System and method for traversing an obstacle with an inspection robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518031-B2
Application number	US-202016869700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

System and methods for traversing an obstacle with an inspection robot are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot including an obstacle sensor to interrogate an inspection surface. The example may further include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by the obstacle sensor, 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 example system 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 system, comprising:
an inspection robot comprising a plurality of payloads and an obstacle sensor, the inspection robot configured to interrogate an inspection surface with the obstacle sensor;
a plurality of arms, wherein each of the plurality of arms is pivotally mounted to one of the plurality of payloads;
a plurality of sleds, wherein each sled is mounted to one of the plurality of arms;
a plurality of inspection sensors, each of the plurality of inspection sensors coupled to one of the plurality of sleds such that each sensor is operationally couplable to the inspection surface, wherein the plurality of sleds are horizontally distributed on the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions, and wherein each of the plurality of arms is horizontally moveable relative to a corresponding payload;
a controller structured to:
interpret obstacle data comprising data provided by the obstacle sensor;
generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device in response to the interpreted obstacle data;
determine an obstacle response command value in response to the interpreted obstacle data; and
provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further structured to:
determine whether the inspection robot has traversed an obstacle in response to execution of a command corresponding to the obstacle response command value by the inspection robot.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle sensor comprises a camera.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further structured to provide the obstacle notification data as an inspection surface depiction of at least a portion of the inspection surface.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle sensor comprises a ferrous substrate detection sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further structured to determine the interpreted obstacle data as indicating a potential presence of an obstacle in response to determining a non-ferrous substrate detection of a portion of the inspection surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further structured to provide a stop command to the inspection robot in response to the interpreted obstacle data indicating a potential presence of an obstacle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle sensor comprises a contact sensor.

9. A system, comprising:
an inspection robot comprising a plurality of payloads;
a plurality of arms, wherein each of the plurality of arms is pivotally mounted to one of the plurality of payloads;
a plurality of sleds, wherein each sled is mounted to one of the plurality of arms;
a plurality of inspection sensors, each of the inspection sensors coupled to one of the plurality of sleds such that each sensor is operationally couplable to an inspection surface, wherein the plurality of sleds are horizontally distributed on the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions, and wherein each of the arms is horizontally moveable relative to a corresponding payload; and
a controller structured to:
interpret obstacle data comprising data provided by an obstacle sensor of the inspection robot; and
identify one of an obstacle or a potential obstacle, and to provide obstacle notification data in response to the interpreted obstacle data.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
the controller further structured to provide the obstacle notification data to a user interface device.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
wherein the controller is further structured to:
determine an obstacle response command value in response to the interpreted obstacle data; and
provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during an interrogating of the inspection surface.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the obstacle response command value comprises a command to reconfigure an active obstacle avoidance system of the inspection robot.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the command to reconfigure 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;
reconfiguring one or more payloads coupled to the inspection robot; and
adjusting a couplant flow rate of the inspection robot.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further structured to:
determine whether the inspection robot has traversed the obstacle in response to execution of the obstacle response command value by the inspection robot.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
the controller further 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 the inspection surface, wherein the obstacle response command value comprises:
a command to adjust the inspection operation of the inspection robot.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the command to adjust the inspection operation of the inspection robot comprises a command to perform an adjustment selected from a list of 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.

17. A method, comprising:
interpreting obstacle data comprising data provided by a system comprising a controller and an inspection robot interrogating an inspection surface with one or more obstacle sensors;
determining, by the controller, interpreted obstacle data in response to the obstacle data; and
generating and providing, by the controller, obstacle notification data in response to the interpreted obstacle data, wherein the system further comprises:
the inspection robot comprising a plurality of payloads;
a plurality of arms, wherein each of the plurality of arms is pivotally mounted to one of the plurality of payloads; and
a plurality of sleds, wherein each sled is mounted to one of the plurality of arms; a plurality of inspection sensors, each of the inspection sensors coupled to one of the plurality of sleds such that each sensor is operationally couplable to the inspection surface, wherein the plurality of sleds are horizontally distributed on the inspection surface at selected horizontal positions, and wherein each of the arms is horizontally moveable relative to a corresponding payload.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing the obstacle notification data to a user interface.

19. The met

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
• Gu Yizhu
• Miller Ian
• Chou Alvin
• Cho Mark
• Trogu Francesco H
• Rodriguez Domenic P

Classifications

• B25J9/1602

  characterised by the control system, structure, architecture · CPC title

• B25J9/1669 Primary

  characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping · CPC title

• G01N2291/0237

  Thin materials, e.g. paper, membranes, thin films · CPC title

• G01N29/221

  Arrangements for directing or focusing the acoustical waves (electronic orientation or focusing G01N29/262; sound directing or focusing G10K11/26; mechanical steering of sound transducers or their beams G10K11/35) · CPC title

• B25J9/1666

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title