633 results about "Thermographic camera" patented technology

A thermal imaging interface for control of a computer program may obtain one or more thermal infrared images of one or more objects with one or more thermographic cameras. The images may be analyzed to identify one or more characteristics of the objects. Such characteristics may be used as a control input in the computer program.

The invention relates to a method for the comprehensive recognition of various features of outdoor incipient fire, pertaining to the technical field of fire monitoring and image processing. The method comprises the steps that: 1. an infrared image is obtained by a thermal imaging instrument; 2. grey scale processing, threshold segmentation and filtration processing are carried out to the fire infrared image; 3.further analysis is carried out to a suspected fire flame image to obtain the following five criterions: (1) the flame image color distribution criterion; (2) the flame image change rate criterion; (3) the flame image area extending and increasing criterion; (4) the flame image circularity criterion; (5) the flame image shape changing criterion; 4. judgment is comprehensively carried out by utilizing a neural network and taking the criterions of 1 to 5 as input so as to obtain the final result that whether the fire occurs. The method overcomes interference to aspects such as natural lights, etc. in the fire recognition process, and reduces the rate of missing report and the rate of false report of the fire.

An airborne surveillance platform supporting optoelectronic and electronic sensors, including level sensors, is automatically stabilized in a horizontal plane by varying the length of two tethers out of three. Error signals from the level sensors are transmitted over a wireless link to control components on a rotating platform on the host vehicle, which automatically vary the length of tethers. Applications include images of the surrounding terrain generated by a video camera and a thermal imager in military, police and civil emergency operations.

The invention provides a human body temperature detecting device. The human body temperature detecting device is applied to a border crossing; the human body temperature detecting device comprises aninfrared thermal imager, a 3D face recognition device, a temperature measuring compensation device and a controller; the infrared thermal imager is used for sensing the body temperature of a person tobe tested in a preset area; the 3D face recognition device is used for obtaining a face image located in the preset area; the temperature measuring compensation device is used for measuring compensation information, and the compensation information includes an ambient temperature of the preset area; the controller is electrically connected to the infrared thermal imager, the 3D face recognition device, and the temperature measuring compensation device separately; the controller determines an initial temperature of a preset position of the face through the face image and the body temperature;the controller determines a compensation temperature according to the compensation information; and the controller determines an actual temperature according to the initial temperature and the compensation temperature. Therefore, the human body temperature detecting device can reduce the influence of the environment on the measuring structure, and the measuring precision is high; and meanwhile, the human body temperature detecting device can prevent the infection of diseases, and can be applied to a place with a large number of people.

A handheld target marker is provided, wherein the target marker includes a housing retaining a gas laser, a collimating or focusing lens, a driver and a power supply. The laser produces a thermal infrared beam which can be selectively directed to impinge upon a target. The impinging beam is viewable by a thermal imager. The handheld target marker operates at ambient temperatures and incorporates the driver and power supply necessary for operation of the laser, wherein the beam can be pulsed for enhancing imaging on the thermal imager.

A dual-band reflective infrared thermal imaging system is described. The dual-band reflective infrared thermal imaging system includes a reflective infrared thermal imager and a refractive visible light video camera. The refractive visible light video camera is configured at the central axis of the reflective infrared thermal imager so that the refractive visible light video camera and the reflective infrared thermal imager can synchronously and coaxially capture the images. The reflective infrared thermal imager further includes a reflective optical module and an infrared imaging sensor. The infrared images are focused on the infrared imaging sensor by way of the reflective optical module.

A thermographic infrared apparatus and method for seeing, and thus measuring, a foot inside of a shoe. The apparatus includes one or more thermographic instruments aimed at a base for capturing one or more thermographic images or fields of view of a shoe on the base and thus the heat transferred to the shoe from the foot. The apparatus further includes a display mounted above the base and aimed at the eye level of a person standing on the base such that the person can determine from the thermographic image how well the shoe or shoes fit. The method includes one or more of the steps of taking a thermal infrared image of a shoe on a foot, taking a thermal infrared image of a foot having no shoe thereon, taking a thermal infrared image of a shoe having no foot therein, taking a thermal infrared image from a first direction, taking a thermal infrared image from a second direction to capture surfaces hidden from the first direction, and then comparing one or more of the thermal infrared images. Other imaging methods for determining proper fit of a shoe include low dose x-ray, backscattering x-ray, microwave, acoustic, radio, and ultrasound imaging methods.

In a thermal imaging camera for acquisition of thermographic images of a measurement object, an electronic evaluation unit is integrated into the thermal imaging camera; it is designed for recognition of corresponding partial regions of the acquired thermographic images, and with it, the acquired images can be assembled into an overall image by overlapping the corresponding partial regions and displayed. The acquisition of the images preferably takes place during the swiveling of the thermal imaging camera over the solid angle region of the desired overall image.

