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US 8,941,734 B2Granted
Area monitoring for detection of leaks and/or flames
AssigneeInternational Electronic Machines Corp.
InventorsZahid F. Mian, Ronald W. Gamache, Nick Glasser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solution for monitoring an area for the presence of a flame and/or a leak, such as from a pressurized fluid, is provided. An imaging device can be used that acquires image data based on electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths only corresponding to at least one region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which electromagnetic radiation from an ambient light source is less than the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least one type of flame for which the presence within the area is being monitored. An acoustic device can be used that is configured to acquire acoustic data for the area and enhance acoustic signals in a range of frequencies corresponding to a leak of a pressurized fluid present in the area.
Claims21
A system comprising:
- at least one sensing component, the at least one sensing component including:
- an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to acquire image data for an area based on electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths only corresponding to at least one region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which electromagnetic radiation from an ambient light source is less than the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least one type of flame produced by at least one type of fluid present in the area;
- and
- a computer system including at least one computing device, wherein the computer system is configured to monitor the area for a presence of a flame of the at least one type of flame by performing a method comprising:
- evaluating the image data for the presence of the flame of the at least one type of flame, wherein the evaluating the image data includes:
- evaluating a plurality of properties of an object in the image data using a plurality of flame detection rules, wherein each flame detection rule evaluates the object as a flame or not a flame using at least one of the plurality of properties;
- and
- evaluating the object as a flame in response to a minimum number of the plurality of flame detection rules indicating that the object is a flame for a minimum amount of time;
- and
- providing monitoring data for use by a user based on the evaluated presence of the flame.
7 more elements
A system comprising:
- at least one sensing component, the at least one sensing component including:
- an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to acquire image data for an area;
- and
- an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device is configured to acquire acoustic data for the area and enhance acoustic signals in a range of frequencies corresponding to a leak of a fluid present in the area, the acoustic device including:
- a reflective surface, wherein the reflective surface is at least one of:
- a parabolic or a spherical shape having a focal length that is at least as large as an aperture of the reflective surface;
- and
- a transducer configured to convert acoustic signals acquired at a focal point of the reflective surface into acoustic data;
- and
- a computer system including at least one computing device, wherein the computer system is configured to monitor the area for each of:
- a presence of the leak of the fluid and a presence of a flame of at least one type of flame produced by the fluid by performing a method comprising:
- evaluating the image data for the presence of the flame of the at least one type of flame, wherein the evaluating the image data includes:
- evaluating a plurality of properties of an object in the image data using a plurality of flame detection rules, wherein each flame detection rule evaluates the object as a flame or not a flame using at least one of the plurality of properties;
- and
- evaluating the object as a flame in response to a minimum number of the plurality of flame detection rules indicating that the object is a flame for a minimum amount of time;
- evaluating the acoustic data for the presence of the leak of the fluid and for the presence of the flame;
- and
- providing monitoring data for use by a user based on the evaluated presence of at least one of:
- the flame or the leak.
16 more elements
A system comprising:
- an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to acquire image data for an area based on electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths only corresponding to at least one region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which electromagnetic radiation from an ambient light source is less than the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least one type of flame;
- and
- a computer system including at least one computing device, wherein the computer system is configured to monitor the area by performing a method comprising:
- evaluating the image data for a presence of a flame of the at least one type of flame, wherein the evaluating the image data includes:
- evaluating a plurality of properties of an object in the image data using a plurality of flame detection rules, wherein each flame detection rule evaluates the object as a flame or not a flame using at least one of the plurality of properties;
- and
- evaluating the object as a flame in response to a minimum number of the plurality of flame detection rules indicating that the object is a flame for a minimum amount of time;
- and
- providing monitoring data for use by a user based on the evaluated presence of the flame, wherein the monitoring data includes the image data acquired by the imaging device annotated to emphasize a portion of the area visible in the image data.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.