Video camera head with thermal feedback lighting control
US6831679B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/51
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A video camera head adapted for pipe inspection has thermal feedback control of its scene lighting in order to lower its temperature and reduce unwanted noise in the video output signal. The camera head includes a rugged cylindrical camera housing having a hollow interior. A video camera is mounted inside the housing for generating video signals of an image of an interior of a pipe received through a scratch resistant window in a forward end of the housing. The video camera has a CCD with a predetermined maximum operating temperature. A termination assembly and a socket assembly are provided for operatively coupling a video push cable to the camera housing and the video camera, respectively. A large number of LEDs are mounted in the forward end of the housing surrounding the window for illuminating the interior of the pipe. A drive circuit is connected to the LEDs for driving the LEDs with a predetermined electrical drive signal. The drive circuit includes a feedback loop to a voltage regulator for controlling the level of power dissipated by the LEDs in order to ensure that the operating temperature of the CCD does not exceed the predetermined maximum operating temperature.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.