System and method for detecting thermographic anomalies
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting thermographic anomalies, comprising:
- using a sensor, obtaining a base-line profile of base-line thermographic data corresponding to a subject area, wherein the base-line profile is obtained as a reference for the subject area, and wherein the base-line profile comprises a first set of pixel values;
storing the base-line profile;
using the sensor, obtaining an operational profile of operational thermographic data corresponding to the subject area, wherein the operational profile comprises a second set of pixel values;
automatically aligning the base-line profile and the operational profile;
calculating a difference profile based, at least in part, on a difference between the second set of pixel values of the operational profile and a corresponding first set of pixel values of the stored base-line profile;
receiving a plurality of thermographic zones and at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones, wherein each thermographic zone defines a portion of the subject area; and
providing an indication based, at least in part, on the calculated difference profile for each of the plurality of thermographic zones, wherein the indication includes whether the at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones is met, and further wherein meeting the at least one condition for a given thermographic zone indicates a thermographic anomaly.
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Abstract
A thermographic analysis method and apparatus is provided. The method includes obtaining base-line and operational thermographic profiles of a subject area, calculating a difference profile from the base-line and operational thermographic profiles, and providing an indication from the difference profile. The indication may be also based on thermographic differences in portions of the subject area that are defined as thermographic zones.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting thermographic anomalies, comprising:
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using a sensor, obtaining a base-line profile of base-line thermographic data corresponding to a subject area, wherein the base-line profile is obtained as a reference for the subject area, and wherein the base-line profile comprises a first set of pixel values; storing the base-line profile; using the sensor, obtaining an operational profile of operational thermographic data corresponding to the subject area, wherein the operational profile comprises a second set of pixel values; automatically aligning the base-line profile and the operational profile; calculating a difference profile based, at least in part, on a difference between the second set of pixel values of the operational profile and a corresponding first set of pixel values of the stored base-line profile; receiving a plurality of thermographic zones and at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones, wherein each thermographic zone defines a portion of the subject area; and providing an indication based, at least in part, on the calculated difference profile for each of the plurality of thermographic zones, wherein the indication includes whether the at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones is met, and further wherein meeting the at least one condition for a given thermographic zone indicates a thermographic anomaly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for detecting thermographic anomalies, comprising:
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a thermographic sensor configured to capture at least a base-line profile of thermographic data corresponding to a subject area and an operational profile of operational thermographic data corresponding to the subject area, wherein the base-line profile is obtained as a reference for the subject area, and wherein the base-line profile comprises a first set of pixel values, and the operational profile comprises a second set of pixel values; a storage circuit configured to store at least the base-line profile; a comparison circuit configured to receive the base-line profile and the operational profile, and to provide a difference profile for a plurality of identified thermographic zones based, at least in part, on a difference between the first set of pixel values of the base-line profile and a corresponding second set of pixel values of the operational profile within the plurality of thermographic zones, and to determine whether a condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones is met; an output circuit configured to provide an indication based, at least in part, on the difference profile; and an alarm circuit configured to provide an alarm signal when the difference profile in one or more of the plurality of thermographic zones meets the condition provided for that thermographic zone, wherein meeting the condition for a given thermographic zone indicates a thermographic anomaly, and wherein each thermographic zone spatially defines a portion of the subject area. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus detecting thermographic anomalies, comprising:
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means for obtaining a base-line profile of base-line thermographic data corresponding to a subject area, wherein the base-line profile is obtained as a reference for the subject area, and wherein the base-line profile comprises a first set of pixel values; means for storing the base-line profile; means for obtaining an operational profile of operational thermographic data corresponding to the subject area, wherein the operational profile comprises a second set of pixel values; means for calculating a difference profile based, at least in part, on a difference between the second set of pixel values of the operational profile and a corresponding first set of pixel values of the stored base-line profile; means for receiving a plurality of thermographic zones and at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones, wherein each thermographic zone defines a portion of the subject area; and means for providing an indication based, at least in part, on the calculated difference profile for each of the plurality of thermographic zone, wherein the indication indicates whether the at least one condition for each of the plurality of thermographic zones is met, and further wherein meeting the at least one condition for a given thermographic zone indicates a thermographic anomaly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification