S8, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to reflect the frame 34 set in the first visible image 31a onto the first thermal image 32a selected in step S5. Specifically, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to display the frame 34 set in the first visible image 31a superimposed on the first thermal image 32a as is (see FIG. 7(a)). The CPU 41 also controls the display 45 to reflect the frame 34 reflected in the second visible image 31b onto the second thermal image 32b selected in step S5. Specifically, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to display the frame 34 set in the second visible image 31b superimposed on the second thermal image 32b as is (see FIG. 7(b)).

[0044] In the next step S9 (correction step), the CPU 41 performs control to correct the misalignment of the angles of view of the frame 34 of the first thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b. Specifically, the CPU 41 obtains a perspective transformation matrix of the frame 34 displayed in the first thermal image 32a and performs perspective transformation to correct the frame 34 to a rectangle having the same area and shape as the first thermal image 32a, which is designated as the corrected first thermal image 32a (see FIG. 7(a)). Similarly, the CPU 41 obtains a perspective transformation matrix of the frame 34 displayed in the second thermal image 32b and performs perspective transformation to correct the frame 34 to a rectangle having the same area and shape as the second thermal image 32b, which is designated as the corrected second thermal image 32b (see FIG. 7(b)). As a result, the angle of view of the first thermal image 32a and the angle of view of the second thermal image 32b match, making it possible to superimpose the first thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b. Furthermore, the CPU 41 calculates a perspective transformation matrix for the frame 34 displayed in the second visible image 31b and performs perspective transformation to correct the frame 34 into a rectangle with the same area and shape as the second visible image 31b, which is designated as the corrected second visible image 31b. This corrects the misalignment of the angle of view of the second visible image 31b so that it matches the angles of view of the thermal images 32a and 32b.

[0045] Next, the CPU 41 performs a temperature difference information acquisition step, compares the corrected thermal images 32a and 32b, and obtains a color image 35 (see FIG. 8) representing temperature difference information. Specifically, the CPU 41 calculates the difference between the temperature at each position in the first thermal image 32a and the temperature at each position in the second thermal image 32b, and defines the calculated difference as the temperature difference. The CPU 41 then sets a color image 35 of a different color depending on the level (magnitude) of the temperature difference. As shown in FIG. 9, if the temperature indicated by the second thermal image 32b is higher than the temperature indicated by the previously captured first thermal image 32a, for example, if the temperature rise is 50°C or more, the color image 35 is red. If the temperature rise is 10°C or more but less than 50°C, the color image 35 is orange. On the other hand, if the temperature indicated by the second thermal image 32b is lower than the temperature indicated by the first thermal image 32a, for example, if the temperature drop is 10°C or more, the color image 35 is blue. It should be noted that if the temperature rise or fall is less than 10° C., the color image 35 is not set.

[0046] In the next step S10 (temperature difference information display step), the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to display the set color image 35. Specifically, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to superimpose the color image 35 on the corresponding portion of the corrected second visible image 31b (see FIGS. 8 and 10). This allows areas of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 that are determined to have a large temperature increase or decrease to be displayed in different colors. In this embodiment, the second visible image 31b is displayed at the top of the display 45, and the first thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b are displayed side by side below the second visible image 31b on the display 45 (see FIG. 10). Furthermore, a bar-shaped temperature display 36 extending in the left-right direction is displayed below the thermal images 32a and 32b on the display 45. The temperature display 36 indicates the relationship between the color displayed in the thermal images 32a and 32b and the temperature.

[0047] The CPU 41 then sequentially executes steps S5 to S10 at the other measurement points A0, A2 to A13 to calculate the temperature difference between the first thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b. After the temperature differences at all measurement points A0 to A13 have been calculated, the CPU 41 compares the thermal images 32a and 32b at each of the measurement points A0 to A13 to determine whether the temperature difference exceeds a predetermined threshold (50°C in this embodiment). If the CPU 41 determines that the temperature difference exceeds the threshold, it determines that an abnormality has occurred and outputs a drive signal to the alarm 46 to activate the alarm 46. This alerts the operator that the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 is at a high temperature, which is likely causing hot air to leak from the drying oven 10.

[0048] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0049] (1) In the equipment temperature management system 1 of this embodiment, a non-fixed thermal camera 30, which is relatively less expensive than a fixed one, is used to capture images of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10. Moreover, because the thermal camera 30 is non-fixed, a single thermal camera 30 can capture images of the entire surface 10a of the drying oven 10, eliminating the need to install multiple thermal cameras 30 to capture images of the entire surface 10a. Therefore, the cost required to manage the surface temperature of the drying oven 10 can be significantly reduced compared to when a fixed thermal camera is used.

[0050] However, when using a non-fixed thermal camera 30, the angle of view of the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32 changes with each capture. This makes it impossible to accurately compare images captured at different times, making it difficult to accurately monitor changes in the surface temperature of the drying oven 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the CPU 41 sets a frame 34 at the same position and in the same area in the first visible image 31a and the second visible image 31b, which are captured at different times. The CPU 41 then automatically corrects the misalignment of the angle of view of the frame 34 of the thermal images 32a and 32b so that the first thermal image 32a corresponding to the first visible image 31a and the second thermal image 32b corresponding to the second visible image 31b can be superimposed. As a result, the thermal images 32a and 32b can be compared, allowing changes in the surface temperature of the drying oven 10 to be understood based on the comparison results, and hot air leaks within the drying oven 10 to be reliably detected based on the changes in surface temperature. Furthermore, because the CPU 41 automatically corrects deviations in the angle of view, the worker does not need to capture images of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 from the same position and angle every time, thereby reducing the workload of the worker. This allows the worker to capture images of the measurement points A0 to A13 while holding the thermal camera 30 and walking inside the drying oven 30. It is also possible to remotely operate the thermal camera 30 by mounting it on a cart, drone, or the like, and capture images of the measurement points A0 to A13.

[0051] (2) In this embodiment, the color image 35 indicating the magnitude of the temperature change is superimposed on the second visible image 31b, which makes the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 more visible, rather than on the second thermal image 32b, which makes the surface 10a of the drying oven 10 less visible, and is displayed on the display 45. This allows the operator to accurately recognize which part of the surface 10a has experienced the largest temperature change.

[0052] (3) In this embodiment, when a new second visible image 31b is captured at the measurement points A0 to A13, the CPU 41 automatically selects the first visible image 31a and the corresponding first thermal image 32a previously captured at the same measurement points A0 to A13, with reference to the markers 33. This eliminates the need for the operator to manually select a specific image from multiple past images 31a, 32a. This further reduces the operator's workload.

[0053] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following description will focus on differences from the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the temperature control method for the drying furnace 10 is different from that of the first embodiment.

[0054] Specifically, in the correction step (step S9) of the first embodiment, the CPU 41 corrects not only the first thermal image 32a and the second thermal image 32b but also the second visible image 31b. However, in the correction step of this embodiment, the CPU 41 controls to correct only the first thermal image 51a (see FIG. 11(a)) and the second thermal image 51b (see FIG. 11(b)).

[0055] Then, in the temperature difference information acquisition step, the CPU 41 compares the corrected thermal images 51a and 51b to obtain a color image 52 (see FIG. 12 ) representing temperature difference information. In this embodiment, the color image 52 is formed by filling a rectangular white frame 52a with a different color depending on the level (magnitude) of the temperature difference. As shown in FIG. 13 , when the temperature drop is 10°C or more, the inside of the frame 52a is filled with blue. On the other hand, when the temperature rise is less than 10°C, the inside of the frame 52a is filled with yellow. When the temperature rise is 10°C or more but less than 50°C, the inside of the frame 52a is filled with red. When the temperature rise is 50°C or more, the inside of the frame 52a is filled with pink.

[0056] Furthermore, in the temperature difference information display step, the CPU 41 performs control to superimpose the color image 52 on the corresponding portion of the corrected second thermal image 51b and display it on the display 45 (see FIG. 12). As a result, portions of the surface 10a of the drying furnace 10 that are determined to have a large temperature increase or decrease are displayed in different colors.

[0057] Therefore, according to this embodiment, a color image 52 indicating the magnitude of temperature change is superimposed on a second thermal image 51b indicating the current (today's) surface temperature of the drying oven 10. This allows the operator to know not only the temperature change but also the current temperature of the surface 10a of the drying oven 10. Furthermore, the color image 52 of this embodiment is constructed by filling in the white frame 52a, which is a different color from the second thermal image 51b. This makes it easy to distinguish between the color of the second thermal image 51b and the color within the frame 52a of the color image 52.

[0058] The above embodiments may be modified as follows.

[0059] In the first embodiment, the CPU 41 corrects the deviation in the angle of view of only the second visible image 31b out of the first visible image 31a and the second visible image 32b, and then controls the display of the color image 35 superimposed on the corrected second visible image 31b. However, the CPU 41 may correct the deviation in the angle of view of only the first visible image 31a, not the second visible image 32b, and then controls the display of the color image 35 superimposed on the corrected first visible image 31a. Alternatively, the CPU 41 may correct the deviation in the angle of view of both the visible images 31a and 31b, and then controls the display of the color image 35 superimposed on the corrected first visible image 31a or the corrected second visible image 31b. Furthermore, the CPU 41 may perform control to display the color image 35 superimposed on the first visible image 31a or the second visible image 31b without correcting the difference in the angle of view between the visible images 31a and 31b.

[0060] In the first embodiment, the imaging range of the second visible image 31b was larger than that of the first visible image 31a, and therefore when the frame 34 set in the first visible image 31a was reflected in the second visible image 31b, the frame 34 was displayed so that the entire frame 34 was contained within the second visible image 31b (see FIGS. 5(b) and 6(b)). However, the imaging range of the second visible image 31b may be the same size as the imaging range of the first visible image 31a, or may be smaller than the imaging range of the first visible image 31a.

[0061] In the second embodiment, the CPU 41 controls the display 45 to superimpose the color image 52 on the corresponding portion of the corrected second thermal image 51b. However, the CPU 41 may also control the display 45 to superimpose the color image 52 on the corresponding portion of the corrected first thermal image 51a.

[0062] In the above embodiments, the first visible image 31a is an image of the measurement points A0 to A13 obtained by capturing the image one month ago, and the second visible image 31b is an image of the same measurement points A0 to A13 obtained by capturing the image today, and these images 31a and 31b are compared. However, the combination of the timing at which the visible images 31a and 31b are compared can be changed as appropriate. Specifically, the first visible image 31a may be an image of the measurement points A0 to A13 obtained by capturing the image one year ago, for example, and the second visible image 31b may be an image of the measurement points A0 to A13 obtained by capturing the image six months ago, for example.

[0063] In the above embodiments, the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32 captured by the thermal camera 30 are stored in the RAM 43, and in the subsequent correction step (step S9), the deviation in the angle of view of the thermal image 32 and the visible image 31 read from the RAM 43 is corrected. However, the visible image 31 and the thermal image 32 captured by the thermal camera 30 may be stored in the RAM 43 with the deviation in the angle of view corrected in advance.

[0064] In the above embodiments, the square-shaped marker 33 is used as a common reference part present in the first visible image 31a and the second visible image 31b. However, a rectangular, parallelogram, diamond, or other shaped marker may be used as the common reference part. When an algorithm other than ARToolkit, which requires a marker with two parallel opposite sides, is used to calculate the marker's orientation and position (see step S3 in FIG. 3), a trapezoidal, circular, or elliptical marker may be used as the common reference part. Instead of the marker 33, other two-dimensional objects such as pictures, letters, or symbols may be used as the common reference part. Furthermore, three-dimensional objects such as parts present on the surface of the equipment may be used as the common reference part.