Thermal images of an object are produced outdoors so as to be significantly differentiated temporally and / or geometrically and be inclusive of natural background such as would be illuminated by sunlight. A calibration of the thermal imager (e.g., radiometer) against theoretical blackbody radiation is effected using measured incident radiation, resulting in a calculated pixel intensity. A system transfer function calculation of the pixel intensity is effected, resulting in a radiance. A matrix inversion calculation of all of the radiances considered together is effected, resulting in a bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Advantageously, the BRDF is determined from the target in a direct but mathematically-enhanced manner, thereby making economic use of natural illumination and obviating the need for modelling, simulating or reconstructing the target.

In one embodiment, an efficient method is presented for aerial searching for a small thermal target in a search area, such as a single person in open water, using two thermal imagers or “cameras” coupled with a computer which presents data from the system to a human user for inspection. One of the two thermal imagers has a very wide field of view (WFOV) fixed forward of or below the aircraft. The other, narrow field-of-view (NFOV) imager has a high zoom capability but its field of view can be reoriented to geo-point to a location on command. The WFOV thermal imager collects images rapidly so that no individual image is blurred due to changes in the field of view (FOV) on the time-scale of the image capture. The images are geo-registered using information from a global positioning receiver as well as the current altitude, roll, pitch, yaw, and velocity of the aircraft. As the aircraft moves and the FOV in the WFOV thermal imager changes, the computer averages the amplitude of the thermal radiation detected from each geo-registered position on the water below using the captured images continuously and in real time. The signal from a thermal target in the water is integrated while the background is relatively suppressed, enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio for the target as the square root of the number of images collected in which the target appears. A target which is much smaller than the area covered by a single pixel or that even has a thermal contrast below the noise equivalent temperature difference of the WFOV thermal imager can be detected. Thermal anomalies which have a signal commensurate in amplitude and spatial extent to the object of the search are selected by the system and their coordinates are relayed to the NFOV thermal imager. The NFOV thermal imager zooms into these locations sequentially and presents the image information to the human user who can then either reject or verify that the subject being imaged is the object of the search.

The invention belongs to the technical field of intelligent robots and discloses an epidemic prevention robot and a control system thereof. The epidemic prevention robot comprises a robot body, a mechanical part and an electric appliance part, wherein the mechanical part comprises a moving chassis, a disinfectant storage box, a rotating table, an ultraviolet lamp box, a disinfection sprayer, and an intelligent recognition head; the electric appliance part comprises a laser radar, a servo motor outline, a control mainboard, a thermal imager, a portrait recognition module, a voice system and thelaser radar; a disinfection mode comprises an ultraviolet disinfection mode and a disinfectant spraying mode, and double disinfection sterilization is carried out through disinfectant spraying and ultraviolet irradiation. The epidemic prevention robot replaces manual work and is mainly used for safety epidemic prevention work; the functions of intelligent cruising, face recognition, remote shouting, autonomous charging, body temperature monitoring, voice alarm, disinfection sterilization and the like are provided, the robot can be greatly popularized in medical places, public places with large personnel flow and the like, and the probability that personnel are infected is greatly reduced.

Apparatus and method for temperature mapping a rotating component (12) in a high temperature combustion environment. The apparatus includes a thermal imager (14) having a field of view to sense infrared (IR) emissions. Emissivity of a surface of the component is subject to variation in the combustion environment. A radiance emitter (18) defines a spot within the field of view of the thermal imager. The spot indicates a respective emissivity value. A processor (30) is connected to the thermal imager to generate a radiance map of the component based on the IR emissions from the component. The processor includes a thermal calibration module configured to calibrate the radiance map based on the emissivity value of the spot within the field of view of the thermal imager to generate a calibrated thermal map of the component that displays absolute temperature over the surface of the component.

A thermal imaging apparatus comprises a thermal image camera having a lens and a display. The camera further includes a focal plane array located behind the lens for converting imaging radiation to produce an image signal for further processing. A shutter mechanism is operative to selectively inhibit exposure of the focal plane array to the imaging radiation such that the focal plane array produces a reference signal. Processing circuitry is operative to receive the image signal and produce a corresponding thermal image on the display. The processing circuitry is further operative to utilize the image signal and the reference signal to derive temperature information.

Various techniques are disclosed for smart surveillance camera systems and methods using thermal imaging to intelligently control illumination and monitoring of a surveillance scene. For example, a smart camera system may include a thermal imager, an IR illuminator, a visible light illuminator, a visible / near IR (NIR) light camera, and a processor. The camera system may capture thermal images of the scene using the thermal imager, and analyze the thermal images to detect a presence and an attribute of an object in the scene. In response to the detection, various light sources may be selectively operated to illuminate the object only when needed or desired, with a suitable type of light source, with a suitable beam angle and width, or in otherwise desirable manner. The visible / NIR light camera may also be selectively operated based on the detection to capture or record surveillance images containing objects of interest.

A handheld target marker is provided, wherein the target marker includes a housing retaining a quantum cascade laser, a collimating or focusing lens, a driver and a power supply. The quantum cascade laser produces a thermal infrared beam which can be selectively directed to impinge upon a target. The impinging beam is viewable by a thermal imager. The handheld target marker operates at ambient temperatures and incorporates the driver and power supply necessary for operation of the quantum cascade laser.

An apparatus is provided for monitoring a milking animal during milking of the animal. The apparatus includes a number of productivity sensors, each measuring at least one indicator of productivity of the animal. A number of temperature sensors, including at least two thermographic cameras, measure heat output from different processing areas of the milking animal. A processor receives the heat outputs and productivity indicators, and uses a combination of these to determine a condition of the milking animal. The condition is then indicated in real time at the monitoring apparatus.

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle platform power line patrol system and work mode. The system comprises an airplane body, a relay machine and a ground command vehicle, wherein the airplane body is provided with a high-definition camera, an infrared thermal imager, an airplane data radio and an airplane image transmission radio, the relay machine is provided with a data radio replay and an image transmission radio relay, the data radio replay and the image transmission radio relay are in wireless communication with the airplane body, the ground command vehicle is provided with a ground data radio and a ground image transmission radio, the ground data radio and the ground image transmission radio are in wireless communication with the relay machine, the relay machine is an unmanned helicopter capable of patrolling flying, and the number of the relay machine is one or more. The unmanned aerial vehicle platform power line patrol system mainly relates to maintenance devices of a power system.

A thermal imaging apparatus comprises a housing defining an entrance pupil for ingress of imaging radiation. At least one light sensor is positioned forward of the entrance pupil. An electronic imaging device such as a focal plane array is located in the housing rearward of the entrance pupil for converting imaging radiation to electrical signals for further processing. The apparatus further includes a shutter having an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the shutter is located between the entrance pupil and the electronic imaging device so as to inhibit exposure of the electronic imaging device to incident radiation. Circuitry is provided for selectively operating the shutter to be in the closed position based on signals produced at the light sensor.

The invention discloses a temperature correction method for infrared temperature measurement, and an infrared thermal imager. The method completes the temperature correction through the following steps: obtaining the position vectors between N black bodies at different positions and an infrared thermometer, improving the correction precision through the black bodies at different positions, and providing a data source for the temperature correction; then, respectively measuring the temperatures of the black bodies by using a contact type temperature measuring sensor and the infrared thermometer, calculating the relative temperature differences of the black bodies, and based on the temperature differences and the spatial relationship between the black bodies and the infrared thermometer, incombination with preset parameters of the external environment such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, illumination conditions and the like, using a mathematical analysis technology to obtain correction parameters, and correcting the temperature measurement value of a measured object to complete temperature correction of the infrared thermometer. The high-precision constant-temperature controlof the black bodies is converted into real-time accurate monitoring of the temperature of the black bodies, so that the calibration cost is effectively controlled, and the temperature measurement accuracy is ensured.

The invention relates to an on-line nondestructive detecting system for thermal excitation infrared imaging, and the system is used for detecting the internal defects and structures of various metal and non-metal materials. The system comprises an infrared thermal imager, a thermal excitation source, a visible light camera, an automatic fine control cradle head, a control system and a data processor. The system has a function of automatically tracking and locking a detected object, and is applicable applied to the infrared thermal wave nondestructive detection of an object at a nonstatic state.

The present invention relates to the field of the fire-fighting device technology, especially to a fire scene fire source positioning method and system and a fire-fighting robot. The method comprises: measuring the included angle between the fire source direction of a thermal imager at a starting position and the movement line of the thermal imager; measuring the included angle between the fire direction of the thermal imager at another direction and the movement line of the thermal imager; measuring the distance of the movement of the thermal imager; and calculating the distance between the thermal imager at the starting position and the fire source and the distance between the thermal imager at another position and the fire source according to a trigonometric function. The positioning system comprises a thermal imager, a rotation device and a driving device. The fire robot comprises a positioning system. The fire scene fire source positioning method and system and the fire-fighting robot are able to dynamically measure the deflection angle and the distance between any one fire source and the robot so as to effectively improve the work efficiency and simplify the operation without extra measurement tool and extra cost.

A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system has a steerable outlet for directing a stream of treated air into a passenger compartment of a vehicle. A thermographic imager is configured to capture thermographic images covering a fixed region within the passenger compartment in which an occupant is potentially located. The HVAC control circuit is configured to a) compress a thermographic image to a temperature map representing pixels of the thermographic image falling within a predetermined temperature range corresponding to the occupant, b) filter the temperature map according to a sliding window to coalesce continuous regions of pixels on average falling within the predetermined temperature range, c) quantify an area for each continuous region, d) locate a centroid of a continuous region having a largest area, and e) aim the steerable outlet toward the centroid.

An imaging system, particularly a thermal imager, has a detector operating in at least two sensitivity modes. The detector is read on a pixel-by-pixel basis in each of at least two modes and output therefrom is substantially simultaneously displayed so that a wide range of thermal sensitivities are simultaneously displayed.The detector is, preferably, read out at maximum and minimum sensitivity levels at least half the field rate and, advantageously, at the field rate of a display. In a preferred embodiment, color is added to the normally provided gray scale output from the detector ranging from black for the coolest object through white and yellow to red for the hottest object.

A thermal imaging interface for control of a computer program may obtain one or more thermal infrared images of one or more objects with one or more thermographic cameras. The images may be analyzed to identify one or more characteristics of the objects. Such characteristics may be used as a control input in the computer program.

The invention discloses a numerical-control machine-tool thermal error prediction method based on an unbiased estimation splitting model and a system thereof. The prediction method comprises the following steps of 1, acquiring a temperature variable and a thermal deformation amount of a machine tool main shaft; 2, extracting a temperature sensitive point variable needed by thermal error modeling; 3, establishing a machine-tool thermal-error unbiased estimation splitting model; 4, calculating a thermal deformation amount prediction value of the unbiased estimation splitting model, and according to a difference state of the value and a thermal deformation amount measurement value, acquiring prediction performance of the unbiased estimation splitting model. The system comprises an infrared thermal imager, a temperature sensor, an eddy current displacement sensor and an industrial control computer. By using the method and the system, a coupling effect among temperature independence variables is effectively solved; and a temperature sensitive point selection method and a thermal error modeling model are cooperated and used so that prediction precision and robustness of the thermal error model are greatly increased.

A thermographic route examination system includes a thermographic camera, a computer readable memory device, and an analysis processing unit. The thermographic camera is coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route and senses infrared radiation emitted from the route to generate a thermal signature representative of the route. The computer readable memory device stores healthy thermal signatures representative of temperatures of at least one segment of the route that is not damaged. The analysis processing unit receives the thermal signature from the thermographic camera and to determine if the one or more segments of the route are damaged segments of the route based on the thermal signature by comparing the thermal signature of the one or more segments of the route with the one or more healthy thermal signatures to determine if the one or more segments of the route are the damaged segments of the route.

A route examination system includes a thermographic camera configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route. The thermographic camera is also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the route and to generate a sensed thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed. The system also includes a computer readable memory device configured to store a designated thermal signature representative of infrared radiation emitted from a segment of the route that is not damaged. The system also includes an analysis processor configured to determine a condition of a first portion of the route relative to other portions of the route at least in part by comparing the sensed thermal signature and the designated thermal signature.

The invention relates to a single-blackbody temperature-controlled MRTD (Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference) field online automatic detection device and a method for a thermal imager. The automatic detection device comprises a single-blackbody temperature difference generator, an infrared collimating optical system, an image acquisition system and a microcomputer control and processing system. The detection method comprises the following steps that: the temperature of a surface source blackbody is firstly adjusted, so that the required infrared radiation temperature difference can be generated by a 4-bar target and the environment; the infrared radiation temperature difference is collimated by using a Cassegrain collimator tube and then enters the objective lens of a detected thermal imager; and imaged results are acquired by an image acquisition card and then are inputted to the microcomputer control and processing system, the calculation processing is carried out, and the calculated MRTD result is displayed, so that the automatic detection on the MRTD parameters of the detected thermal imager is achieved. The detection device provided by the invention has the advantages of small volume and little weight, guaranteed accuracy, simplicity and convenience in operation, and high degree of automation, and is applicable to the field online detection on the MRTD of infrared thermal imaging equipment.

An integrated thermal imager for detecting combined passive LWIR or MWIR radiation of a scene and active SWIR radiation of a laser source is described The imager includes a two-dimensional focal plane array (2D-FPA) constituted by an assembly of voltage tunable photodetectors. Each voltage tunable photodetector integrates a quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) together with a heterojunction bipolar phototransistor (HBPT), thereby forming a pixel element in the 2D-FPA.