Abstract:
This specification discloses an infrared (IR) 3D scanning system and, more specifically, a 3D scanning system that utilizes a plurality of IR detectors to detect an object and computes the 3D shape and its 3D temperature distribution of the object through signal processing of the 3D thermal image construction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to an infrared (IR) 3D scanning system for 3D scanning to construct the shape of an object and, more particularly, to a 3D scanning system that can detect the temperature distribution and construct the shape of an object. 
     2. Related Art 
     Photo-sensing technology has been widely applied in daily life. Fingerprint identification systems, vehicle speedometers, CD players, cameras and printers all utilize the photo-sensing technology. As to the medical system, the most famous one is the application of 3D human body scan. Most of the image captured heads of 3D human body scanners used today are the combination of a low-power visible light laser and a camera that does no harm to human bodies. When beams of laser light are used to scan a standing human body, the heights of the visible light laser and the camera are adjusted so as to scanning the whole body. While scanning, the reflected laser beams from the human body surface are collected. Through 3D shape construction and data integration editing software, the 3D profile of the human body can be obtained. Since the human body shape is often related to the age, diet, exercise habit, etc, the doctor can then determine the biological state of the patient using the data. Most diseases, however, are not apparently detected by looking at the outlook of the human body; therefore such 3D human body scanner does not help too much in medical diagnosis. 
     Developing a photo-sensing system that can provide more information for medical diagnosis is what we should endeavor ourselves to. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To solve the above problem. the present invention provides an IR 3D scanning system which primarily measures the surface temperature distribution and constructs the shape of an object. 
     According to the disclosed invention. the IR 3D scanning system comprises an IR detecting mechanism and a signal decoding mechanism. By having the IR detecting mechanism perform a 360-degree data extraction from an object and through the construction of image processing software in a master computer in the signal decoding mechanism and image output of a display unit, the 3D profile and temperature distribution of an object can be displayed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of an IR detecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the disclosed IR 3D scanning system; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the disclosed IR 3D scanning system; and 
     FIG. 3 is an action flow chart of an embodiment of the disclosed IR 3D scanning system. 
    
    
     In the various drawings, the same references relate to the same elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a top view of an IR detecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the disclosed IR 3D scanning system. The IR detecting mechanism comprises a plurality of IR detectors  11 ,  111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 , a movable frame  13  and an axial pillar  14 . The object  12  in the current embodiment is a human body. The movable frame  13  can be a ring structure or an arc structure for fixing the IR detectors. The number of IR detectors can be adjusted according to the complexity of the curved surface of the object  12  and the detector view angle limitation. Taking a mechanism with five IR detectors as an example, a first IR detector  11 , a second IR detector  111 , a third IR detector  112 , a fourth IR detector  113 , a fifth IR detector  114  and the movable frame  13  connect together and the detection direction is toward the center. The IR detectors can be IR temperature radiation scopes using a cooling or room-temperature type linear array IR detector. The wavelength detected by the linear array IR detector ranges between 3 μm and 6 μm or 8 μm and 14 μm. When the object  12  is disposed within the movable frame  13 , the first IR detector  11 , the second IR detector  111 , the third IR detector  112 , the fourth IR detector  113  and the fifth IR detector  114  receive temperature signals radiated from the object  12  at a certain height. The received data are converted into electrical signals and output. 
     Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a schematic front view of the disclosed IR 3D scanning system. With reference to FIG. 3 for the action flow chart of the invention at the same time, in addition to the IR detecting mechanism, the IR 3D scanning system further comprises: a master computer  21 , which receives and processes signals sent out from the IR detecting mechanism; a movable frame  13 , whose peripheral connects to the axial pillars  14  and a transmission element  15 ; a scan unit  23 , which receives the command from the master computer  21  to control the action of the transmission element  15  so that the movable frame  13  moves ups and downs along the axial pillars  14  to adjust the position. The IR detectors  11 ,  111 ,  112 ,  113   114  can thus extract temperature information from different heights. When the object  12  is disposed within the movable frame  13 , the thermal radiation from the object will give the first IR detector  11 , the second IR detector  111 , the third IR detector  112 , the fourth IR detector  113  the fifth IR detector  114  information about the temperature of the object  12  opposite to them. When the movable frame moves ups and downs, the IR detectors can measure the thermal radiation data from the object from different heights (step  301 ). The measured data are then sent to the master computer to be processed by software to search for the corresponding points of the signals detected by the detectors, to calculate the 3D coordinates thereof, and to edit and integrate the data according to the continuity of consecutive points (step  302 ). The system then starts to reconstruct the 3D curved surface (step  303 ). This procedure can use polygons to construct the 3D surface of the object. Once the 3D surface is constructed, it is smoothed to obtain the 3D shape of the object. Finally, the temperature distribution is tagged onto the 3D shape of the object (step  304 ). The above procedures are processed by the master computer connecting to a display unit  22  so that the manipulation states and results can be displayed. 
     Besides, in the disclosed embodiment, if the IR detectors are IR temperature radiation scopes of surface array IR detectors, it can take whole thermal images around the human body, then there is no need to use the scan unit to control the transmission element  15  to move the movable frame in order to obtained data at different heights. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the disclosed IR 3D scanning system, medical staff can analyze the human body biological state according to the 3D human shape and its temperature distribution constructed by the scanning system. The system can be applied in other purposes such as analyses and examinations of the 3D shapes and temperature distributions of objects. 
     Certain variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art, which variations are considered within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.