VISUAL IMAGE ANNOTATION, TAGGING OF INFRARED IMAGES, AND INFRARED IMAGE LINKING

• US 20120224067A1
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Stuart, Michael Devin, Foster, Tyrone
• Granted Patent: US 9,176,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Methods used with a thermal imager in capturing a primary thermal image of an object or scene and then associating it, as desired, with any of a multitude of information relating to the object or scene. The related information can be associated with the primary thermal image in the field after the image is captured. The related information can pertain to further detail regarding the object, the surroundings of the scene, and/or surroundings of the location of the scene, which when associated with the primary thermal image, collectively represents a form of asset information card for the image.

Claims

1. A method for associating an infrared image of an object of a scene with information relating to one or more of the object and the scene, comprising:

capturing a primary infrared image of the object of the scene with a thermal imager;

capturing related information following the capture of the primary infrared image, the related information involving further detail regarding one or more of the object, surroundings of the scene, and surroundings of location of the scene, the related information comprising one or more of images and video recordings, the related information being captured via one or more of infrared and visible light capabilities of the thermal imager; and

associating the captured related information with the primary infrared image in distinct manners such that the related information is distinguishable as to relatedness to the primary thermal image during future retrieval of the primary thermal image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal imager comprises an infrared camera, wherein the primary infrared image is captured via use of a focal plane array housed within the infrared camera.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the captured related information is associated based on whether the further detail therein is shown in the primary infrared image.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the captured related information is associated in one manner when corresponding detail shown in the primary infrared image is unclear.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the corresponding detail is out of focus, wherein the captured related information associated in the first manner comprises one or more of a visible-light image and video recording.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the corresponding detail is dependent on a thermal characteristic of a further object in the scene, wherein the captured related information associated in the first manner comprises one or more of an infrared image and video recording.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the captured related information is associated in one manner when the further detail is missing from the primary infrared image.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the captured related information associated in the one manner is further distinguished based on whether the object is shown therein.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the captured related information is performed during a same visit to the scene when capturing the primary infrared image.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating one or more of audio and text annotations with the captured related information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating one or more of the captured related information with one or more of the other captured related information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the one or more captured related information is associated with the corresponding one or more other captured related information based on detail therein being related.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of retrieving the primary infrared image from memory of the thermal imager, wherein one or more queues are provided by the imager to indicate the captured related information associated with the primary infrared image.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the related information is captured during a second visit to the scene subsequent to a first visit to the scene when the primary infrared image was captured.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary infrared image is captured for industrial maintenance purposes regarding one or more of the object and the related information.

26. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

16. A method for associating an infrared image of an object of a scene with information relating to one or more of the object and the scene, comprising:

capturing a primary infrared image of the object of the scene with a thermal imager;

capturing related information following the capture of the primary infrared image, the related information involving further detail regarding one or more of the object, surroundings of the scene, and surroundings of location of the scene, the related information comprising one or more of images and video recordings, the related information being captured via one or more of infrared and visible light capabilities of the thermal imager; and

associating the captured related information with the primary infrared image, wherein the captured related information is associated during a same visit to the scene when capturing the primary infrared image.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein each of the captured related information is associated based on whether the further detail therein is shown in the primary infrared image.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the captured related information is associated in one manner when corresponding detail shown in the primary infrared image is unclear.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the captured related information is associated in one manner when the further detail is missing from the primary infrared image.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising associating one or more of audio and text annotations with the captured related information.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising associating one or more of the captured related information with one or more of the other captured related information.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein each of the one or more captured related information is associated with the corresponding one or more other captured related information based on detail therein being related.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of retrieving the primary infrared image from memory of the thermal imager, wherein one or more queues are provided by the imager to indicate the captured related information associated with the primary infrared image.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising

capturing further related information during a subsequent visit to the scene;

and

associating the captured related information with the primary infrared image.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the primary infrared image is captured for industrial maintenance purposes regarding one or more of the object and the related information.