METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RESTRICTING APPLICATIONS FOR A THERMAL CAMERA
Systems and methods disclosed herein include preventing use of a thermal imaging system if used in conjunction with a weapons-related activity by disabling the system in response to detecting one or more shock pulse events using accelerometers coupled with the thermal imaging system. The method includes monitoring an output from one or more of the accelerometers to determine whether a shock pulse acceleration event has been detected that exceeds a predetermined threshold. The method also includes determining that a second acceleration event associated with the accelerometers exceeds a second predetermined threshold. The method further includes disabling the thermal imaging system in response to the detected acceleration events.
1 . A method of disabling a thermal imaging device, the method comprising:
monitoring output from one or more accelerometers in a set of accelerometers;
detecting an acceleration event associated with one or more of the set of accelerometers;
determining that the acceleration event exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
disabling the thermal imaging device in response to the acceleration event exceeding the predetermined threshold.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal imaging device comprises a thermal camera.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal camera comprises a camera characterized by an SD or HD resolution.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
counting a number of detected acceleration events; and
disabling the thermal imaging device when a predetermined number of acceleration events have been detected.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the acceleration event comprises one of a plurality of acceleration events.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising storing data related to a series of shock pulses in a memory.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined threshold includes:
a first threshold related to an amplitude of the shock pulse; and
a second threshold related to a duration of the shock pulse.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal imaging device comprises an FPA.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the FPA comprises a microbolometer device.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the set of accelerometers comprises a set of three accelerometers.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein each of the set of three accelerometers are positioned orthogonal to one another to detect acceleration events in three dimensions.
12 . A thermal imaging system comprising:
a thermal camera;
a plurality of accelerometers mechanically coupled to the thermal camera; and
a processor operable to (1) detect a shock pulse experienced by the thermal camera exceeding a predetermined threshold and (2) disable the thermal camera in response to the detected shock pulse exceeding the predetermined threshold.
13 . The thermal imaging system of claim 12 wherein the thermal camera comprises an SD or HD camera.
14 . The thermal imaging system of claim 12 wherein the predetermined threshold comprises:
a first threshold related to an amplitude of the shock pulse; and
a second threshold related to a duration of the shock pulse.
15 . The thermal imaging system of claim 12 further comprising a memory operable to store data related to a series of shock pulses.
16 . The thermal imaging system of claim 12 wherein the set of accelerometers comprises a set of three accelerometers.
17 . The thermal imaging system of claim 16 wherein each of the set of three accelerometers are positioned orthogonal to one another to detect acceleration events in three dimensions.
18 . The thermal imaging system of claim 12 further comprising a thermal sight mechanically coupled with the thermal camera.
19 . A thermal imaging system comprising:
a processor;
a detector circuit coupled to the processor and configured to detect an acceleration event associated with one or more accelerometers in a set of accelerometers;
a comparison circuit operable to determine whether the detected acceleration event exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
a disable circuit adapted to disable the thermal imaging system in response to the acceleration event exceeding the predetermined threshold.
20 . The thermal imaging system of claim 19 wherein the acceleration event comprises one of a plurality of acceleration events.
21 . The thermal imaging system of claim 19 further comprising a memory adapted to store data related to a series acceleration events.
22 . The thermal imaging system of claim 19 wherein the predetermined threshold comprises:
a first threshold related to an amplitude of the shock pulse; and
a second threshold related to a duration of the shock pulse.
23 . The thermal imaging system of claim 19 wherein the set of accelerometers comprises a set of three accelerometers.
24 . The thermal imaging system of claim 23 wherein each of the set of three accelerometers are positioned orthogonal to one another to detect acceleration events in three dimensions.