US 12,461,154 B2
Inspection apparatus for inspecting electrical equipment
Chun Hung Yang, Tainan (TW); and Ning Kang, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on May 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/142,731.
Prior Publication US 2024/0369633 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 3/0488 (2022.01); G01R 31/327 (2006.01); G06F 3/04845 (2022.01)
CPC G01R 31/3277 (2013.01) [G06F 3/04845 (2013.01); G06F 3/0488 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04806 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inspection apparatus for electrical equipment inspection, the inspection apparatus comprising:
a rod;
a probe attached to a distal end of the rod;
an infrared imaging sensor disposed on the probe;
at least one visible light source disposed on the probe;
a visible light imaging sensor disposed on the probe;
electrical conductors passing through the rod from the probe at the distal end of the rod to a proximal portion of the rod opposite from the distal end of the rod, the electrical conductors connected to transmit infrared imaging data acquired by the infrared imaging sensor to the proximal portion of the rod and to transmit visible light imaging data acquired by the visible light imaging sensor to the proximal portion of the rod; and
an electronic controller having a display, the electronic controller operatively connected with the electrical conductors at the proximal portion of the rod to receive the infrared imaging data and the visible light imaging data, the electronic controller configured to display, on the display:
an infrared image or video generated from the infrared imaging data,
a visible light image or video generated from the visible light imaging data, and
an annotation of a thermal hot spot in the infrared image or video.