THERMAL DETECTION SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES

• US 20130188058A1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Evans H., Mergener, Matthew J., Burch, Wade
• Granted Patent: US 9,723,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/164
• 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 5/028 using a charging unit or battery
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• 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 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for thermal detection. A thermal detection device includes a visual camera, a thermal detector, a controller, a user interface, a display, and a removable and rechargeable battery pack. The thermal detection device also includes a plurality of additional software and hardware modules configured to perform or execute various functions and operations of the thermal detection device. An output from the visual camera and an output from the thermal detector are combined by the controller or the plurality of additional modules to generate a combined image for display on the display.

Claims

1. A thermal imaging device comprising:

a housing including a handle portion, wherein a removable and rechargeable battery pack is configured to be inserted into the handle portion for providing power to the thermal imaging device;

a visual camera configured to generate a first signal related to a visual image;

an infrared sensor configured to generate a second signal related to a thermal image;

a display configured to display the visual image based on the first signal and the thermal image based on the second signal; and

a controller electrically connected to the visual camera, the infrared sensor, the display, and the inserted battery pack, the controller configured to control the display of the visual image and the thermal image on the display.

2. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode (“

LED”

) worklight.

3. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a memory configured to store the visual image and the thermal image.

4. The thermal imaging device of claim 3, wherein the memory is further configured to store a set of temperature data associated with the thermal image.

5. The thermal imaging device of claim 4, wherein the set of temperature data is appended to the visual image, and the visual image and the thermal image are stored separately in the memory.

6. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, wherein the battery pack has a lithium-based chemistry.

7. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface that includes a plurality of switches associated with controlling the thermal imaging device.

8. The thermal imaging device of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a button for toggling between a visual image display mode and a thermal image display mode.

9. A method of operating a thermal imaging device, the method comprising:

inserting a removable and rechargeable battery pack into a handle portion of the thermal imaging device;

receiving a signal from a trigger portion related to capturing an image of a scene;

monitoring an ambient temperature associated with the thermal imaging device;

storing a visual image of the scene associated with a visual camera in a memory of the thermal imaging device;

storing a thermal image of the scene associated with an infrared sensor in the memory of the thermal imaging device; and

selectively displaying one of the visual image and the thermal image on a display.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a rate at which the ambient temperature of the thermal imaging device is changing.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising compensating the infrared sensor based on the rate at which the ambient temperature of the thermal imaging device is changing.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising supplying heat to the infrared sensor to substantially match a temperature of the infrared sensor to the ambient temperature of the thermal imaging device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing a set of temperature data associated with the thermal image to the memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of temperature data is appended to the visual image, and the visual image and the thermal image are stored separately in the memory.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a feedback signal based on an output of the infrared sensor to control a setting of the visual camera.

16. A thermal imaging device comprising:

a visual camera configured to generate a first signal related to a visual image;

an infrared sensor configured to generate a second signal related to a thermal image;

a display configured to display the visual image based on the first signal and the thermal image based on the second signal;

a rechargeable lithium-based battery pack configured to be inserted into a handle portion of the thermal imaging device for providing power to the thermal imaging device; and

a controller electrically connected to the visual camera, the infrared sensor, the display, and the battery pack, the controller configured to control the display of the visual image and the thermal image on the display, the controller including a memory configured to store the visual image and the thermal image.

17. The thermal imaging device of claim 16, wherein the memory is further configured to store a set of temperature data associated with the thermal image.

18. The thermal imaging device of claim 17, wherein the set of temperature data is appended to the visual image, and the visual image and the thermal image are stored separately in the memory.

19. The thermal imaging device of claim 16, further comprising a user interface that includes a plurality of switches associated with controlling the thermal imaging device.

20. The thermal imaging device of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a button for toggling between a visual image display mode and a thermal image display mode.