Method and system for thermal imaging having a selective temperature imaging mode

A thermal imaging camera having a selective temperature imaging mode, comprising:

• a housing;
• a thermal sensor contained within said housing for continually acquiring thermal image data for a scene;
• a lens secured to said housing for focusing infrared radiation onto said thermal sensor;
• a first momentary contact switch button positioned on said housing;
• a second momentary contact switch button positioned on said housing;
• a thermal imaging engine contained within said housing, said thermal imaging engine for:
• entering a selective temperature imaging mode in response to receiving a command to exit a fixed hot colorization mode and enter said selective temperature imaging mode from at least one of said first momentary contact switch button and said second momentary contact switch button, said fixed hot colorization mode having fixed temperature ranges wherein portions of thermal images corresponding to said fixed temperature ranges are displayed in predetermined colors, said selective temperature imaging mode having a set point value wherein portions of thermal images corresponding to temperatures higher than the set point value are displayed in gradient shades of an alternate color and portions of said images corresponding to temperatures less than said set point value are displayed in a grayscale representation, the set point value being incrementally adjustable;
• generating thermal images in said selective temperature imaging mode from said thermal image data;
• incrementally changing the set point value to a new desired set point value in response to receiving a command to change the set point value from at least one of said first momentary contact switch button and said second momentary contact switch button;
• and
• generating thermal images from said thermal image data wherein portions of said images corresponding to temperatures higher than said new desired set point value are displayed in gradient shades of said alternate color and portions of said images corresponding to temperatures less than said new set point value are displayed in the grayscale representation;
• and
• a display operatively connected to said thermal imaging engine for displaying said thermal images.

A method of operating a thermal imaging camera for selective temperature imaging, comprising the steps of:

• entering a selective temperature imaging mode in response to receiving a command to exit a fixed hot colorization mode and enter the selective temperature imaging mode, said fixed hot colorization mode having fixed temperature ranges wherein portions of thermal images corresponding to said fixed temperature ranges are displayed in predetermined colors, said selective temperature imaging mode having a set point value wherein portions of thermal images corresponding to temperatures higher than the set point value are displayed in gradient shades of an alternate color and portions of said images corresponding to temperatures less than said set point value are displayed in a grayscale representation, the set point value being incrementally adjustable;
• displaying a thermal image of a scene in said selective temperature imaging mode;
• incrementally changing the set point value to a new desired set point value in response to receiving a command to change the set point value;
• and
• displaying an updated thermal image of said scene, wherein portions of the image corresponding to temperatures higher than said new desired set point value are displayed in said gradient shades of said alternate color and portions of the image corresponding to temperatures less than said new set point value are displayed in the grayscale representation.