Executable code in digital image files

• US 8,595,689 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roth, Bjrn, Boman, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Mongbao
• Application Number:
  US12/344,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0803 Arrangements for time-dependent attenuation of radiation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• 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

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing information in images pictured by infrared cameras comprising the steps of receiving radiation from at least one object in an area; extracting radiometric information from the radiation; transforming the radiometric information into at least one digital image file; storing the at least one digital image file and at least one digital function file comprising an executable code characterized by the steps of merging the executable code of the at least one digital function file into or with the at least one digital image file, thereby generating an executable digital image file, wherein the executable code comprises at least one instruction and is written in a programming language independent of system architecture. The invention further relates to a computer program product.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for processing information in infrared (IR) images, the method comprising:

receiving IR radiation from at least one object in an area;

capturing radiometric temperature data from the IR radiation;

generating at least one digital IR image file using the radiometric temperature data;

storing the at least one digital IR image file and at least one digital function file comprising an executable code, wherein the executable code comprises at least one instruction for processing the radiometric temperature data captured from the IR radiation, and wherein the executable code is written in a programming language independent of system architecture; and

generating an executable digital IR image file comprising the at least one digital IR image file and the executable code of the at least one digital function file, wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises determining a maximum, minimum, or average temperature value in the digital IR image file, determining a temperature of a portion of the digital IR image file, or determining isotherms in the digital IR image file.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises generating a temperature alarm or performing a temperature measurement based on the radiometric temperature data associated with the executable digital IR image file.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising executing the at least one instruction to generate the temperature alarm or to perform the temperature measurement based on the radiometric temperature data associated with the executable digital IR image file.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising performing an interactive comparing analysis of the information comprised in at least two separate executable digital IR images files, such that aberrations can be validated in a structured and reliable way.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving the at least one digital function file comprising the executable code.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the generating the executable digital IR image file comprises linking the executable code of the at least one digital function file with the at least one digital IR image file, thereby generating a linked unit defined as the executable digital IR image file.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating the at least one instruction comprised in the executable code in response to a user providing input using at least one of a plurality of control devices.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the generating the executable digital IR image file, based on the at least one digital IR image file and the executable code of the at least one digital function file, comprises merging the executable code of the at least one digital function file into or with the at least one digital IR image file.

9. An apparatus for processing information in infrared (IR) images, the apparatus comprising:

a lens assembly configured to receive IR radiation;

an IR detector array configured to capture radiometric temperature data from the IR radiation;

a processing unit configured to generate at least one digital IR image file using the radiometric temperature data;

a memory storage configured to store the at least one digital IR image file and at least one digital function file comprising an executable code, wherein the executable code comprises at least one instruction for processing the radiometric temperature data captured from the IR radiation, and wherein the executable code is written in a programming language independent of system architecture; and

wherein the processing unit comprises a central processing unit which is configured to generate an executable digital IR image file comprising the at least one digital IR image file and the executable code of the at least one digital function file, and wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises determining a maximum, minimum, or average temperature value in the digital IR image file, determining a temperature of a portion of the digital IR image file, or determining isotherms in the digital IR image file.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises generating a temperature alarm or performing a temperature measurement based on the radiometric temperature data associated with the executable digital IR image file.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the central processing unit is configured to execute the at least one instruction to generate the temperature alarm or to perform the temperature measurement based on the radiometric temperature data associated with the executable digital IR image file.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit is configured to perform an interactive comparing analysis of the information comprised in at least two separate executable digital IR image files, in order to validate aberrations in a structured and reliable way.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit is configured to generate the executable digital IR image file by linking the executable code of the at least one digital function file with the at least one digital IR image file, thereby generating a linked unit defined as the executable digital IR image file.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the at least one instruction comprised in the executable code in response to input received from a control device, the input being provided by a user interacting with the control device.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least one interface medium is in connection with a transmitting/receiving function storage section and configured to retrieve the at least one digital function file.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit is configured to generate the executable digital IR image file by merging the executable code of the at least one digital function file into or with the at least one digital IR image file.

17. A non-transitory computer program product for use with a central processing unit (CPU) in a processing unit of an apparatus configured to capture radiometric temperature data from infrared (IR) radiation, the computer program product comprising computer readable code, which when run in the CPU causes the CPU to perform a method comprising:

generating at least one digital IR image file using the radiometric temperature data;

generating an executable digital IR image file comprising the at least one digital IR image file and an executable code of at least one digital function file; and

wherein the executable code comprises at least one instruction for processing the radiometric temperature data captured from the IR radiation, and wherein the executable code is written in a programming language independent of system architecture, and wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises determining a maximum, minimum, or average temperature value in the digital IR image file, determining a temperature of a portion of the digital IR image file, or determining isotherms in the digital IR image file.

18. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the processing the radiometric temperature data comprises generating a temperature alarm or performing a temperature measurement based on the radiometric temperature data associated with the executable digital IR image file.

19. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said generating the executable digital IR image file comprises merging the executable code of the at least one digital function file into or with the at least one digital IR image file.

20. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said generating the executable digital IR image file comprises linking executable code of the at least one digital function file with the at least one digital IR image file, thereby generating a linked unit defined as the executable digital IR image file.