US 12,281,989 B2
Infrared detection camera
Mool C. Gupta, Yorktown, VA (US); Alexander C. Edrington, Norfolk, VA (US); James I. Harp, Williamsburg, VA (US); Waverley D. Marsh, Hampton, VA (US); and Guoqing Paul Shen, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Assigned to LASER & PLASMA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Hampton, VA (US)
Filed by LASER & PLASMA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Hampton, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/963,096.
Application 17/963,096 is a continuation of application No. 17/479,333, filed on Sep. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,467,095.
Application 17/479,333 is a continuation of application No. 16/888,140, filed on May 29, 2020, granted, now 11,131,635, issued on Sep. 28, 2021.
Application 16/888,140 is a continuation of application No. 15/398,678, filed on Jan. 4, 2017, granted, now 10,670,531, issued on Jun. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/274,729, filed on Jan. 4, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0402090 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/84 (2006.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/8422 (2013.01) [G01N 21/8806 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8427 (2013.01)] 35 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A near-wave infrared camera device, the device comprising:
(a) a handheld housing having an open-air viewing port with an outer edge;
(b) a plurality of near-wave infrared light sources disposed in the housing, each of the near-wave infrared light sources, comprising:
(i) an emission source, positionally fixed to the housing, for generating a near-wave infrared emission; and
(ii) at least one optic coupled to each emission source;
wherein the plurality of near-wave infrared light sources are configured to illuminate the open-air viewing port;
(c) a near-wave infrared imager disposed in the housing and focused at the open-air viewing port, the imager, comprising: a near-wave infrared camera;
wherein, when the open-air viewing port is directed toward a substrate, a portion of the near-wave infrared light passes through the open-air viewing port and reflects off the substrate as scattered reflections, and
the near-wave infrared imager captures an in-focus near-wave infrared image of the scattered reflections at the open-air viewing port;
(d) a window or a plurality of spectral filters located between the near-wave infrared camera and the open-air viewing port, wherein the filters are suitable to filter out unwanted light;
(e) an electronics board disposed in the housing;
(f) a first computer disposed in the housing;
(g) a battery electronically connected to and capable of powering the camera device;
wherein the camera device is self-contained and portable.