[0065] In the above embodiments, when the temperature difference obtained by comparing the thermal images 32a and 32b (or the thermal images 51a and 51b) exceeds a predetermined threshold (here, 50°C), the alarm 46 is activated to warn the operator. However, the alarm 46 may be activated to warn the operator when the temperature difference falls below a threshold (e.g., -10°C). This makes it possible to detect refrigerant leaks in equipment, for example, in a chemical plant.

[0066] In the above embodiments, the thermal camera 30 is used as the imaging means, capturing an image of the surface 10a of the drying furnace 10 to simultaneously acquire a visible image 31 and a thermal image 32. However, the imaging means may also be composed of a visible image imaging camera (visible image imaging means) that captures an image of the surface 10a of the equipment 10 to acquire a visible image 31, and a thermal image imaging camera (thermal image imaging means) that is provided separately from the visible image imaging camera and captures an image of the surface 10a of the equipment 10 to acquire a thermal image 32. It is preferable that the visible image imaging camera and the thermal image imaging camera are positioned as close to each other as possible.

[0067] In the above embodiments, all of the measurement points A0 to A13 are imaged by a non-fixed thermal camera 30, but some of the measurement points A0 to A13 may be imaged by a fixed thermal camera.

[0068] Although the thermal camera 30 in each of the above embodiments transmits image data to the control device 40 via a USB cable, other means may be used to transmit image data to the control device 40. For example, the thermal camera 30 may transmit image data to the control device 40 via communication means such as Bluetooth (a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.), infrared communication, or an internet line (such as a telephone line).

[0069] The facility temperature control system 1 in each of the above embodiments includes a thermal camera 30 and a personal computer having a display means (display 45) and image processing means (CPU 41). However, the thermal camera may have an internal image processing means and display a color image on the display of the thermal camera by superimposing it on a corresponding portion of the visible image or thermal image.

[0070] The equipment temperature control system 1 in each of the above embodiments is a system for controlling the surface temperature of the drying furnace 10, but it may also be a system for controlling the surface temperature of other equipment such as a paint booth for painting the workpiece W1 or a chemical plant.

[0071] Next, in addition to the technical ideas set forth in the claims, the technical ideas grasped by the above-described embodiments will be listed below.

[0072] (1) In any one of claims 1 to 7, the imaging means comprises a visible image imaging means that images the surface of the equipment to obtain the visible image, and a thermal image imaging means that is provided separately from the visible image imaging means and images the surface of the equipment to obtain the thermal image.

[0073] (2) In any one of claims 1 to 7, an equipment temperature management system is characterized in that the temperature difference obtained by comparing the corrected thermal images is a temperature difference calculated when the temperature indicated by the second thermal image is higher than the temperature indicated by the first thermal image.

[0074] (3) In any one of claims 1 to 7, an equipment temperature management system is characterized in that the temperature difference obtained by comparing the corrected thermal images is a temperature difference calculated when the temperature indicated by the second thermal image is lower than the temperature indicated by the first thermal image. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...Facility temperature control system 10...Drying furnace as equipment 10a...Surface of equipment 30...Thermal camera as an imaging tool 31...Visible image 31a...First visible image 31b...Second visible image 32...Thermal image 32a, 51a...First thermal image 32b, 51b...Second thermal image 33...Marker as a common reference point 34...Frame as comparison area 35,52...Color image as temperature difference information 40...Control device as a processor 41...CPU as image processing means and past image selection means 43...RAM as a storage means 45...Display as a display means 46...Alarms as a warning means A0~A13...Measurement points

Claims

1. A system for managing the surface temperature of equipment, a two-dimensional polygonal marker attached to a surface of the equipment; a non-fixed imaging means for capturing images of the surface of the facility to obtain visible images and thermal images; a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image; based on the contour, attitude, and position information of the marker as a common reference part present in a first visible image obtained by imaging a specific measurement point on the facility and a second visible image obtained by imaging the same measurement point on the facility at a different time, an initial frame portion having a shape similar to the contour of the marker in the first visible image is set, and then a first frame portion is set in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame portion until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame portion contacts the outer peripheral edge of the first visible image, and then a second frame portion is set by reflecting the first frame portion set in the first visible image in the second visible image; The first frame portion set in the first visible image is superimposed on a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image, and the second frame portion set in the second visible image is superimposed on a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image, and an image processing means for correcting at least one of the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame so that the first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image can be superimposed on each other, thereby correcting a deviation in the angle of view between the first thermal image and the second thermal image by making the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame the same in area and shape, and displaying temperature difference information obtained by comparing the corrected thermal images on the display means; An equipment temperature control system comprising:

2. 2. The equipment temperature management system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means corrects a deviation in the angle of view of at least one of the first visible image and the second visible image based on the comparison area, and superimposes the temperature difference information on a corresponding portion of the corrected first visible image or the corrected second visible image, and displays the superimposed information on the display means.

3. 2. The equipment temperature management system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means superimposes the temperature difference information on the corresponding location on the corrected first thermal image or the corrected second thermal image and displays it on the display means.

4. The facility temperature management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature difference information is a color image in which different colors are set according to the level of the temperature difference.

5. 5. The facility temperature management system according to claim 1, further comprising a warning unit that issues a warning when a temperature difference obtained by comparing the thermal images exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

6. A method for managing the surface temperature of equipment using a two-dimensional polygonal marker attached to a surface of the equipment, a non-fixed imaging means for capturing an image of the surface of the equipment to obtain a visible image and a thermal image, and a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image, comprising: a frame setting step of setting an initial frame having a shape similar to the outline of the marker in the first visible image based on outline, attitude, and position information of the marker as a common reference part present in a first visible image obtained by imaging a specific measurement point on the facility and a second visible image obtained by imaging the same measurement point on the facility at a different time, then setting a first frame in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame contacts the outer edge of the first visible image, and then setting a second frame by reflecting the first frame set in the first visible image in the second visible image; a frame reflecting step of superimposing the first frame set in the first visible image onto a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and reflecting the first frame set in the second visible image onto a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; a correction step of correcting a difference in the angle of view of the comparison areas of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by correcting at least one of the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame so that the first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image can be superimposed on each other, thereby making the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame the same in area and shape; a temperature difference information acquisition step of comparing the corrected thermal images to obtain temperature difference information; a temperature difference information display step of displaying the temperature difference information on the display means; An equipment temperature management method comprising:

7. a processor for controlling an equipment temperature management system including a two-dimensional polygonal marker attached to a surface of the equipment, a non-fixed imaging means for imaging the surface of the equipment to obtain a visible image and a thermal image, and a display means for displaying the visible image and the thermal image; a frame setting step of setting an initial frame having a shape similar to the outline of the marker in the first visible image based on outline, attitude, and position information of the marker as a common reference part present in a first visible image obtained by imaging a specific measurement point on the facility and a second visible image obtained by imaging the same measurement point on the facility at a different time, then setting a first frame in the first visible image by expanding or extending the initial frame until at least one of a plurality of vertices of the initial frame contacts the outer edge of the first visible image, and then setting a second frame by reflecting the first frame set in the first visible image in the second visible image; a frame reflecting step of superimposing the first frame set in the first visible image onto a first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and reflecting the first frame set in the second visible image onto a second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image; a correction step of correcting a difference in the angle of view of the comparison areas of the first thermal image and the second thermal image by correcting at least one of the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame so that the first thermal image corresponding to the first visible image and the second thermal image corresponding to the second visible image can be superimposed on each other, thereby making the image in the comparison area defined by the first frame and the image in the comparison area defined by the second frame the same in area and shape; a temperature difference information acquisition step of comparing the corrected thermal images to obtain temperature difference information; a temperature difference information display step of displaying the temperature difference information on the display means; A facility temperature control program to implement the above.

Images