Infrared-based vehicle component imaging and analysis
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- an imaging component including a set of imaging devices configured to acquire image data based on infrared emissions of at least one vehicle component of a vehicle moving at any speed in a range of speeds including a maximum main line operating speed of the vehicle through a field of view of at least one of the set of imaging devices, wherein an imaging device in the set of imaging devices includes a high speed infrared detector and a temperature element for maintaining an operating temperature of the high speed infrared detector at a target operating temperature, wherein the high speed infrared detector is a lead selenide detector, wherein the temperature element comprises a multi-stage cooler configured to maintain the target operating temperature between −
80 degrees Celsius and −
25 degrees Celsius, and wherein the infrared emissions are within the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation spectrum; and
a computer system for evaluating the at least one vehicle component based on the image data, wherein the evaluating includes;
generating temperature measurement data based on the image data acquired by the set of imaging devices; and
evaluating the at least one vehicle component using the temperature measurement data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved system for evaluating one or more components of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a set of imaging devices configured to acquire image data based on infrared emissions of at least one vehicle component of the vehicle as it moves through a field of view of at least one of the set of imaging devices. An imaging device in the set of imaging devices can include a linear array of photoconductor infrared detectors and a thermoelectric cooler for maintaining an operating temperature of the linear array of detectors at a target operating temperature. The infrared emissions can be within at least one of: the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation spectrum or the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) radiation spectrum.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an imaging component including a set of imaging devices configured to acquire image data based on infrared emissions of at least one vehicle component of a vehicle moving at any speed in a range of speeds including a maximum main line operating speed of the vehicle through a field of view of at least one of the set of imaging devices, wherein an imaging device in the set of imaging devices includes a high speed infrared detector and a temperature element for maintaining an operating temperature of the high speed infrared detector at a target operating temperature, wherein the high speed infrared detector is a lead selenide detector, wherein the temperature element comprises a multi-stage cooler configured to maintain the target operating temperature between −
80 degrees Celsius and −
25 degrees Celsius, and wherein the infrared emissions are within the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation spectrum; anda computer system for evaluating the at least one vehicle component based on the image data, wherein the evaluating includes; generating temperature measurement data based on the image data acquired by the set of imaging devices; and evaluating the at least one vehicle component using the temperature measurement data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system comprising:
an imaging component including a set of imaging devices configured to acquire image data based on infrared emissions of at least one vehicle component of a vehicle moving at any speed in a range of speeds including a maximum main line operating speed of the vehicle through a field of view of at least one of the set of imaging devices, wherein an imaging device in the set of imaging devices includes a high speed lead selenide infrared detector and a temperature element maintaining an operating temperature of the high speed infrared detector at a target operating temperature, wherein the target operating temperature for the lead selenide infrared detector is between −
80 degrees Celsius and −
25 degrees Celsius, and wherein the infrared emissions are within the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation spectrum.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
an imaging component including a plurality of imaging devices configured to acquire image data based on infrared emissions of at least one vehicle component of a vehicle moving at any speed in a range of speeds including a maximum main line operating speed of the vehicle through a field of view of at least one of the plurality of imaging devices, wherein the set plurality of imaging devices includes at least two high speed linear arrays of photoconductor infrared detectors of different sizes and a temperature element for maintaining an operating temperature of the at least two linear arrays of detectors at a target operating temperature between −
80 degrees Celsius and −
25 degrees Celsius, and wherein the infrared emissions are within at least one of;
the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation spectrum or the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) radiation spectrum.- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification