Controller for inspection robot traversing an obstacle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148292-B2
Application number	US-202017097448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Controllers for inspection robots traversing an obstacle are described. In an embodiment a controller may include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by an obstacle sensor of an inspection robot, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The controller may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller, comprising:
an obstacle sensory data circuit structured to interpret obstacle sensory data comprising data provided an obstacle sensor of an inspection robot;
an obstacle processing circuit structured to determine refined obstacle data in response to the obstacle sensory data;
an obstacle notification circuit structured to identify one of

an obstacle or a potential obstacle, and to provide obstacle notification data in response to the refined obstacle data;
a user interface circuit structured to provide the obstacle notification data to a user interface device, wherein the user interface circuit is further structured to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and
an obstacle configuration circuit structured to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during an interrogation of an inspection surface.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle response command value comprises a command to reconfigure an active obstacle avoidance system of the inspection robot.

3. The controller of claim 2 , wherein the command to reconfigure to the active obstacle avoidance system of the inspection robot comprises a command to perform at least one action selected from a list of reconfiguration actions consisting of:
reconfiguring a down force applied to one or more payloads coupled to the inspection robot;
repositioning a payload coupled to the inspection robot;
lifting a payload coupled to the inspection robot;
locking a pivot of a sled, the sled housing an inspection sensor of the inspection robot;
unlocking a pivot of a sled, the sled housing an inspection sensor of the inspection robot;
locking a pivot of an arm, the arm coupled to a payload of the inspection robot, and an inspection sensor coupled to the arm;
unlocking a pivot of an arm, the arm coupled to a payload of the inspection robot, and an inspection sensor coupled to the arm;
rotating a chassis of the inspection robot relative to a drive module of the inspection robot;
rotating a drive module of the inspection robot relative to a chassis of the inspection robot;
deploying a stability assist device coupled to the inspection robot;
reconfiguring one or more payloads coupled to the inspection robot; and
adjusting a couplant flow rate of the inspection robot.

4. The controller of claim 2 , wherein the obstacle configuration circuit is further structured to:
determine, based at least in part on the refined obstacle data, whether the inspection robot has traversed the obstacle in response to execution of the obstacle response command value by the inspection robot; and
provide an obstacle alarm data value in response to determining that the inspection robot has not traversed the obstacle.

5. The controller of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface circuit structure to provide an obstacle alarm data value to a user interface in response to the refined obstacle data and the obstacle notification data.

6. The controller of claim 4 , wherein the refined obstacle data comprises imaging data from an optical camera of the inspection robot, wherein the imaging data is related to at least one of: the obstacle, a position of the obstacle, a height of the obstacle, an inspection surface surrounding the obstacle, a horizontal extent of the obstacle, a vertical extent of the obstacle, or a slope of the obstacle.

7. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a user interface circuit structured to provide an obstacle alarm data value to a user interface in response to the refined obstacle data and the obstacle notification data.

8. The controller of claim 1 , further comprising:
an obstacle configuration circuit structured to:
determine an obstacle response command value in response to the obstacle notification data; and
provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during an inspection operation of an inspection surface, wherein the obstacle response command value comprises:
a command to adjust the inspection operation of the inspection robot.

9. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the command to adjust an inspection operation of the inspection robot comprises a command to perform an adjustment selected from the adjustments consisting of:
stopping the inspection operation;
taking data in response to the obstacle;
applying a virtual mark in response to the obstacle;
updating an obstacle map for the inspection surface;
confirming an obstacle map for the inspection surface;
acquiring an image or video related to the obstacle; and
updating of an inspection run plan.

Assignees

• Gecko Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Bryner Edward A
• Low Kevin Y
• Moore Joshua D
• Jourde Dillon R
• Loosararian Mark J
• Cho Edwin H
• Denner Katherine Virginia

Classifications

• G01N2291/267

  Welds · CPC title

• G01N29/041

  on the surface of the material, e.g. using Lamb, Rayleigh or shear waves · CPC title

• G01C21/12

  executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning · CPC title

• G01C21/005

  with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching (G01C21/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01C7/04

  involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced · CPC title