Wearable apparatus with integrated infrared imaging module
First Claim
1. A wearable apparatus comprising:
- a shield configured to protect at least a portion of a user'"'"'s face from an external environment and pass at least some visible light from the external environment to the user for viewing the external environment through the shield;
an infrared imaging module comprising a lens and a focal plane array (FPA) configured to capture a thermal image of the external environment;
a processor configured to convert the thermal image into a user-viewable image of the external environment; and
a projector configured to project the user-viewable image onto an inner surface of the shield for viewing by the user while wearing the apparatus,wherein the infrared imaging module is positioned interior to and behind the shield to be protected from the external environment by the shield.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various techniques are disclosed for providing a wearable apparatus having an integrated infrared imaging module. In one example, a wearable apparatus implemented as a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) may include a shield to protect a user from an external environment, one or more infrared imaging modules, a projector, a processor, and a communication module for projecting a user-viewable thermal image onto a surface of the shield. Such infrared imaging modules may be positioned internal to the SCBA for protection from a hazardous external environment. In another example, a wearable apparatus implemented as a welding mask may include one or more infrared imaging modules, a projector, a processor, and a communication module, so as to project a user-viewable thermal image onto a surface of a shield of the welding mask, while at the same time protecting these components and the welder'"'"'s face from a harsh welding environment.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A wearable apparatus comprising:
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a shield configured to protect at least a portion of a user'"'"'s face from an external environment and pass at least some visible light from the external environment to the user for viewing the external environment through the shield; an infrared imaging module comprising a lens and a focal plane array (FPA) configured to capture a thermal image of the external environment; a processor configured to convert the thermal image into a user-viewable image of the external environment; and a projector configured to project the user-viewable image onto an inner surface of the shield for viewing by the user while wearing the apparatus, wherein the infrared imaging module is positioned interior to and behind the shield to be protected from the external environment by the shield. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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7. A wearable apparatus comprising:
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a shield configured to protect at least a portion of a user'"'"'s face from an external environment; an infrared imaging module comprising a focal plane array (FPA) configured to capture a thermal image of the external environment; a processor configured to convert the thermal image into a user-viewable image of the external environment; and a projector configured to project the user-viewable image onto an inner surface of the shield for viewing by the user while wearing the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a welding mask and at least a majority of the shield is substantially opaque and configured to substantially block visible light from the external environment.
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12. A method of presenting a user-viewable image on a wearable apparatus, the method comprising:
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capturing, using a lens and a focal plane array (FPA) of an infrared imaging module of the wearable apparatus, a thermal image of an external environment; converting the thermal image into a user-viewable image of the external environment; projecting the user-viewable image onto an inner surface of a shield of the wearable apparatus for viewing by a user; passing, by the shield, at least some visible light from the external environment to the user for viewing the external environment through the shield; and protecting at least a portion of the user'"'"'s face and the infrared imaging module from the external environment by the shield while the wearable apparatus is worn by the user, wherein the infrared imaging module is positioned interior to and behind the shield to be protected from the external environment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of constructing a wearable apparatus, the method comprising:
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providing a shield for protecting at least a portion of a user'"'"'s face from an external environment, wherein the shield is configured to pass at least some visible light for the user to view the external environment through the shield; positioning an infrared imaging module interior to and behind the shield to protect the infrared imaging module from the external environment by the shield, wherein the infrared imaging module comprises a lens and a focal plane array (FPA) configured to capture a thermal image of the external environment while the apparatus is worn by the user; positioning a projector relative to the shield, wherein the projector is configured to project a user-viewable image of the external environment onto an inner surface of the shield for viewing by the user while wearing the apparatus; and communicatively coupling a processor with the infrared imaging module and the projector. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification