Camera, spectrum analysis system, and combustion evaluation apparatus employing them

• US 5,547,369 A
• Filed: 03/17/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Itoh, Kazuyuki, Sohma, Kenichi, Kuroda, Michio, Murakami, Tadayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Larry
• Application Number:
  US08/214,103
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 431/75, 431/18, 431/13, 431/17, 431/76-79, 340/577-578, 110/261-265
• US Class Current: 431/75
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 11/045 by observing the flame
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2229/20 Camera viewing
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/082 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/448 Array [CCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/2826 Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 Imaging spectrometer

Abstract

A camera includes a plurality of photosensors disposed on an imaging surface. The photosensors separately output respective photodetection signals, and are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units each including at least two of the photosensors. The photosensors of each of the photosensitive units have respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another. The photodetection signals outputted from selected ones of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units are used in performing spectrum analysis. R (red), G (green), and B (blue) signals are synthesized from the photodetection signals outputted from the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units and are used in displaying an ordinary color image.

Claims

1. A camera comprising a plurality of photosensors which are disposed on an imaging face thereof, and which separately deliver photodetection signals of each of said photosensors;

at least two of said plurality of photosensors in a predetermined combination being set as one photosensitive unit on a condition that the photosensors included in said one photosensitive unit have detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap each other.

2. A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said photosensors constituting said one photosensitive unit are arranged in adjacency to each other on said imaging face.

3. A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein a comprehensive detection wavelength range of all said photosensors constituting said one photosensitive unit covers the whole visible radiation range.

4. A camera for observing light of certain specified wavelength as defined in claim 1, wherein a photosensor which has a maximum detectivity at and near a specified wavelength is included in each of the photosensitive units.

5. A camera as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of emission wavelengths of a CH radical, a C₂ radical and an OH radical is contained as said specified wavelength.

6. A spectrum analysis system, comprising:

the camera defined in claim 1; and

separation means for separating only the signals of the desired photosensors from an output signal of said camera.

7. A spectrum analysis system, comprising:

the camera defined in claim 1; and

synthesis means for synthesizing R (red), G (green) and B (blue) signals by using an output signal from said camera.

8. A camera comprising a plurality of photosensors which are disposed on an imaging face thereof, and which separately deliver photodetection signals of each of the photosensors;

said photosensors including at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

a first photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not contain emission wavelengths of either a C₂ radical or an OH radical;

a second photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not contain the emission wavelengths of either the CH radical and the OH radical; and

a third photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not contain the emission wavelengths of either the CH radical and the C₂ radical.

10. A spectrum analysis system, comprising:

the camera defined in claim 8; and

separation means for separating only the signals of the desired photosensors from an output signal of said camera.

11. A spectrum analysis system, comprising:

the camera defined in claim 8; and

synthesis means for synthesizing R (red), G (green) and B (blue) signals by using an output signal from said camera.

9. A camera comprising a plurality of photosensors which are disposed on an imaging face thereof, and which separately deliver photodetection signals of each of said photosensors;

at least two adjacent ones of said plurality of photosensors being set as one photosensitive unit;

said one photosensitive unit including at least two members selected from the group consisting of;

a first photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not contain emission wavelengths of either a C₂ radical and an OH radical;

a second photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not contain the emission wavelengths of either the CH radical and the OH radical; and

a third photosensor whose detection wavelength range contains the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not contain the emission wavelengths of either the CH radical and the C₂ radical.

12. A camera comprising a plurality of photosensors, photodetection signals of which are separately delivered;

a plurality of adjacent ones of said plurality of photosensors being set as one photosensitive unit;

said one photosensitive unit including;

photosensors for a picture which exhibit sensitivity curves agreeing with those of cameras for ordinary television; and

photosensors for a spectrum analysis whose detection wavelength ranges do not overlap one another.

13. A spectrum analysis system, comprising:

the camera defined in claim 12; and

separation means for separating only the signals of the desired photosensors among the output signals derived from said photosensors for said spectrum analysis.

14. A combustion evaluation apparatus for evaluating a combustion state of flames, comprising:

a camera which photographs the flames, the camera including a plurality of photosensors having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another;

display means for displaying a picture of the flames by using an output signal from said camera; and

arithmetic means for obtaining a physical quantity for evaluating a combustion property of said flames, by the use of the output signal of said camera.

15. A combustion evaluation apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said camera is the camera defined in any one of claims 5, 8 or 9.

16. A combustion system, comprising:

a burner which burns a mixture consisting of fuel and air;

feed means for feeding the fuel and the air to said burner;

adjustment means for adjusting a feed rate of at least one of said fuel and said air which are to be fed to said burner;

a camera which photographs flames, the camera including a plurality of photosensors having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another;

display means for displaying a picture of the flames by using an output signal from said camera;

arithmetic means for obtaining a physical quantity for evaluating a combustion property of the flames, by using the output signal from said camera; and

control means for controlling said adjustment means in accordance with the physical quantity obtained by said arithmetic means.

