Patent ID: 6033107
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: G01K,G01N

Abstract:
A method of determining the location of hot spots on a surface of an object, comprising:applying a thermotropic material to the surface of the object;varying a nominal temperature of the object through a range of nominal temperatures between a first nominal temperature limit and a second nominal temperature limit, wherein one temperature limit is below and the other nominal temperature limit is above the temperature at which the thermotropic material changes phase;acquiring a sequence of images of the surface, each of the images depicting a two dimensional temperature representation of the surface at a predetermined nominal temperature within the range of nominal temperatures, wherein each image in the sequence represents an incremental change in nominal temperature than that of a preceding image; andprocessing select ones of the images to define an intensity signature of valid hot spots in the select ones of the images and to determine the location of the hot spots on the surface as a function of the defined intensity signature.