Method and apparatus for thermal examination of a target by selective sampling

摘要

Selective thermal examination of a target is provided by scanning the field of view of an infrared detector over predetermined areas of a target. The selection is made by a plurality of infrared fibers having first and second ends with the first ends being stationarily mounted in a fixed array suitable for being scanned by the detector or a detector coupled to each first end which are electrically scanned, while the second ends of the infrared fibers are directed by the user to selected areas of the target which are desired to be thermally examined. The infrared detector or detectors are then scanned over the first ends of the infrared fibers in the fixed array for sequentially thermally examining the selected areas of the target. The selected areas may be changed simply by rearranging and redirecting the second ends of the infrared fibers with respect to the target areas desired to be examined.