Infrared communication system and method

• US 20050224716A1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immediate Response Technologies, LLC (AirBoss of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TVI Incorporated (AutoWeb, Inc. (California))
• Inventors: Armentrout, Douglas B., Boyer, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/339.60
• 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

Abstract

A communication system and method utilizing an infrared signal emitter communicating a predefined signal, and an infrared signal receiver capable of receiving such predefined signal, distinguishing such predefined signal within a field of view of the infrared signal receiver, and providing output indicating the location of the infrared signal emitter within the field of view of the infrared signal receiver.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

an emitter that emits an infrared signal having a predetermined pattern;

a receiver that receives said infrared signal;

a processor operationally attached to said receiver and that analyzes the received signal; and

a display device that displays a human discernable output indicating the presence of said signal if the pattern of said signal is recognized.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the display device displays a location of the signal in the field of view of said receiver.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said infrared signal is in the mid infrared or far infrared energy spectrum.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a thermal imager.

5. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein said receiver comprises an infrared camera.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said emitter is programmable.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, said processor further comprising a memory for storing predetermined signaling patterns.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said display device further displays an indication of the infrared energy emitted from all objects in the field of view of said receiver.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, said processor further comprising an analysis module that compares each pixel of output from said receiver to the same relative pixel from a previous frame and/or to surrounding pixels in order to determine a modulating cycle between distinct levels of infrared energy.

10. The communication system according to claim 9, wherein

said analysis module compares the modulating cycle to one or more stored signal patterns in order to determine if said modulating cycle matches at least one stored signal pattern;

and

displays an indicia on said display device corresponding to the infrared signal that was detected.

11. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein said analysis module determines the location within the field of view of said receiver based upon the detection of said infrared signal.

12. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein said analysis module displays a textual message on said display device corresponding to the infrared signal that was detected.

13. A method of communication, comprising:

providing an emitter that emits an infrared signal having a predetermined pattern;

providing a receiver that receives said infrared signal and a processor operationally attached to said receiver;

analyzing the received signal; and

displaying an output indicating the presence of said signal if the pattern of said signal is recognized.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising displaying a location of the signal in the field of view of said receiver.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising displaying a textual message corresponding to the signal that was detected.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said infrared signal is in the mid infrared or far infrared energy spectrum.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein said emitter is programmable.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

programming a signal pattern into said emitter;

storing one or more predetermined signal patterns in said processor; and

activating said emitter.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said signal;

collecting image data from each frame of the field of view of said receiver; and

analyzing each frame on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

comparing each pixel of output from said receiver to the same relative pixel from a previous frame and/or to surrounding pixels;

determining a modulating cycle between distinct levels of infrared energy; and

marking said pixel if a modulating pattern is found.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

comparing said modulating cycle to one or more stored signal patterns

determining if said modulating cycle matches at least one stored signal pattern; and

displaying an indicia corresponding to the infrared signal that was detected.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising displaying a location of the signal in the field of view of said receiver.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising displaying a textual message corresponding to the signal that was detected.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein said infrared signal is in the mid infrared or far infrared energy spectrum.