US 12,192,639 B2
Thermal imaging system having view-shifting capability
Darin K. Thompson, Huntersville, NC (US); Kimberly M. Henry, Monroe, NC (US); Longin J. Kloc, Charlotte, NC (US); and David M. Barbarine, Waxhaw, NC (US)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 18/265,314
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/060825
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 5, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/123374, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 16, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/123,888, filed on Dec. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0056688 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. A62B 18/08 (2006.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); H04N 5/262 (2006.01); H04N 5/272 (2006.01); H04N 23/23 (2023.01); H04N 23/698 (2023.01); G06F 3/16 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 23/698 (2023.01) [A62B 18/08 (2013.01); G06F 3/012 (2013.01); H04N 5/2628 (2013.01); H04N 5/272 (2013.01); H04N 23/23 (2023.01); G06F 3/167 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal imaging system configured for use with a respirator mask, comprising:
an in-mask display unit configured to be mounted within an interior volume of a respirator mask and comprising an in-mask micro-display;
a wearable thermal imaging camera that is configured to capture a thermal image and to communicate at least a portion of the captured thermal image to the in-mask micro-display; and,
a control system for controlling the in-mask micro-display and the wearable thermal imaging camera,
wherein the wearable thermal imaging camera comprises a wide field of view so that the captured thermal image comprises at least a primary subimage and a secondary subimage; and, wherein the control system is configured so that the in-mask micro-display presents a default view in which the in-mask micro-display shows the primary subimage of the captured thermal image but does not show the secondary subimage of the captured thermal image; and,
wherein upon the control system receiving an input to shift the in-mask micro-display from the default view to an auxiliary view, the control system causes at least a portion of the primary subimage to be directionally displaced on the in-mask micro-display by the secondary subimage so that the secondary subimage is now shown in place of the displaced portion of the primary subimage.