Methods and systems for displaying a thermal image and information related to servicing a vehicle

• US 10,506,193 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruther, Timothy, Stefanik, Gary, Covington, Joshua, Miskovic, Steven, Neri, Oswaldo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gadomski, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US15/233,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30248 Vehicle exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/23 from thermal infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/841 to modify gamut
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits

Abstract

An example method is performed by a thermal imaging device. The method includes capturing a thermal image of a vehicle and displaying the thermal image within a first region of a display of the thermal imaging device. The method further includes displaying information related to servicing the vehicle within a second region of the display that is distinct from the first region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, by a thermal imaging device, a thermal image of a component of a vehicle;

displaying, by the thermal imaging device, the thermal image within a first region of a display of the thermal imaging device;

receiving, via a user interface of the thermal imaging device, an input that indicates (i) a vehicle component and (ii) a symptom of the vehicle component;

identifying information that is associated with the vehicle component, wherein the information comprises (i) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as functioning normally or (ii) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as malfunctioning; and

displaying, by the thermal imaging device concurrently with the thermal image of the component of the vehicle, the information within a second region of the display that is distinct from the first region, wherein the information is related to (i) servicing the vehicle and (ii) the symptom.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the thermal image to a server computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the information from a server computing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a thermal image of another vehicle, and wherein the information was received by a server computing system from a second thermal imaging device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the information from a computer readable medium of the thermal imaging device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input further indicates a make, a model, or a year of the vehicle, and wherein the information is related to the make, the model, or the year of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises textual suggestions for repairing the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the thermal image comprises capturing the thermal image in response to detecting that a trigger of the thermal imaging device has been actuated.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein capturing the thermal image comprises capturing a thermal video stream in response to detecting that the trigger has been actuated, the method further comprising:

ceasing capturing the thermal video stream in response to detecting that the trigger has been released.

10. A thermal imaging device comprising:

one or more processors;

a display;

a user interface; and

a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the thermal imaging device to perform functions comprising;

capturing a thermal image of a component of a vehicle;

displaying the thermal image within a first region of the display;

receiving, via the user interface, an input that indicates (i) a vehicle component and (ii) a symptom of the vehicle component;

identifying information that is associated with the vehicle component, wherein the information comprises (i) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as functioning normally or (ii) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as malfunctioning; and

displaying, by the display concurrently with the thermal image of the component of the vehicle, the information within a second region of the display that is distinct from the first region, wherein the information is related to (i) servicing the vehicle and (ii) the symptom.

11. The thermal imaging device of claim 10, the functions further comprising sending the thermal image to a server computing system.

12. The thermal imaging device of claim 10, the functions further comprising receiving the information from a server computing system.

13. The thermal imaging device of claim 10, wherein the information comprises information associated with one or more of:

an interactive menu, instructions for navigating the interactive menu, or a recalibration mode of the thermal imaging device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a thermal imaging device, cause the thermal imaging device to perform functions comprising:

capturing a thermal image of a component of a vehicle;

displaying the thermal image within a first region of a display of the thermal imaging device;

receiving, via a user interface of the thermal imaging device, an input that indicates (i) a vehicle component and (ii) a symptom of the vehicle component;

identifying information that is associated with the vehicle component, wherein the information comprises (i) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as functioning normally or (ii) a thermal image of an example of the vehicle component that has been designated as malfunctioning; and

displaying, concurrently with the thermal image of the component of the vehicle, the information within a second region of the display that is distinct from the first region, wherein the information is related to (i) servicing the vehicle and (ii) the symptom.