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US 12,298,255 B2Granted
Continuous dust accumulation monitoring system with impaired optics detection and cleaning
AssigneeIndustrial Intelligence, Inc.
InventorsGeorge T. Armbruster, Jr., Shane Diller, Bruce Seymour Ferris, Laurence E. Moulis, Viatcheslav Orlov, Alan Abul-Haj, Brent Roeder, Anthony Cosentino, Samuel DeFilipp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A continuous dust accumulation monitoring system, device and method monitors and measures dust accumulation via an enclosure and a machine vision subsystem which can include a digital camera. A dirty optics detection subsystem monitors optical clarity and can invoke a cleaning assembly to help maintain clarity of optics for monitoring and measuring dust accumulation.
Claims21
A dust accumulation monitoring system, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising an external surface and a floor;
- a sample area maintained proximate the floor of the enclosure;
- a machine vision subsystem maintained within the enclosure, wherein the machine vision subsystem comprises a camera comprising a lens having a field of view comprising the sample area, and wherein the machine vision subsystem is operable to measure dust accumulation on the sample area;
- a dirty optics detection subsystem maintained within the enclosure, wherein the dirty optics detection subsystem is in communication with the camera and is operable to detect an optical clarity level of the field of view;
- a cleaning assembly in communication with the dirty optics detection subsystem, wherein the cleaning assembly is movably secured to the enclosure and operable to clean an impediment from the field of view;
- a dust protection eyebrow secured to the enclosure;
- a processor, and
- a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- compare the optical clarity level from the dirty optics detection subsystem with a threshold for cleaning to determine if the optical clarity level meets or exceeds the threshold for cleaning;
- and
- upon the optical clarity level being determined to meet or exceed the threshold for cleaning, invoke the cleaning assembly to clean the impediment from the field of view.
8 more elements
A dust accumulation monitoring system, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising a window;
- a sample area;
- a camera maintained within the enclosure such that the window is between the camera and the sample area, wherein the camera comprises a lens oriented adjacent the sample area and adapted to capture images of the dust measuring platform through the window;
- a cleaning assembly;
- a processor, and
- a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- compute a thickness of accumulated dust on the sample area based on the captured images, wherein computing the thickness of accumulated dust comprises identifying a difference in camera pixels from the captured images between an edge of the dust measuring platform and a peak of the accumulated dust;
- upon the thickness of accumulated dust being determined to meet or exceed a threshold, issuing an alert;
- determine whether a window optical clarity level meets or exceeds a threshold for cleaning;
- and
- upon the window optical clarity level being determined to meet or exceed the threshold for cleaning, invoke the cleaning assembly to clean the window.
8 more elements
A dirty optics detection subsystem for a dust accumulation monitoring system, comprising:
- a light source;
- a dirty optics sensor;
- a processor, and
- a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- receive input from a machine vision subsystem of a dust accumulation monitoring system, wherein the input comprises measurements taken as the dirty optics sensor is exposed to the light source through a window of the dust accumulation monitoring system;
- and
- upon the input being determined to meet or exceed a threshold, produce an alert signal, wherein the alert signal comprises an alert that the cleaning assembly is not sufficiently operating.
4 more elements
A dust accumulation monitoring system, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising a window;
- a sample area;
- a camera maintained within the enclosure such that the window is between the camera and the sample area, wherein the camera comprises a lens oriented adjacent the sample area and adapted to capture images of the dust measuring platform through the window;
- a cleaning assembly, wherein the cleaning assembly comprises a frame and a guide ring, wherein the guide ring is movably securable within the enclosure, wherein the frame comprises a radially outer surface and comprises an opening positionable between the window and the sample area, and wherein the cleaning assembly further comprises a brush secured to the radially outer surface of the vertical frame;
- a processor, and
- a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- compute a thickness of accumulated dust on the sample area based on the captured images;
- upon the thickness of accumulated dust being determined to meet or exceed a threshold, issuing an alert;
- determine whether a window optical clarity level meets or exceeds a threshold for cleaning;
- and
- upon the window optical clarity level being determined to meet or exceed the threshold for cleaning, invoke the cleaning assembly to clean the window.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.