Thermal imaging camera with intermittent image capture
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring a temperature of a scene using a thermal imaging camera comprising:
- a) inputting an amount of a time delay interval into a delay timer of the camera;
b) capturing an infrared image of the scene, wherein capturing the infrared image triggers the time delay interval to begin, wherein during the time delay interval the camera does not capture an infrared image of the scene;
c) upon expiration of the time delay interval, capturing another infrared image of the scene, wherein capturing another infrared image triggers the time delay to begin again, wherein during the time delay interval the camera does not capture an infrared image of the scene; and
d) repeating step c a plurality of times.
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Abstract
A thermal imaging camera that intermittently captures thermal images of a scene for long term monitoring of the scene. The thermal images may be captured after each interval of a time delay interval and/or upon detection of a threshold change in thermal energy in the scene.
7 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a temperature of a scene using a thermal imaging camera comprising:
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a) inputting an amount of a time delay interval into a delay timer of the camera; b) capturing an infrared image of the scene, wherein capturing the infrared image triggers the time delay interval to begin, wherein during the time delay interval the camera does not capture an infrared image of the scene; c) upon expiration of the time delay interval, capturing another infrared image of the scene, wherein capturing another infrared image triggers the time delay to begin again, wherein during the time delay interval the camera does not capture an infrared image of the scene; and d) repeating step c a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of monitoring a temperature of a scene using a thermal imaging camera comprising:
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a) inputting a temperature threshold into the camera; b) capturing an infrared image of the scene; c) after capturing the infrared image, detecting a thermal energy of the scene without capturing another infrared image; d) if the detected thermal energy does not exceed the threshold, continuing to detect the thermal energy of the scene without capturing another infrared image; e) if the detected thermal energy exceeds the threshold, capturing another infrared image of the scene; f) after capturing another infrared image of the scene, resuming detecting the thermal energy of the scene without capturing another infrared image; and g) repeating steps d-f a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of monitoring a temperature of a scene using a thermal imaging camera comprising:
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a) inputting a temperature threshold into the camera; b) inputting an amount of a time delay interval into a delay timer of the camera; c) capturing an infrared image of the scene; d) starting the delay timer for a time delay interval, wherein capturing the infrared image triggers the delay timer to start the time delay interval, and wherein the camera does not detect thermal energy of the scene or capture another infrared image of the scene during the time delay interval; e) upon expiration of the time delay interval, detecting a thermal energy of the scene; f) if the detected thermal energy of the scene detected in step e does not exceed the threshold, restarting the delay timer, wherein the camera does not detect thermal energy of the scene or capture another infrared image of the scene during the time delay interval; g) if the detected thermal energy exceeds the threshold, capturing another infrared image of the scene, and then restarting the delay timer, wherein the camera does not detect thermal energy of the scene or capture another infrared image of the scene during the time delay interval; and h) repeating steps e-g a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification