Infrared camera calibration systems and methods
AssigneeFLIR Systems, Inc.
InventorsRobert G. Benson, Paul A. Czerepuszko
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide infrared camera systems and infrared camera calibration techniques in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example in accordance with an embodiment, a method of calibrating an infrared camera includes capturing video images of a calibration vessel having one or more chambers filled with a gas; displaying the video images from the capturing; and adjusting settings of the infrared camera such that colors of the displayed video images of the one or more chambers approximately match predetermined colors of one or more corresponding sections of a video overlay.
Claims22
An infrared camera system comprising:
- an infrared camera adapted to provide infrared image data and having adjustable camera settings;
- a display, coupled to the infrared camera, adapted to receive the infrared image data;
- a calibration vessel having chambers containing different concentrations of a gas, wherein the calibration vessel is external to the infrared camera;
- and
- a video overlay having sections corresponding to the chambers, wherein the sections provide proper colors for calibrating the infrared camera to detect the different concentrations of the gas by adjusting the camera settings such that colors of the infrared image data from the infrared camera of the chambers containing the different concentrations of the gas as shown on the display approximately match the proper colors of the corresponding sections.
A calibration vessel comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of chambers within the housing, wherein the chambers contain a gas, with each chamber having a different concentration of the gas;
- an infrared passband window, coupled to the housing, adapted to allow infrared radiation traveling through the chambers to be received by an infrared camera external to the calibration vessel, wherein the calibration vessel serves as a calibration tool for the infrared camera to detect the different concentrations of the gas within the chambers;
- and
- a reference chamber within the housing, wherein the reference chamber contains a second gas different from the gas, wherein the second gas provides a reference when the calibration vessel is used as the calibration tool for the infrared camera.
A method of calibrating an infrared camera, the method comprising:
- capturing video images of a calibration vessel having chambers filled with different concentrations of a gas, wherein the calibration vessel is external to the infrared camera;
- displaying the video images from the capturing;
- and
- adjusting settings of the infrared camera such that colors of the displayed video images of the chambers corresponding to the different concentrations of the gas approximately match predetermined colors of corresponding sections of a video overlay to calibrate the infrared camera to detect the different concentrations of the gas.
A method of making a calibration system for an infrared camera, the method comprising:
- determining a sensitivity of the infrared camera to a particular gas;
- creating a calibration vessel having a plurality of chambers;
- and
- filling the chambers with different concentrations of the particular gas, wherein the concentrations are based on the determining of the sensitivity of the infrared camera to the particular gas and are selected to provide discernible color differences when the calibration vessel, which is external to the infrared camera, is viewed with the infrared camera to aid in calibrating the infrared camera to the different concentrations of the particular gas.
An infrared camera comprising:
- a housing;
- an infrared detector coupled within the housing;
- a memory coupled within the housing, the memory adapted to store a video overlay having colors corresponding to infrared absorption levels for different concentrations of a gas;
- and
- a display adapted to receive from the memory the video overlay for a user of the infrared camera to view along with infrared image data from the infrared detector of an external calibration vessel, relative to the infrared camera, containing chambers filled with different concentrations of the gas;
- wherein setting adjustments of the infrared camera to approximately match colors of the displayed infrared image data of the calibration vessel to colors of the corresponding displayed video overlay calibrates the infrared camera to detect the different concentrations of the gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.