17. A combustion system as defined in claim 16, wherein said camera is the camera defined in any one of claims 5, 8 or 9.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photosensors disposed on an imaging surface, the photosensors separately outputting respective photodetection signals;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors, the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein in each of the photosensitive units, each of the photosensors of the photosensitive unit is adjacent to at least one other photosensor of the photosensitive unit.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the detection wavelength ranges of the photosensors in each of the photosensitive units form a composite detection wavelength range covering the entire visible radiation wavelength range.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein one photosensor of each of the photosensitive units has a maximum detection sensitivity at a specified wavelength.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the one photosensor has a maximum detection sensitivity at an emission wavelength of one of a CH radical, a C₂ radical, and an OH radical.

23. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for receiving the photodetection signals outputted from all of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units and outputting only the photodetection signals outputted from selected ones of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for synthesizing R (red), G (green), and B (blue) signals from the photodetection signals outputted from the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photosensors disposed on an imaging surface, the photosensors separately outputting respective photodetection signals;

wherein the photosensors include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising means for receiving the photodetection signals outputted from all of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units and outputting only the photodetection signals outputted from selected ones of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising means for synthesizing R (red), G (green), and B (blue) signals from the photodetection signals outputted from the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photosensors disposed on an imaging surface, the photosensors separately outputting respective photodetection signals;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors;

wherein in each of the photosensitive units, each of the photosensors of the photosensitive unit is adjacent to at least one other photosensor of the photosensitive unit; and

wherein the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photosensors disposed on an imaging surface, the photosensors separately outputting respective photodetection signals;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors;

wherein in each of the photosensitive units, each of the photosensors of the photosensitive unit is adjacent to at least one other photosensor of the photosensitive unit; and

wherein the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units include

photosensors, having respective detection sensitivity curves substantially corresponding to detection sensitivity curves of an ordinary color television camera, for outputting respective photodetection signals for use in displaying an ordinary color image, and

photosensors, having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another, for outputting respective photodetection signals for use in performing spectrum analysis.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising means for receiving the photodetection signals outputted from all of the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units and outputting only the photodetection signals for use in performing spectrum analysis outputted from the photosensors having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another.

31. A combustion evaluation apparatus for evaluating a combustion state of flames, comprising:

a camera for imaging the flames and producing an output signal representative of light from the flames, the camera including photosensors having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another;

display means for displaying an image of the flames based on the output signal of the camera; and

calculating means for calculating a physical quantity indicative of a combustion property of the flames based on the output signal of the camera.

32. A combustion evaluation apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors, the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another; and

wherein one photosensor of each of the photosensitive units has a maximum detection sensitivity at an emission wavelength of one of a CH radical, a C₂ radical, and an OH radical.

33. A combustion evaluation apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

and

wherein the photosensors include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.

34. A combustion evaluation apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors;

wherein in each of the photosensitive units, each of the photosensors of the photosensitive unit is adjacent to at least one other photosensor of the photosensitive unit; and

wherein the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.

35. A combustion system comprising:

a burner for burning a mixture of fuel and air to produce flames;

fuel feeding means for feeding the fuel to the burner at a fuel feed rate;

air feeding means for feeding the air to the burner at an air feed rate;

feed rate adjusting means for controlling at least one of the fuel feeding means and the air feeding means to adjust at least one of the fuel feed rate and the air feed rate;

a camera for imaging the flames and producing an output signal representative of light from the flames, the camera including photosensors having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another;

display means for displaying an image of the flames based on the output signal of the camera;

calculating means for calculating a physical quantity indicative of a combustion property of the flames based on the output signal of the camera; and

control means for controlling the feed rate adjusting means based on the physical quantity calculated by the calculating means.

36. A combustion system according to claim 35, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors, the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units having respective detection wavelength ranges which do not overlap one another; and

wherein one photosensor of each of the photosensitive units has a maximum detection sensitivity at an emission wavelength of one of a CH radical, a C₂ radical, and an OH radical.

37. A combustion system according to claim 35, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

and

wherein the photosensors include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.

38. A combustion system according to claim 35, wherein the photosensors are disposed on an imaging surface of the camera and separately output respective photodetection signals collectively constituting the output signal of the camera;

wherein the photosensors are grouped into a plurality of photosensitive units, each of the photosensitive units including at least two of the photosensors;

wherein in each of the photosensitive units, each of the photosensors of the photosensitive unit is adjacent to at least one other photosensor of the photosensitive unit; and

wherein the photosensors of each of the photosensitive units include at least one of

a first type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes an emission wavelength of a CH radical, but does not include an emission wavelength of a C₂ radical and an emission wavelength of an OH radical,

a second type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the OH radical, and

a third type of photosensor having a detection wavelength range which includes the emission wavelength of the OH radical, but does not include the emission wavelength of the CH radical and the emission wavelength of the C₂ radical.