Pulsed laser linescanner for a backscatter absorption gas imaging system
US6690472B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 26, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 10, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/53
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An active (laser-illuminated) imaging system is described that is suitable for use in backscatter absorption gas imaging (BAGI). A BAGI imager operates by imaging a scene as it is illuminated with radiation that is absorbed by the gas to be detected. Gases become “visible” in the image when they attenuate the illumination creating a shadow in the image. This disclosure describes a BAGI imager that operates in a linescanned manner using a high repetition rate pulsed laser as its illumination source. The format of this system allows differential imaging, in which the scene is illuminated with light at least 2 wavelengths—one or more absorbed by the gas and one or more not absorbed. The system is designed to accomplish imaging in a manner that is insensitive to motion of the camera, so that it can be held in the hand of an operator or operated from a moving vehicle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.