Infrared inspection system and method employing emissivity indications
First Claim
1. Apparatus for analyzing a unit in the form of a device or a structure having differing thermal emissivities at differing regions thereof comprising an infrared camera for monitoring infrared emission from the unit and for deriving a signal having magnitudes representing the infrared emission from multiple pixels in a field of view of the camera, a computer responsive to the signal including:
- means storing data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, the stored emissivity and standard temperature data for some of the pixels of the unit differing from the stored emissivity and standard temperature indication of others of the pixels of the unit, means for;
(a) combining indications of the infrared emission from the pixels and the stored data representing emissivity of the pixels to derive an indication of monitored temperature of the pixels, (b) comparing the stored data representing standard temperature of each pixel and the indications of monitored temperature of the pixels, and (c) deriving an indication of the deviation between the magnitude of the standard temperature and monitored temperature at the pixels; and
means responsive to the indication of the deviation at each pixel for indicating a property of the unit, the property being related to the deviations at the pixels.
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Abstract
A unit having differing thermal emissivities at differing regions thereof is monitored with an infrared camera for deriving a signal having magnitudes representing infrared emission from multiple pixels in the camera field of view. A computer responsive to the signal (a) stores data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, (b) combines indications of the infrared emission from each pixel and the stored data representing emissivity of each pixel to derive an indication of monitored temperature of each pixel, (c) compares the stored data representing standard temperature of each pixel and the indications of monitored temperature of each pixel, and (d) derives an indication of the deviation between the magnitude of the standard temperature and monitored temperature at each pixel. In response to the indication of the deviation at each pixel, a property of the unit related to the deviations at the pixels is derived.
82 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for analyzing a unit in the form of a device or a structure having differing thermal emissivities at differing regions thereof comprising an infrared camera for monitoring infrared emission from the unit and for deriving a signal having magnitudes representing the infrared emission from multiple pixels in a field of view of the camera, a computer responsive to the signal including:
- means storing data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, the stored emissivity and standard temperature data for some of the pixels of the unit differing from the stored emissivity and standard temperature indication of others of the pixels of the unit, means for;
(a) combining indications of the infrared emission from the pixels and the stored data representing emissivity of the pixels to derive an indication of monitored temperature of the pixels, (b) comparing the stored data representing standard temperature of each pixel and the indications of monitored temperature of the pixels, and (c) deriving an indication of the deviation between the magnitude of the standard temperature and monitored temperature at the pixels; and
means responsive to the indication of the deviation at each pixel for indicating a property of the unit, the property being related to the deviations at the pixels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- means storing data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, the stored emissivity and standard temperature data for some of the pixels of the unit differing from the stored emissivity and standard temperature indication of others of the pixels of the unit, means for;
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5. A method of analyzing a unit in the form of a device or a structure having differing thermal emissivities at differing regions thereof comprising monitoring infrared emission from the unit with an infrared camera so the camera derives a signal having magnitudes representing the infrared emission from multiple pixels in a field of view of the camera, supplying the signal to a computer storing data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, the stored emissivity and standard temperature data for some of the pixels of the unit differing from the stored emissivity and standard temperature indication of others of the pixels of the unit, the computer responding to the signal and the stored data by (a) combining indications of the infrared emission from the pixels and the stored data representing emissivity of the pixels to derive an indication of monitored temperature of the pixels, (b) comparing the stored data representing standard temperature of each pixel and the indications of monitored temperature of the pixels, and (c) deriving an indication of the deviation between the magnitude of the standard temperature and monitored temperature at the pixels;
- responding to the indication of the deviation at the pixels for indicating a property of the unit that is related to the deviations at the pixels.
- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification