Advanced processing of active thermography signals

US7822268B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SIEMENS ENERGY, INC. · US

Inventors

• Max Rothenfusser · Munich, DE
• Robert E. Shannon · Oviedo, US
• Matthias Goldammer · Birkenfeld, DE
• Christian Homma · Vaterstetten, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 2006
• Grant date: Oct 26, 2010
• Expiry date: Aug 26, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30164
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for processing thermography signals. A time series of radiometric data is measured from a surface (104) of an object (102) over a period of heating and subsequent cooling, and a mathematical curve (1, 2) is fit to the data. An amplitude aspect and one or more shape aspects are identified for each curve. The amplitude and shape aspects are then used together to characterize features such as defects in the object. The amplitude and shape aspects for an array of such data may be combined in a single noise-free visual display (100) by associating hue (color) with the shape aspect and luminance (brightness) with the amplitude aspect. Optionally, a second shape aspect may be identified and associated with saturation on the display. A visible image of the object may be overlaid on the display.