LumaSense Technologies Pearl OEM Manual - Manual (Page 19)

Pearl User Manual Camera Operation 19
4 Camera Operation
The Pearl OEM Camera was designed for applications requiring high quality imaging with
continuous operation. The camera has an approximate design life of 10 years. Periodic
automatic calibrations are performed to ensure the best image quality for the detector.
Optionally, the camera can be controlled through an external interface for experimentation,
setup, or configuration for a wide variety of infrared thermal imaging applications.
Once power is applied to the Pearl electronics, the video image will display on a compatible
monitor within five seconds. The video image is representative of the thermal scene viewed
through the lens. Automatic level and span control continuously adjusts the video parameters to
provide the best image quality for changing scenes. The camera will automatically calibrate the
detector based on temperature sensors in the detector and camera electronics.
The camera will calibrate more often than normal before the camera reaches a steady-state
temperature. As these calibrations are determined by external sensors, the initial behavior will
be based on the application and the external environment.
4.1 Initial Power On
When power is provided to the Pearl products, stored settings are loaded, peripheral devices are
initialized, and an initial calibration is performed. The camera operation is based on settings
stored in volatile memory, which is initialized from non-volatile memory when turned on. From
these settings, the video output and other interfaces are configured for the desired operation.
Once the initialization is complete, the camera performs a calibration process and the normal
operation begins.
Note: The camera and core automatically power on once a power supply is connected.
4.2 Normal Operation
The video output is suitable for monitors and TVs that support composite video input signals.
The standard video output is NTSC. PAL video is available as an option at the time of order. The
camera is designed to provide continuous live video with periodic interruptions during the
calibration processes.
The automatic calibration process enables the camera to operate continuously over a wide
range (-35 °C to 65 °C) of ambient temperatures. Temperature sensors detect changes in
temperature that cause the image to drift from the calibration settings. New calibration data is
captured when a significant change in temperature is detected or a period of time has passed
since the last calibration. In addition to the temperature sensors, the automatic calibration may
be initiated by a timer. All calibration conditions are reset once a calibration is performed.
4.3 Pearl Control Software (PCS) User Interface
By connecting the camera to a Host PC through the RS232 Interface, commands can be sent to
the Pearl to modify the operation of the camera. The PCS provides a method to change the
operating settings of the detector and control camera functions from a Host PC. The main panel
functions provide a simplified user interface to adjust common camera functions. Additional
functions to perform configuration and calibration operations are accessed through a menu bar
selection on the top of the panel.