Abstract: A lens position sensor for infrared or other types of cameras, which is particularly useful in lens assemblies that have relatively limited axial travel between near field and far field lens focus positions. The camera includes a magnet or other stimulator coupled to a rotatable lens that extends within a magnet plane where the magnet plane is not normal to the optical axis of the lens. A magnetic or other sensor senses the position of the magnet, which is indicative of the lens position.

Abstract: An infrared (IR) light camera or sensor that provides temperature alarms. The temperature alarms may be audible, vibrational, and visual to indicate when a portion of the IR image meets user-defined alarm criteria. Visual alarms may be provided by displaying on a camera display unit the portions of the IR image that meet the alarm criteria.

Abstract: A method for presenting a thermal image within a visible light image includes the steps of: identifying an outline of each object of interest within the visible light image; and, selecting an area of the visible light image, whose edge corresponds to the outline of each object of interest, in which to present the thermal image. An alternative method includes the steps of: identifying an area of interest within the thermal image; and selecting another area, separate from the area of interest, from which to remove a portion of the thermal image in order to display the visible light image therein. The visible light and thermal images are captured by a system that includes a visible light camera module and an infrared camera module. The visible light and thermal images are displayed on a display of the system, and selections are made via an interactive element of the system.

Abstract: A lens position sensor for infrared or other types of cameras, which is particularly useful in lens assemblies that have relatively limited axial travel between near field and far field lens focus positions. The camera includes a magnet or other stimulator coupled to a rotatable lens that extends within a magnet plane where the magnet plane is not normal to the optical axis of the lens. A magnetic or other sensor senses the position of the magnet, which is indicative of the lens position.

Abstract: An engine for use in a thermal instrument. The engine includes an infrared camera module and may also include a visible light camera module. The engine includes several temperature sensors mounted on a printed circuit board assembly that permit the engine to provide improved radiometry functionality and improved fine offset compensation capabilities.

Abstract: Methods, camera, and a computer-readable medium for registering on a camera display infrared and visible light images of a target scene taken from different points of view causing a parallax error.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of registering on a camera display separate fields of view of a visible light camera module and an infrared camera module by focusing the IR camera module. The fields of view can be displayed in several display modes including 1) full screen visible, infrared and/or blended, 2) picture-in-a-picture such as partial infrared image in a full screen visible image, and 3) infrared color alarms in visible-light images.

Abstract: A camera that can capture a visible light image and an infrared image of a target scene. The camera includes a focusable infrared lens and a display. The display provides the visible light and infrared images in a focus mode or an analysis mode. In the focus mode, the percentage of infrared imagery of the target scene is relatively higher to assist the user in focusing the infrared image. In analysis mode, the percentage of infrared imagery is relatively lower to assist the user in analyzing and visualizing the target scene. The modes may be switched manually or automatically.

Abstract: A housing of a thermal imaging camera includes a camera portion, in which an thermal imaging assembly is mounted, and to which a focusing assembly is mounted, on a first side thereof, and to which a display is mounted, on a second side thereof; a handle portion of the housing extends from a bottom side of the camera portion of the housing at an angle, away from the first side of the camera portion. The housing is configured for ergonomic handling wherein an index finger of a hand may readily activate the focusing assembly, when the hand is wrapped about the handle portion of the housing. The hand may be a right hand or a left hand, and the camera may further include additional features to provide support for single-handed operation.

Abstract: A visible light (VL) and infrared (IR) combined image camera with a laser pointer. The laser pointer may be used for marking a hot spot on an object or for focusing an IR lens of a camera on an object. The laser pointer may be adjacent to the VL optics and offset from the IR optics. The VL sensor array may be much larger than the IR sensor array and the camera may also display the pixels of IR data with a much larger instantaneous field of view than the VL pixels. The camera may also provide audible alarms where the alarm is emitted with a tone of variable output to indicate the relative level of the alarm.

Abstract: A camera that can capture a visible light image and an infrared image of a target scene. The camera includes a focusable infrared lens and a display. The display provides the visible light and infrared images in a focus mode or an analysis mode. In the focus mode, the percentage of infrared imagery of the target scene is relatively higher to assist the user in focusing the infrared image. In analysis mode, the percentage of infrared imagery is relatively lower to assist the user in analyzing and visualizing the target scene. The modes may be switched manually or automatically.

Abstract: A smoke detector (10) has internal self-adjustment and self-diagnostic capabilities. It includes a microprocessor-based alarm control circuit (24) that periodically checks the sensitivity of a smoke sensing element (20) to a smoke level in a spatial region (12). The alarm control circuit and the smoke sensor are mounted in a discrete housing (25) that operatively couples the smoke sensor to the region. The microprocessor (30) implements a routine (50) stored in memory (32) by periodically determining a floating adjustment (FLT.sub.-- ADJ) that is used to adjust the output (RAW.sub.-- DATA) of the smoke sensing element and of any sensor electronics (40) to produce an adjusted output (ADJ.sub.-- DATA) for comparison with an alarm threshold. The floating adjustment is not greater than a maximum value (ADJISENS) or less than a minimum value (ADJSENS). Except at power-up or reset, each floating adjustment is within a predetermined slew limit of the immediately preceding floating adjustment.

Abstract: A self-contained smoke detector system has internal self-diagnostic capabilities and accepts a replacement smoke intake canopy (14) without a need for recalibration. The system includes a microprocessor-based self-diagnostic circuit (200) that periodically checks sensitivity of the optical sensor electronics (24, 28) to smoke obscuration level. By setting tolerance limits on the amount of change in voltage measured in clean air, the system can provide an indication of when it has become either under-sensitive or over-sensitive to the ambient smoke obscuration level. An algorithm implemented in software stored in system memory (204) determines whether and provides an indication that for a time (such as 27 hours) the clean air voltage has strayed outside established sensitivity tolerance limits. The replaceable canopy is specially designed with multiple pegs (80) having multi-faceted surfaces (110, 112, 114).

Abstract: A heat detector uses a single comparator operating in conjunction with a dynamically changing thermal reference that ensures quick response to rapid rates of thermal change and a fixed threshold that indicates an ambient temperature exceeds a threshold temperature. The inputs of the comparator receive different ones of the output signals of two thermal sensors. One thermal sensor responds nearly instantaneously to changes in ambient thermal conditions. The other thermal sensor is mounted on a printed circuit board operating as a heat sink and responds more slowly to changes in ambient thermal conditions. The difference between the thermal sensor output signals is zero at a lower ambient temperature when the rate of thermal change exceeds a preset amount and at a higher ambient temperature when the rate of thermal change is relatively slow.