Portable camera controller platform for use with pipe inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209334-B1
Application number	US-202016807045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Jan 7, 2011
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A pipe inspection system including a camera head, a push-cable, and a controller platform for use in inspecting pipes or other cavities is disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A pipe inspection system, comprising:
a push-cable having a proximal and a distal end, the push-cable including one or more electrical conductors for carrying an image or video signal and a control signal;
a camera head operatively coupled to the push-cable at the distal end for providing the image or video signal and the control signal to the one or more conductors; and
a field-portable controller platform operatively coupled to the push-cable at the proximal end, the field-portable controller platform including:
electronics to receive and store in a non-transitory memory images or video generated in the camera head that are conductively transmitted through the push cable electrical conductors; and
a wireless communications transceiver operatively coupled to an input and an output of the field-portable controller platform electronics to receive, at the input, the images or video from the field-portable controller platform electronics and wirelessly provide the images or video to a remote electronics device separate from the field-portable controller platform, as well as provide, at the output, control signals from the remote electronics device;
wherein the field-portable controller platform includes front and/or rear platforms for removably securing an electronic device thereto.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the field-portable controller platform includes a strap assembly for the removable securing of the electronic device thereto.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the front and/or rear platforms comprise foldable wings rotatable about an axis.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the foldable wings are retractable into the base assembly.

5. The system of claim 1 , further including a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub operatively coupled to the electronics.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communications transceiver comprises a wireless router.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including a capstan assembly and a tensioning element to secure an electronic computing device to the field-portable controller platform.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the capstan assembly is configured to limit the torque applied to the electronic computing device when secured to the field-portable controller platform.

9. The system of claim 1 , further including a microphone disposed in the camera head, wherein the electronics module is further configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone and associate the audio signal with image or video signals generated in the camera head.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth wireless transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a WiFi wireless transceiver.

12. A pipe inspection system, comprising:
a cable-reel drum assembly;
a push-cable coupled to the cable-reel drum assembly including one or more electrical conductors for carrying images and/or video as well as control signals;
a camera head having an output operatively coupled to the push-cable at the distal end to conductively couple electrical signals to and from the camera head to the one or more conductors of the push-cable; and
a field-portable controller platform operatively coupled to the push-cable at the proximal end, the field portable controller platform including:
electronics to receive images or video generated in the camera head and conductively transmitted through the push cable;
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 angularly downward from outer edges of the substantially flat platforms and an attachment mechanism for removably securing an electronic device to the base assembly; and
a wireless communications transceiver operatively coupled to the electronics to wirelessly provide the images or video to a remote electronics device separate from the field portable controller platform and wirelessly receive, from the remote electronics device, control signals for operation of the camera head.

13. The system of claim 12 , further including foldable wings rotatable about an axis and coupled to the base assembly.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein one or more of the wings are retractable into the base assembly.

15. The system of claim 12 , further including a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub operatively coupled to the electronics.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communications transceiver comprises a wireless router.

17. The system of claim 12 , further including a capstan assembly and a tensioning element to secure an electronic computing device to the field portable platform.

18. The system of claim 12 , further including a microphone disposed in the camera head, wherein the electronics module is further configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone and associate the audio signal with image or video signals generated in the camera head.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth wireless transceiver.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a WiFi wireless transceiver.

Assignees

• 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