Thermal imaging system and method
AssigneeLand Instruments International Limited
InventorsGary Chamberlain, Andrew Mellor, Ian Ridley
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Abstract
A thermal imaging system and method for quantitative thermal mapping of a scene. The system comprises a thermal imaging device, a heat source of known temperature and emissivity located within the scene viewed by the thermal imaging device and a processor adapted to generate a calibrated temperature map of the scene from the data supplied by the thermal imaging device, based on the known temperature of the heat source. This enables accurate temperature measurements to be made using inexpensive uncooled Focal Plane Array detectors.
Claims46
A thermal imaging system for quantitative thermal mapping of a scene, the system comprising:
- a thermal imaging device;
- a first heat source of known temperature and emissivity, located within the scene viewed by the thermal imaging device;
- and
- a processor adapted to generate a calibrated temperature map of the scene from the data supplied by the thermal imaging device, by determining a correction based on the known temperature of the heat source, and applying the correction to data supplied by the thermal imaging device.
A method of generating a quantitative thermal map of a scene, the method comprising:
- positioning a first heat source of known temperature and emissivity within the scene;
- imaging the scene using a thermal imaging device;
- and
- generating a calibrated temperature map of the scene, by determining a correction based on the known temperature of the heat source, and applying the correction to data supplied by the thermal imaging device.
A method of generating a quantitative thermal map of a scene, the method comprising:
- selecting at least part of an object in the scene, of known emissivity;
- measuring the temperature of the at least part of an object, the at least part of an object acting as a first heat source;
- imaging the scene using a thermal imaging device;
- and
- generating a calibrated temperature map of the scene, by determining a correction based on the measured temperature of the heat source, and applying the correction to data supplied by the thermal imaging device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.