GRADIENT IMAGE PROCESSING
First Claim
1. A method of detecting defects in a metal part arising from processing of the metal part, the method comprising:
- acquiring a thermal image of the metal part after processing the metal part;
determining a difference image by comparing the thermal image to a reference image, the difference image being related to temperature differences between temperature data represented by the thermal image and reference temperature data represented by the reference image;
determining a gradient image using the difference image, the gradient image representing temperature difference gradients within the difference image; and
detecting defects in the metal part using the gradient difference image.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of assessing the quality of metal parts, for example through detection of defects in a metal part induced by processing the metal part, comprises acquiring a thermal image of the metal part after processing the metal part, determining a difference image by comparing the thermal image to a reference image, the difference image being related to temperature differences between temperature data represented by the thermal image and by the reference image, and determining a gradient image using the difference image, the gradient image representing temperature difference gradients within the difference image. An example apparatus comprises a camera, such as a thermal camera, an image processor, and an output device such as a display.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of detecting defects in a metal part arising from processing of the metal part, the method comprising:
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acquiring a thermal image of the metal part after processing the metal part; determining a difference image by comparing the thermal image to a reference image, the difference image being related to temperature differences between temperature data represented by the thermal image and reference temperature data represented by the reference image; determining a gradient image using the difference image, the gradient image representing temperature difference gradients within the difference image; and detecting defects in the metal part using the gradient difference image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for assisting the detection of defects in a metal part after processing the metal part, the apparatus comprising:
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a camera, operable to acquire a thermal image of the metal part; an image processing device, operable to compare the thermal image with a reference thermal image so as to determine a difference image, the difference image representing temperature differences between temperatures represented by the thermal image and reference temperatures represented by the reference image, the image processing device being further operable to determine a gradient image, the gradient image representing rates of change of temperature differences within the difference image; and an output device, the output device providing a visual indication of the gradient image so as to assist detection of defects within the metal part. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification