Infrared system with computerized image display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An infrared imaging system comprising:
- an infrared scanner which receives infrared radiation from a scene and produces analog signals for a plurality of individual pixels in frames with a scanning raster, including sync signals;
a digitizer which receives said analog signals and sync signals and produces corresponding digital signals, providing a digital value for each pixel which is a function of the infrared intensity from said object;
processing means including memory means and a display generator for storing and processing a frame of the digital signals to create a display frame; and
means for displaying said display frame as an image of said scene;
wherein said processing means includes means to cause all pixel brightness values to be surveyed and the maximum and minimum values to be identified, means to cause said maximum and minimum values to be displayed at an operator'"'"'s console and to permit entry of different values, and means to create a grey scale as part of the display frame;
whereby the system is capable of generating calibrated quantitative imagery which may be utilized as a diagnostic tool for the analysis of heat flow from surfaces.
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Abstract
Analog signals representing infrared radiation from an object are generated by a scanner. These signals are digitized and one frame of data is stored in a computer. The computer and a display generator process the data, and supply one frame to a TV monitor which displays an image of the object. A grey scale is also displayed alongside the image to provide calibrated quantitative information related to the temperature at different places of the object. A tape recorder may be used to record the analog signals, for later digitizing and displaying the images.
45 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An infrared imaging system comprising:
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an infrared scanner which receives infrared radiation from a scene and produces analog signals for a plurality of individual pixels in frames with a scanning raster, including sync signals; a digitizer which receives said analog signals and sync signals and produces corresponding digital signals, providing a digital value for each pixel which is a function of the infrared intensity from said object; processing means including memory means and a display generator for storing and processing a frame of the digital signals to create a display frame; and means for displaying said display frame as an image of said scene; wherein said processing means includes means to cause all pixel brightness values to be surveyed and the maximum and minimum values to be identified, means to cause said maximum and minimum values to be displayed at an operator'"'"'s console and to permit entry of different values, and means to create a grey scale as part of the display frame; whereby the system is capable of generating calibrated quantitative imagery which may be utilized as a diagnostic tool for the analysis of heat flow from surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. The method of forming images comprising the steps:
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scanning an object with an infrared scanner to produce analog signals of pixels in frames; digitizing the analog signals;
storing a frame of the digital signals;processing the frame of digital signals; and displaying an image of the frame; wherein said processing includes causing all pixel brightness values to be surveyed and the maximum and minimum values to be identified, causing said maximum and minimum values to be displayed at an operator'"'"'s console and permitting entry of different values, and creating a grey scale as part of the display frame; whereby the method is capable of generating calibrated quantitative imagery which may be utilized as a diagnostic tool for the analysis of heat flow from surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An infrared imaging system comprising:
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an infrared scanner including a linear array of N detectors which receive infrared radiation from a scene and produce analog signals for a plurality of individual pixels in frames with a scanning raster, including sync signals, with means to provide N×
M scan lines in the raster;a digitizer comprising N A/D conversion devices which receives said analog signals and sync signals and produces corresponding digital signals, providing a digital value for each pixel which is a function of the infrared intensity from said object, and timing means which includes counting means controlled by said sync signals to divide each line of the raster into K pixels; processing means including a digital computer having an operator'"'"'s console, memory means, input means, and a display generator, for storing and processing a frame of the digital signals to create a display frame; means for displaying said display frame as an image of said scene; the input means including a data program which creates a storage array in the memory means to receive K×
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N pixels of data, which then accepts the K×
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N pixel values from the digitizer;wherein said computer includes an imaging program which operates with the display generator and the data in said storage arrays to perform intensity normalization routines and assemble a picture for one frame, including a grey scale which divides the differences between the darkest (coldest) and brightest (hottest) regions of the scene into a predetermined number of levels of intensity; wherein said processing means operating with said imaging program comprises means for reserving memory storage space for pixel data, address arrays, and frame identification arrays; means for creating a working file and retrieving a set of K×
M×
N digitizer values stored under the file name entered by the operator;means for providing for autologging if requested by an entry by the operator; means for entering a choice of columns between which pixel values are averaged, which permits selection of a region of the displayed scene which contains background radiance having minimal intensity variations, detector values for all pixels scanned by each of said detectors between the selected columns being summed and divided by the number of values summed, which gives an average background value seen by the N individual detectors, a median intensity value being subtracted from each averaged background value to give an offset value, the offset values being listed on the log printout, whereby all pixel values of the frame are normalized to a common background level, and also the values of maximum and minimum brightness are forced to fall between the display generator'"'"'s maximum and minimum display range capability; means for causing scan lines to be assembled into a correctly sequenced image, and for manipulating the scan lines to give the correct vertical alignment; means for causing all pixel brightness values to be surveyed and the maximum and minimum values to be identified and displayed at the operator'"'"'s console and permitting different values to be entered, entry of different limits causing the image to be displayed with all values between these limits being displayed on an expanded or reduced scale as is mathematically appropriate, so that the image has an altered dynamic range of intensity enabling the operator to enhance weak detail within the image, the new maximum and minimum values entered by the operator being listed if autologging is in effect; and means for causing the pixel values to be raised or lowered as required to keep them within the display generator'"'"'s dynamic range capability, and means to create said grey scale. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification