CAMERA WITH VISIBLE LIGHT AND INFRARED IMAGE BLENDING

• US 20080099678A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: McManus, Thomas J., Johnson, Kirk R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0859 Sighting arrangements, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/00 Cameras details G03B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 camera that can capture a visible light image and an infrared image of a target scene. The camera includes a focusable infrared lens and a display. The display provides the visible light and infrared images in a focus mode or an analysis mode. In the focus mode, the percentage of infrared imagery of the target scene is relatively higher to assist the user in focusing the infrared image. In analysis mode, the percentage of infrared imagery is relatively lower to assist the user in analyzing and visualizing the target scene. The modes may be switched manually or automatically.

Claims

1. A camera for producing visible-light (VL) images and infrared (IR) images, comprising:

VL sensors for sensing VL images of a target scene;

IR sensors for sensing IR images of the target scene;

focusable optics for capturing the target scene; and

a display area for displaying a composite image including at least a portion of the VL images and the IR images superimposed and blended in one of a focus mode and an analysis mode, the modes being particular ratios of the amount of VL images to the IR images in the blended composite image, the analysis mode blend ratio being different from the focus mode ratio and being appropriate for analyzing and visualizing the target scene, the focus mode blend ratio being appropriate for focusing the optics, and the display area being switchable between the focus mode and the analysis mode.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the focusable optics are optics for the IR sensors.

3. The camera of claim 2, further including optics for the VL sensors, and wherein the VL optics and IR optics have different fields of view so that the VL and IR images of the target scene have a parallax error.

4. The camera of claim 3, wherein focusing the IR optics registers the VL and IR images to correct the parallax error.

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein a detection of focusing the IR optics causes a switch to the focus mode.

6. The camera of claim 1, wherein the analysis mode blend ratio is higher than the focus mode ratio.

7. The camera of claim 6, further including a sensor for detecting a focus change in the focusable optics.

8. The camera of claim 7, wherein the sensor includes a hall effect sensor.

9. The camera of claim 1, wherein the display area is automatically switchable between the focus mode and the analysis mode.

10. The camera of claim 9, wherein the display is automatically switched to the focus mode after detection of a focus change in the focusable optics.

11. The camera of claim 1, wherein the display area is manually switchable between the focus mode and the analysis mode via camera user controls.

12. The camera of claim 1, wherein the analysis mode blend ratio is such that the percentage of IR images in the composite image is 100%.

13. The camera of claim 1, wherein the focus mode blend ratio is such that the percentage of VL images in the composite image is 100%.

14. The camera of claim 1, wherein the percentage of IR images in the composite image in the focus mode varies from about 50% to 100%.

15. The camera of claim 1, wherein the percentage of VL images in the composite image in the focus mode varies from about 0% to 50%.

16. The camera of claim 1, wherein the superimposed and blended VL and IR images are registered together.

17. The camera of claim 1, wherein the VL sensors and the IR sensors each include arrays of sensors.

18. The camera of claim 1, wherein the blending is alpha-blending.

19. The camera of claim 1, wherein the focus mode and analysis mode blend ratios are one of preset, user-defined, the most recent user blend ratio employed by the user.

20. A camera producing visible light (VL) and infrared (IR) images, the camera comprising:

a VL camera module having VL optics and adapted for capturing VL images;

an IR camera module having IR optics and adapted for capturing IR images; and

a display area for displaying a composite image including at least a portion of the VL images and the IR images superimposed and blended in one of first and second modes, the modes being particular ratios of the amount of VL images to IR images in the blended composite image, the first mode blend ratio being different from the second mode ratio and being appropriate for analyzing and visualizing the target scene, the second mode blend ratio being appropriate for registering the VL and IR images on the display, and the IR images and VL images translatable on the display relative to one another for registering the IR and VL images on the display, the display area being able to toggle between the first and second modes.

21. The camera of claim 20, wherein the first and second modes are analysis and focus modes, respectively.

22. The camera of claim 20, wherein the IR optics are focusable.

23. The camera of claim 22, wherein focusing the IR optics translates the IR images relative to the VL images.

24. The camera of claim 23, wherein a detection of focusing the IR optics causes a switch to the second mode.

25. The camera of claim 20, wherein actuation of a camera control mechanism translates the IR images.

26. The camera of claim 20, wherein actuation of the camera control causes a switch to the second mode.

27. The camera of claim 20, wherein the VL optics and the IR optics have separate fields of view so that the VL and IR images of a target scene have a parallax error.

28. The camera of claim 27, wherein the translation of the IR images corrects the parallax error.

29. A camera with a computer-readable medium programmed with instructions for performing a method of operating a camera display, the camera display for displaying a composite image of visible light (VL) and infrared (IR) images of a target scene superimposed and blended, the medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

detect a change in a camera parameter indicative of a desire to display the composite image with a first ratio of the amount of IR images to the VL images in the blended composite image;

display the composite image with the first ratio;

determine a lack of change in the camera parameter for a period of time; and

change the ratio of the composite image display to a second ratio after determining the lack of change.

30. The camera of claim 29, further comprising instructions to initially set the camera display to the first ratio.

31. The camera of claim 29, further comprising instructions to initially set the camera display to the second ratio.

32. The camera of claim 29, wherein the camera parameter is a focus position of optics associated with the IR images.

33. The camera of claim 29, wherein the camera parameter is a dedicated camera toggle switch.

34. The camera of claim 29, wherein the second ratio is the ratio being used immediately prior to the display of the composite image with the first ratio.

35. A camera with a computer-readable medium programmed with instructions for performing a method of mode switching a camera display, the camera display for displaying a composite image of visible light (VL) and infrared (IR) images of a target scene superimposed and alpha-blended in one of an analysis mode and a focus mode, the modes being particular ratios of the amount of VL images to the IR images in the alpha-blended composite image, the analysis mode alpha-blend ratio being relatively higher than the focus mode ratio and being appropriate for analyzing and visualizing the target scene, the focus mode alpha-blend ratio being appropriate for focusing at least one of the VL and IR images, the medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

detect a change in a camera parameter indicative of desire for focus mode;

switch the camera display to the focus mode after detection of the change in the camera parameter; and

switch the camera display to the analysis mode a predetermined time after no detection of change in the camera parameter.