Real-time portable dual channel image fusion and data processing system

Presently electricity utilities make use of a number of inspection tools to survey their transmission lines and electrical distribution equipment. Visible and ultraviolet cameras are the latest visual diagnostic tools available to utilities to identify potential failures on electrical equipment. Based on the DSP and FPGA hardware platform, a system is designed to collect images from both visible and ultraviolet channels. Moreover, it performs image fusion, characteristic enhancement and image analysis as well. For detecting the corona, a ultra-violet quantum detector is used in the form of an image intensifier tube with a Cesium-Telluride photocathode, which is competent for single photon counting. For acquiring visible images, a high-speed industrial CCD is implemented to assure definition of images in terms of 1394 protocol. The real-time images is displayed on a LCD, compressed and saved for further analysis. Finally, several methods of program debugging are introduced. The experimental results in the field show that the designed system has good performance in the detection of corona radiation.