Portable camera controller platform for use with pipe inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001425-B1
Application number	US-201213346668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2012
Priority date	Jan 7, 2011
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A camera controller platform for use with a pipe inspection system is disclosed. The platform is configured for the rapid mounting and connection of an electronic computing device such as a laptop computer for providing display and/or virtual control interface functions in conjunction with an electronics module. An additional user interface, which may include a manual user interface device, may be coupled to the electronics module. Alternatively, a plurality of virtual controls may be supported by a software application on the electronic computing device, which may be connected to the camera controller platform by a USB or other interface bus.

First claim

We claim:

1. A camera controller platform, comprising:
a base assembly to mechanically couple to a pipe inspection system, the pipe inspection system including a cable reel drum assembly and a camera head, wherein the base assembly comprises at least two substantially flat platforms having corresponding panels extending angularly downward from outer edges of the substantially flat platforms;
one or more electronic elements integrated into one or more of the substantially flat platforms or corresponding panels, the electronic elements including a user interface panel, disposed on or in one of the panels of the base assembly, to provide control input signals to the camera head;
a capstan assembly including a flexible tensioning element to mechanically couple an electronic computing device to the top of the base assembly above the user interface panel;
at least two wings coupled to the substantially flat platforms such that the wings are retractable from the substantially flat platforms to an extended position abutting against one another to cooperatively form, in conjunction with the substantially flat platforms, an extended working surface on the base assembly, the wings are further rotatable outwardly from a top center area of the base assembly; and
an electronics module coupled to the one or more electronic elements including the user interface panel, the electronics module including one or more processing elements including instructions to cause a processor to:
receive the control input signals from the user interface panel and provide control data to the pipe inspection system; and
receive one or more pipe inspection output signals from the pipe inspection system and provide data corresponding to the pipe inspection output signals to the coupled electronic computing device.

2. The platform of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the wings are folding wings.

3. The platform of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the wings are retractable into the base assembly.

4. The platform of claim 1 , further including a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub coupled to the electronics module.

5. The platform of claim 1 , further including a connector coupled to the electronics module for receiving signals from a system cable connected to the from pipe inspection system.

6. The platform of claim 1 , further including a wireless communication module coupled to the electronics module for receiving wirelessly communicated signals from the pipe inspection system.

7. The platform of claim 1 , further including a hub or router configured to wirelessly provide information from the pipe inspection system.

8. The platform of claim 7 , wherein the information provided from the hub or router includes images or video signals.

9. The platform of claim 1 , further including a capstan assembly and a tensioning element configured to secure an electronic computing device to the platform.

10. The platform of claim 9 , wherein the capstan assembly is configured to limit the torque applied to the electronic computing device when secured to the platform.

11. The platform of claim 10 , wherein the capstan assembly includes tooth and spring elements to limit the applied torque.

12. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the pipe inspection output signals are video signals and the video signals are converted to digital signals in accordance with an interface bus standard.

13. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the interface bus is a Universal Serial Bus (USB).

14. The platform of claim 1 , further including a microphone, wherein the electronics module is further configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone and associate the audio signal with the digital signals.

15. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the output signals from the pipe inspection system are video signals and the video signals are compressed before being provided to the electronic computing system.

16. A pipe inspection system, comprising:
a cable reel drum assembly;
a push-cable coupled to the cable-reel drum assembly;
a camera head coupled to a distal end of the push-cable;
an interface circuit configured to electronically couple the camera head to a first end of a system cable; and
a camera controller platform including:
a base assembly to mechanically couple to to the cable reel drum assembly, the base assembly comprising at least two substantially flat platforms having corresponding panels extending angularly downward from outer edges of the substantially flat platforms;
a plurality of electronic elements integrated into one or more of the substantially flat platforms or corresponding panels, the electronic elements including a user interface panel, disposed on or in one of the panels of the base assembly, to provide control input signals to the camera head, and a wireless communication module;
an electronic computing device including a display screen, wirelessly coupled to the base assembly through the wireless communication module;
one or more rotating wings coupled to the base assembly to rotate outward from the top center area of the base assembly; and
an electronics module coupled to the electronic elements, the electronics module including one or more processing elements configured to:
receive the control input signals from the user interface panel and provide control data to the pipe inspection system; and
receive one or more pipe inspection output signals from the pipe inspection system and provide data corresponding to the pipe inspection output signals to the wirelessly coupled electronic computing device; and
a system connector coupled to the electronics module and to a second end of the system cable.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the platform is incorporated at least in part into the cable reel drum assembly.

18. A camera controller platform with integrated camera control unit (CCU) elements, for mechanically coupling to a pipe inspection system including a cable reel drum assembly and a camera head, the camera controller platform comprising:
a base assembly to mechanically couple to the cable reel drum assembly, the base assembly comprising at least two substantially flat platforms having corresponding panels extending from outer edges of the substantially flat platforms;
at least two wings coupled to the substantially flat platforms such that the wings are retractable from the substantially flat platforms to an extended position abutting against one another to cooperatively form, in conjunction with the substantially flat platforms, a substantially continuous and extended working surface on the base assembly, the wings are further rotatable outwardly from a top center area of the base assembly;
an electronic computing device including a display screen, mechanically or wirelessly coupled to the base assembly; and
a plurality of integrated camera control unit elements disposed in or on one or more of the substantially flat platforms or corresponding panels of the base assembly, the integrated camera control unit elements including:
a user interface panel, disposed on one of the panels of the base assembly, to provide control input signals for controlling operation of the camera head; and
an electronics module coupled to the user interface panel, the electronics module including one or more processing elements to:
receive the control input signals from the user interface panel and provide the received control input signals to the camera head; and
receive one or more camera output signals from the camera head, and provide data corresponding to the camera output signals for display onto t

Assignees

• Olsson Mark S
• Warren Alexander L
• Cox David A
• Ice Wesley
• Casares Jesse O
• Bench Stephanie M
• Turgeon Michael E
• Martin Michael J
• Stuart Paul G
• Seescan Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Warren Alexander L
• Cox David A
• Ice Wesley
• Casares Jesse O
• Bench Stephanie M
• Turgeon Michael E
• Martin Michael J
• Stuart Paul G

Classifications

• G01M3/005 Primary

  using pigs or moles (G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03B37/005

  Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe, (G03B37/02 - G03B37/06 take precedence; instruments for performing medical examinations of cavities or tubes of the body by photographic inspection A61B1/00) · CPC title

• G01N21/954 Primary

  Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G03B17/561

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title