Patent ID: 7495767

Claim:
A method for obtaining an accurate quantitative measure of the opacity of a fluid, comprising: providing at least one image receiving device incorporating at least one light sensitive device; calibrating said image receiving devices, wherein said calibrating yields at least one response curve for each said image receiving devices, said response curve empirically based on a ratio of received radiances; employing at least one said image receiving device for taking images of said fluid, said images to include at least one background associated with said fluid; providing at least one algorithm based on a ratio of received radiances, said algorithm implemented in software on a computer readable medium; providing at least one processor for at least running said software; receiving and processing said image on at least one said processor; and analyzing said image using said algorithm and said software to obtain said measure of opacity, wherein said opacity may be measured under various ambient conditions, including measurement at night, and wherein said opacity may be measured under various ambient conditions without operator interpretation.