Method and system for optically measuring simultaneously the emissivity and temperature of objects

Claim 1

An apparatus for optically measuring simultaneously the emissivity and temperature of an object by the consecutive determination of values of spectral radiance in n wavelengths regions in the ultra-violet, visible and infrared bands, comprising: (a) radiation means having m(m>1) radiation sources Q1-Qm, and means (QST) for directing the radiation of a first radiation source (Q1) of said m radiation sources onto the object (O) . (b) measuring means for detecting via an optical system, the radiation reflected on the object (O) together with the radiation emitted from the object (O) , and the ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (c) said means (QST) directing the radiation of a second radiation source (Q2) of said m radiation sources onto the object (O) . (d) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system, the radiation reflected on the object (O) together with the radiation emitted from the object (O) and the ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (e) said means (QST) directing successively the radiation of the third to m-th (Q3-Qm) radiation sources onto the object (O); (f) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system each radiation reflected by the object (O) with the radiation emitted from the object (O) and each ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (g) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system the radiation emitted without additional radiation from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (h) an analog-digital converter connected to said measuring means for converting n×(m+1) electrical signals produced during the steps (a) to (g) into digitized values, and (i) processing means connected to said converter for forming a set of n×(m+1) equations with the aid of the digitized values such that said values are expressed with the aid of Planck radiation law as the sum of the spectral radiance of radiation source with the temperature and the spectral emissivity ε i of the object (O), the spectral radiance of a radiation source with the ambient temperature and the spectral radiance of a further irradiator with the temperature of said radiation sources (Q-1-Qm) for irradiation of the object (O), wherein both latter values of spectral radiance are reflected on the object (O) with the spectral reflectivity ρ i =1-ε i , and for actually determining from the set of equations by iterative solution, the temperature of the object (O), the ambient temperature and the temperature of one or several radiation sources (Q-1-Qm) and the value of the spectral emissivity of the object.

Claim 2

An apparatus for optically measuring simultaneously the emissivity and temperature of an object by the consecutive determination of values of spectral radiance in n wavelengths regions in the ultra-violet, visible and infrared bands, comprising: (a) radiation means having m(m>1) radiation sources Q1-Qm, and means (QST) for directing the radiation of a first radiation source (Q1) of said m radiation sources onto the object (O) . (b) measuring means for detecting via an optical system, the radiation reflected on the object (O) together with the radiation emitted from the object (O) , and the ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (c) said means (QST) directing the radiation of a second radiation source (Q2) of said m radiation sources onto the object (O) . (d) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system, the radiation reflected on the object (O) together with the radiation emitted from the object (O) and the ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (e) said means (QST) directing successively the radiation of the third to m-th (Q3-Qm) radiation sources onto the object (O); (f) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system each radiation reflected by the object (O) with the radiation emitted from the object (O) and each ambient radiation reflected from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (g) said measuring means detecting via the same optical system the radiation emitted without additional radiation from the object (O) in n(n≧3) spectral bands; (h) an analog-digital converter connected to said measuring means for converting n×(m+1) electrical signals produced during the steps (a) to (g) into digitized values, and (i) processing means connected to said converter for forming a set of n×(m+1) equations with the aid of the digitized values such that said values are expressed with the aid of Planck radiation law as the sum of the spectral radiance of radiation source with the temperature and the spectral emissivity ε i of the object (O), the spectral radiance of a radiation source with the ambient temperature and the spectral radiance of a further irradiator with the temperature of said radiation sources (Q-1-Qm) for irradiation of the object (O), wherein both latter values of spectral radiance are reflected on the object (O) with the spectral reflectivity ρ i =1-ε i , and for actually determining from the set of equations by iterative solution, the temperature of the object (O), the ambient temperature and the temperature of one or several radiation sources (Q-1-Qm) and the value of the spectral emissivity of the object.

Claim 3

An apparatus for optically measuring simultaneously the emissivity and temperature of an object by consecutively determining the values of spectral radiance in n wavelength region in ultraviolet, visible and infrared bands, comprising: a telescope for viewing the object; a spectral measuring device optically coupled to the output of said telescope, said spectral measuring device including m(m>1) radiation sources (Q1-Qm), and a beam splitter located between the telescope and the spectral measuring device, through which consecutively, the radiation of one of the m radiation sources (Q1-Qm) is directed via the telescope onto the object, and, collecting through the same optical system the received radiation and directing the received radiation to the spectral measuring device; an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to said spectral measuring device; and, a timing logic circuit having a clock, said logic circuit having its input electrically connected to said spectral measuring device, and its output electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter for producing clock pulses to said converter in response to said spectral measuring device; and, a microprocessor with a command input and indicator connected to said analog-to-digital converter.

Claim 4

An apparatus for optically measuring simultaneously the emissivity and temperature of an object by consecutively determining the values of spectral radiance in n wavelength region in ultraviolet, visible and infrared bands, comprising: a telescope for viewing the object; a spectral measuring device optically coupled to the output of said telescope, said spectral measuring device including m(m>1) radiation sources (Q1-Qm), and a beam splitter located between the telescope and the spectral measuring device, through which consecutively, the radiation of one of the m radiation sources (Q1-Qm) is directed via the telescope onto the object, and, collecting through the same optical system the received radiation and directing the received radiation to the spectral measuring device; an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to said spectral measuring device; and, a timing logic circuit having a clock, said logic circuit having its input electrically connected to said spectral measuring device, and its output electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter for producing clock pulses to said converter in response to said spectral measuring device; and, a microprocessor with a command input and indicator connected to said analog-to-digital converter.