DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING TEMPERATURE USING INFRARED ARRAY SENSORS

• US 20130230074A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Easytem Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Easytem Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Jae-Woo
• Application Number:
  US13/885,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20130230074A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/70 Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/106 Arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• 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 5/0275 Control or determination of height or distance or angle information for sensors or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/07 Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position optical collimating elements G01J5/0806
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0859 Sighting arrangements, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/48 Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/60 using determination of colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/20 Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature

Abstract

Disclosed is a device and method for measuring temperature with infrared array sensor. This device includes: an infrared array sensor module to take thermal picture information of a subject, including a plurality of infrared sensors arranged in an array of pixels; an on-screen display module to generate an indicator having a profile corresponding to an entire or local shape of the subject and defining a target point to be measured for temperature; a display module to express the indicator and the thermal picture information; and a controller to enable the infrared array sensor module to measure the subject'"'"'s temperature if the target point displayed by the thermal picture information overlaps with the indicator while the thermal picture information is expressed on the display module along with the indicator.

Claims

1. A device for measuring temperature, comprising:

an infrared array sensor module configured to take thermal picture information of a subject, including a plurality of infrared sensors arranged in an array of pixels;

an on-screen display module configured to generate an indicator having a profile corresponding to an entire or local shape of the subject and defining a target point to be measured for temperature;

a display module configured to express the indicator and the thermal picture information; and

a controller configured to enable the infrared array sensor module to measure the subject'"'"'s temperature if the target point displayed by the thermal picture information overlaps with the indicator while the thermal picture information is expressed on the display module along with the indicator.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a camera module configured to take image information,

wherein the display module is configured to overlap the image information with the indicator,

wherein the controller is configured to enable the infrared array sensor module to measure the subject'"'"'s temperature if the target point displayed by the thermal picture information overlaps with the indicator while the image information is expressed on the display module along with the indicator.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine that pixels included in the indicator are valid pixels if the target point overlaps with the indicator, and then calculate a resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to temperature values measured by infrared sensors respective to the valid pixels.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an ambient temperature value with reference to temperature values measured by the infrared sensors respective to other pixels except the valid pixels, and then correct the resultant temperature value with reference to the ambient temperature value.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, if temperature values measured each by the infrared sensors are within a predetermined temperature range, determine that pixels corresponding to the infrared sensors are valid pixels, and calculate a resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to temperature values measured by the infrared sensors corresponding to the valid pixels.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an ambient temperature value from temperature values measured by infrared sensors corresponding to other pixels except the valid pixels, and correct the resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to the ambient temperature value.

7. A method for measuring temperature, using the device of claim 1, the method comprising:

taking thermal picture information of a subject by an infrared array sensor;

generating an indicator that has a profile to a target point of the subject and displaying the indicator along with the thermal picture information;

measuring temperature from the subject by the infrared array sensor if the target point displayed by the thermal picture information overlaps with the indicator; and

calculating and displaying a resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to temperature values measured by a plurality of infrared sensors included in the infrared array sensor.

8. A method for measuring temperature, using the device of claim 2, the method comprising:

taking image information of a subject by a camera module;

generating an indicator that has a profile to a target point of a subject and displaying the indicator along with the image information;

measuring temperature from the subject by the infrared array sensor if the target point displayed by the thermal picture information overlaps with the indicator; and

calculating and displaying a resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to temperature values measured by a plurality of infrared sensors included in the infrared array sensor.

9. The method according to one claim 7, wherein calculating and displaying the resultant temperature value is comprises:

determining pixels, which are included in the indicator, as valid pixels; and

calculating the resultant temperature value of the subject with reference to temperature values measured by the infrared sensors corresponding to the valid pixels.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein calculating and displaying the resultant temperature value is comprises:

calculating an ambient temperature value from temperature values measured by the infrared sensors corresponding to other pixels except the valid pixels; and

correcting the resultant temperature value with reference to the ambient temperature value.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein calculating and displaying the resultant temperature value is comprises:

determining that, if temperature values measured each by the infrared sensors are within a predetermined temperature range, pixels corresponding to the infrared sensors are valid pixels; and

calculating the resultant temperature value from temperature values measured by the infrared sensors corresponding to the valid pixels.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein calculating and displaying the resultant temperature value is comprises:

calculating an ambient temperature value from temperature values measured by the infrared sensors corresponding to other pixels except the valid pixels; and

correcting the resultant temperature value with reference to the ambient temperature value.