Pipe inspection and/or mapping camera heads, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12158232-B1
Application number	US-202117532938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

Camera heads and associated systems, methods, and devices for inspecting and/or mapping pipes or cavities are disclosed. A camera head may be coupled to a push-cable and may include one or more image sensors to capture images and/or videos from interior of the pipe or cavity. One or more multi-axis sensors may be disposed in the camera head to sense data corresponding to movement of the camera head within the pipe or cavity. The images and/or videos captured by the image sensors may be used in conjunction with the data sensed by the multi-axis sensors to generate information pertaining to the pipe or cavity may be generated.

First claim

We claim:

1. A camera head for inspecting and/or mapping pipes or cavities, comprising:
an outer housing comprising a hollow interior; and
a camera module assembly disposed in the hollow interior, the camera module assembly comprising:
a rotating assembly rotatable relative to the outer housing, the rotating assembly including one or more image sensors to capture one or more images and/or videos and generate an output signal corresponding to the captured images and/or videos and the rotating assembly further includes a first processing element configured to control operation of the image sensors;
a stationary assembly including at least one multi-axis inertial sensor to generate inertial data related to movements of the camera head; and
a slip ring electrically coupling the stationary assembly and the rotating assembly.

2. The camera head of claim 1 , wherein the stationary assembly further includes a second processing element configured to receive the output signal from f the image sensors and the inertial data from the multi-axis inertial sensor; and generate, based at least on the received output signal and inertial data, information pertaining to a pipe or cavity.

3. The camera head of claim 2 , wherein the second processing element is further configured to receive non-video data including control instructions from one or more coupled electronic devices; and control operation of the image sensors or other elements of the camera head based in part on the received instructions.

4. The camera head of claim 1 , wherein the image sensors are high dynamic range (HDR) sensors.

5. The camera head of claim 1 , further comprising one or more illumination elements to illuminate a field of view of the one or more image sensors.

6. The camera head of claim 1 , further comprising one or more ranging sensors to measure distances near the camera head.

7. The camera head of claim 1 , further including one or more microphones.

8. A method of inspecting and/or mapping a pipe or cavity, comprising:
capturing, by a camera head coupled to a push-cable, one or more images and/or videos from an interior of a pipe or cavity;
sensing, by one or more multi-axis inertial sensors disposed in the camera head, inertial data corresponding to movement of the camera head in a forward direction when the push-cable is deployed into the pipe or cavity;
further sensing, by the one or more multi-axis inertial sensors, inertial data corresponding to movement of the camera head in a reverse direction when the push-cable is retracted from the pipe or cavity;
generating, by a first processing element communicatively coupled to the camera head and the multi-axis inertial sensors, information pertaining to the pipe or cavity based at least on the received images and/or videos and the sensed inertial data corresponding to the movement of the camera head in the forward direction and the reverse direction; and
receiving, by a second processing element non-video data including control instructions from one or more coupled electronic devices; and control operation of one or more image sensors or other elements of the camera head based in part on the received instructions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein direction of the camera head is determined using data obtained from a compass sensor disposed in the camera head.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining, by a cable counter, a cable count data indicative of an amount of cable dispensed or retracted to/from a cable storage drum;
correlating, based at least on the cable count data, the inertial data sensed in the forward direction and the reverse direction of the camera head; and
associating the images and/or videos of the pipe or cavity with the correlated data to generate a pipe map, wherein one or more location points on the pipe map corresponds to location points on a ground surface.

11. The camera head of claim 1 , further comprising a push-cable, wherein the camera head is attached to a distal end of the push-cable.

12. The camera head of claim 11 , further comprising a cable storage drum for storing and dispensing the push cable, and wherein a proximal end of the push cable is attached to the storage drum.

13. The camera head of claim 12 , further comprising a cable counter for determining a cable count indicative of cable dispensed or retracted to/from the cable storage drum.

14. The camera head of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a pipe map of the one or more captured images and/or videos, wherein one or more location points on the pipe map corresponds to location points on a ground surface.

Assignees

• Seescan Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Martin Michael J
• Mullett Adam
• Warren Alexander L

Classifications

• H04N9/3182

  Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607) · CPC title

• H02P21/143

  Inertia or moment of inertia estimation · CPC title

• G01C21/16

  by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation · CPC title

• H04N23/555

  for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes · CPC title

• H04N23/741

  by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors · CPC title