Systems and methods for time-shared memory access in a thermal imaging device

• US 8,339,457 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Heinke, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat N
• Application Number:
  US11/711,886
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 348164-168, 250330-334
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An imaging device for real-time display of image data on a local display and on a remote display is disclosed. In some embodiments, the imaging device can include an imaging engine, a memory device for storing image data, and a processor for receiving the image data from the imaging engine, storing the image data in the memory device, retrieving the image data from the memory device, and transmitting the image data to both a local display and remote display so that the image data can be viewed on both the remote display and local display simultaneously.

Claims

1. A thermal imaging device, comprising:

an imaging engine configured to generate thermal image data, the thermal image data representing a two-dimensional array of temperature values;

a memory device for storing the thermal image data generated by the imaging engine; and

a processor configured to

alternately access the memory device to retrieve a first portion of the thermal image data for transmitting for display on a local display and to retrieve a second portion of the thermal image data for transmitting for display on a remote display, wherein the displays on the local display and the remote display occur during overlapping time periods.

2. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, wherein the memory device is a single-port memory.

3. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, wherein the memory device has a predetermined number of ports, the number of ports being fewer than the number of devices having access to the memory device.

4. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a local display and wherein the thermal image data is simultaneously displayed on both the local display and the remote display.

5. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a signal processor coupled to the processor, the signal processor configured to:

receive the thermal image data from the processor;

perform one or more processing functions on the thermal image data; and

transmit the thermal image data to the processor for storing in the memory device.

6. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising an interface controller coupled to the processor, the interface controller configured to:

receive the thermal image data from the first processor; and

store the thermal image data in an internal buffer.

7. The thermal imaging device of claim 6, wherein the interface controller is further coupled to a signal processor for selecting an operating mode of the signal processor.

8. The thermal imaging device of claim 6, wherein the interface controller is further configured to transmit the stored thermal image data to a host computer.

9. The thermal imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to an auxiliary data port on the imaging engine for coupling the auxiliary data port to either an interface controller or a signal processor.

10. The thermal imaging device of claim 9, wherein the interface controller is configured to receive calibration data from a host computer and transmit that data through the switch to the imaging engine.

11. A method for processing image data captured on an imaging device, comprising:

receiving by a camera management module thermal image data from an imaging engine, wherein the thermal image data comprises a two-dimensional array of temperature values;

storing by the camera management module the thermal image data in a memory device; and

alternately accessing the memory device to retrieve a first portion of the thermal image data for display on a remote display and to retrieve a second portion of the thermal image data for display on a local display, wherein the displays on the remote display and the local display occur during overlapping time periods.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the memory device is a singleport memory device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising simultaneously displaying the thermal image data on both the local display and the remote display.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

accessing the thermal image data by a signal processor;

performing one or more processing functions on the thermal image data by the signal processor; and

storing the thermal image data in the memory device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the thermal image data from the first processor at an interface controller; and

storing the thermal image data in a buffer internal to the interface controller.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting an operating mode of the signal processor at the interface controller.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving calibration data from a host computer and transmitting that data through a switch to the imaging engine.

18. A system for processing image data captured on an imaging device, comprising:

a receiving means for receiving thermal image data from an imaging engine, wherein the thermal image data comprises a two-dimensional array of temperature values;

a storing means for storing the thermal image data in a memory device;

an alternately accessing means for alternately accessing the storing means to retrieve a first portion of the data and a second portion of the data; and

a transmitting means for transmitting the first portion of the data for display on a local display and the second portion of the data for display on a remote display, wherein the displays on the local display and the remote display occur during overlapping time periods.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for simultaneously displaying the thermal image data on both the local display and the remote display.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for coupling the memory device to a plurality of other devices each of which can access the memory device through a single port.