Thermal Imaging Camera Image Stitching for High Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal imaging cameras face challenges in capturing large solid angle regions with high resolution, leading to high manufacturing costs due to the need for high-resolution detector fields and display tools, which is impractical for applications like building thermography.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an electronic evaluation unit that stitches together overlapping thermographic images with corresponding content, allowing for the creation of high-resolution overall images without the need for high-resolution detector fields, and enabling real-time video stitching with distortion correction using undistorted image regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-resolution detector field is used to capture large solid angle regions with high resolution, then image quality is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a large solid angle region into multiple smaller partial solid angle regions that can be captured by a lower-resolution detector field. Multiple thermographic images are taken of different portions of the measurement object and then stitched together to form a complete high-resolution image, eliminating the need for an expensive high-resolution detector field
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from capturing the entire large solid angle region in a single two-dimensional image to capturing multiple smaller regions sequentially and combining them. This dimensional approach to image acquisition allows a lower-resolution detector to achieve the same effective resolution for large areas by utilizing multiple images in the stitching process
2Measurement precision
If a high-resolution display tool is used to display large overall images, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large overall image into multiple smaller partial images that correspond to the lower-resolution display tool's capabilities. The stitched thermographic images are displayed in a tiled or panoramic format that distributes the large area content across multiple display regions, allowing a lower-resolution display to effectively show large areas without requiring high pixel density
3Area of stationary object
If multiple individual pictures are taken to cover large areas, then image coverage is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic scanning motion where the thermal imaging camera systematically moves through different positions to capture multiple partial images of the large measurement object. This structured periodic acquisition pattern, combined with automated stitching, efficiently covers large areas while minimizing total acquisition time compared to manual or random sampling approaches
Data Source
AI summary
In a thermal imaging camera (30) for acquisition of thermographic images (32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e) of a measurement object (49), an electronic evaluation unit (80) is integrated into the thermal imaging camera (30); it is designed for recognition of corresponding partial regions of the acquired thermographic images (32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e), and with it, the acquired images (32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e) can be assembled into an overall image (50) by overlapping and stitching together the corresponding partial regions and displayed. The acquisition of the images (32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e) preferably takes place during the swiveling of the thermal imaging camera (30) over the solid angle region of the desired overall image (50).