Optical image capture with position registration and RF in-wall composite image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10564116-B2
Application number	US-201615141102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) imaging device comprises a position sensor, an RF sensor assembly, an optical sensor, a processor, and a memory. The position sensor determines a position of the RF imaging device relative to a surface. The RF sensor assembly captures RF image data representing an RF image of a portion of a space behind the surface at the determined position. The optical sensor captures optical image data representing an optical image of the surface at the determined position. The processor produces a composite image in which at least one or more portions of the RF image and one or more portions of the optical image that correspond to the same position relative to the surface are simultaneously viewable. The RF image data and the optical image data are stored in the memory in association with position data derived from the determined position of the RF imaging device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio frequency (RF) imaging device comprising:
a position sensor configured to determine a position of the RF imaging device relative to a surface based on a plurality of signals respectively emitted by a plurality of position markers external to the RF imaging device and positioned at known positions on the surface, a position marker of the plurality of position markers including a transmitter configured to transmit a signal of the plurality of signals to the position sensor;
an RF sensor assembly configured to capture RF image data representing an RF image of a portion of a space behind the surface at the determined position;
an optical sensor configured to capture optical image data representing an optical image of the surface at the determined position;
an input device configured to receive data representative of a first weight associated with the RF image and a second weight associated with the optical image; and
a processor configured to produce a composite image in which at least one or more portions of the RF image and one or more portions of the optical image that correspond to the same position relative to the surface are simultaneously viewable by combining the one or more portions of the RF image and the one or more portions of the optical image such that a contribution by the one or more portions of the RF image and a contribution by the one or more portions of the optical image to the composite image are in accordance with the first weight and the second weight, respectively.

2. The RF imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory in which the RF image data and the optical image data are stored in association with position data derived from the determined position of the RF imaging device.

3. The RF imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the RF sensor assembly captures a plurality of RF images at a respective plurality of positions relative to the surface, each RF image being an RF image of a portion of the space behind the surface at the respective plurality of positions,
wherein the optical sensor captures a plurality of optical images of the surface at the respective plurality of positions, and
wherein the processor is configured to:
assemble (1) a panoramic RF image of the space behind the surface based on the plurality of RF images, and (2) a panoramic optical image of the surface based on the plurality of optical images; and
produce a composite image in which at least one or more portions of the panoramic RF image and one or more portions of the panoramic optical image that correspond to the same position relative to the surface are simultaneously viewable.

4. The RF imaging device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to assemble the panoramic RF image by collating the plurality of RF images of the space behind the surface at the respective plurality of positions, and to assemble the panoramic optical image by collating the plurality of optical images of the surface at the respective plurality of positions.

5. The RF imaging device of claim 4 , wherein collating the plurality of RF images includes identifying RF image data in the plurality of RF images at different positions relative to the surface and assembling the RF image data at each position to form the panoramic RF image, and
wherein collating the plurality of optical images includes identifying optical image data in the plurality of optical images at different positions relative to the surface and assembling the optical image data at each position to form the panoramic optical image.

6. The RF imaging device of claim 5 , further comprising a memory in which (1) the RF image data forming the panoramic RF image is stored in association with position data indicating the respective positions of the RF image data relative to the surface, and (2) the optical image data forming the panoramic optical image is stored in association with position data indicating the respective positions of the optical image data relative to the surface.

7. The RF imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising a tilt sensor that determines an orientation of the RF imaging device relative to the surface when the RF image data and the optical image data are captured, wherein the orientation specifies a rotation of the respective RF image and optical image about an axis in relation to the surface, and wherein the RF image data and the optical image data are adjusted based on the specified rotation so that the RF image and the optical image have a common orientation relative to the surface.

8. The RF imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the RF image data representing the RF image at the determined position and the optical image data representing the optical image at the determined position are captured at different times.

9. The RF imaging device of claim 8 , wherein the RF imaging device is moved to a different position relative to the surface between capturing the RF image data representing the RF image and capturing the optical image data representing the optical image.

10. A radio frequency (RF) imaging device, comprising:
a position sensor configured to capture signal data representing a plurality of signals respectively emitted by a plurality of position markers external to the RF imaging device and positioned at known positions on a surface, a position marker of the plurality of position markers including a transmitter configured to transmit a signal of the plurality of signals to the position sensor;
an optical sensor configured to capture optical image data representing an optical image of the surface;
an input device configured to receive data representative of a first weight associated with the optical image data and a second weight associated with an RF image data; and
a processor operatively coupled to the position sensor and the optical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the signal data representing the plurality of signals;
determine a position of the position sensor relative to the surface based on the known positions of the position markers and analysis of the signal data;
associate the optical image data with position data derived from the determined position of the position sensor; and
produce a composite image in which one or more portions of the optical image data are simultaneously viewable with the RF image data representing an RF image of a space behind the surface at the same position relative to the surface as the optical image data, based on the position data associated with the one or more portions of the optical image data, producing the composite image including combining the one or more portions of the optical image data and the RF image data such that a contribution by the one or more portions of the optical image data and a contribution by the RF image data to the composite image are in accordance with the first weight and the second weight, respectively.

11. The RF imaging device of claim 10 , further comprising a memory in which the optical image data and the RF image data are stored together in association with the position data derived from the determined position of the position sensor.

12. The RF imaging device of claim 10 , further comprising a communication interface configured to transmit the composite image to a receiving device.

13. The RF imaging device of claim 10 , wherein the transmitter of the position marker of the plurality of position markers is an active transmitter and is configured to transmit a signal of the plurality of signals to the position sensor, and wherein the position marker has a power source.

14. The RF imaging device of claim 10 , wherein the transmi

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Rhead Jamie
• Heydron Paul H
• Corrigan Christopher D
• Knight Brian
• Mrvaljevic Nikola
• Silva Luis R
• Schmidt Matthew F

Classifications

• G01S13/888

  through wall detection · CPC title

• G01N27/02 Primary

  by investigating impedance · CPC title

• G01V3/08

  operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12) · CPC title

• G01B7/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B7/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S13/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title