The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 10, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
Kenneth R Piety, Knoxville, TN (US);
Terry G Carpenter, Knoxville, TN (US);
Rexford A Battenberg, Knoxville, TN (US);
Computational Systems, Inc., Knoxville, TN (US);
Abstract
A highly portable infrared thermography system automates the collection, display, analysis, annotation, and recording of thermographic data and facilitates the efficient generation of reports. The system includes an infrared camera and a digital video data collector (VDC) having an embedded PC with an internal hard drive. The VDC also includes a VGA color LCD display with touch screen overlay for displaying images, presenting information to a thermographer, and for receiving data and command inputs from the thermographer. The system can be carried with a custom vest and battery belt, or it can be mounted to a hand truck. Thermographic images captured by the infrared camera are received by the VDC and displayed in real time at rates of at least thirty frames per second to eliminate flicker. The VDC also interfaces with a videotape recorder for displaying and recording images. Other interfaces include a visible image camera interface, a digital video interface, and a base station computer interface. Images of interest are stored on the VDC's hard drive where they can be retrieved for analysis and report generation in the field. A portable printer can be attached to the VDC to enable the thermographer to print reports as they are generated. Images can be annotated by the thermographer on the display, and the annotated images stored. The display is operable to prompt the thermographer with route information regarding particular equipment to be thermograhically inspected, and to suggest particular problems possibly indicated by a particular thermographically-observed condition.