Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing interactive inspection map for inspection robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358141-B2
Application number	US-202318306408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2023
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A system for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface inspected by an inspection robot includes an inspection circuit structured to interpret inspection data of the inspection surface from the inspection robot and a user interaction circuit structured to interpret a user focus value from a user device. The user focus value includes an activation state value. The system further includes an inspection visualization circuit structured to provide the interactive inspection map to the user device in response to the user focus value. The interactive inspection map is based on the inspection data. Also, the system includes an inspection data validation circuit that determines an inspection data validity description of the inspection data. The inspection data validity description is provided as a display layer on the interactive inspection map to indicate whether the inspection data is valid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface inspected by an inspection robot, the system comprising:
an inspection circuit structured to interpret inspection data of the inspection surface from the inspection robot;
a user interaction circuit structured to interpret a user focus value from a user device, wherein the user focus value includes an activation state value;
an inspection visualization circuit structured to provide the interactive inspection map to the user device in response to the user focus value, wherein the interactive inspection map is based on the inspection data; and
an inspection data validation circuit that determines:
a consistency of the inspection data is determined by comparing a rate of change of the inspection data versus at least one of time, a sampling value, or a position on the inspection surface; and
an inspection data validity description of the inspection data based on the consistency of the inspection data,

wherein the inspection data validity description is provided as a display layer on the interactive inspection map to indicate whether the inspection data is valid.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the inspection robot,
wherein the inspection robot comprises:
an inspection chassis;
at least two drive modules; and
at least two connectors, each connector comprising:
a connector body having a first end for coupling with a corresponding one of the at least two drive modules and a second end for pivotally engaging the inspection chassis; and
a mechanical component defined, at least in part, by the connector body and structured to selectively and releasably couple the connector body to the inspection chassis.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the interactive inspection map includes a plurality of display layers, wherein at least one of the plurality of display layers corresponds to the inspection data validity description; and
the inspection visualization circuit interprets the activation state value to toggle a visibility of one or more of the plurality of display layers.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
each of the plurality of display layers corresponds to at least one of: an inspection dimension, a coating, a part overlay, a remaining life, a scheduled maintenance, the inspection data validity description, or a planned downtime.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display layers corresponds to the inspection dimension, and the inspection dimension includes at least one of:
a temperature of the inspection surface;
a coating type of the inspection surface;
a color of the inspection surface;
a smoothness of the inspection surface;
an obstacle density of the inspection surface;
a radius of curvature of the inspection surface; or
a thickness of the inspection surface.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display layers corresponds to the part overlay, and the part overlay includes at least one of a schematic or an actual image of a component disposed on the inspection surface.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display layers corresponds to the remaining life, and the remaining life includes a depiction of an estimated remaining life expectancy for one or more portions of the inspection surface.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display layers corresponds to the planned downtime or the scheduled maintenance, and includes a spatial depiction of a zone and information specifying at least one of a time period or other information for the planned downtime or the scheduled maintenance.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an action request circuit structured to determine an action for the inspection robot in response to the user focus value; and
an event processing circuit structured to provide an action command value to the inspection robot in response to the determined action.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
the inspection circuit further structured to command operations of the inspection robot,
wherein the inspection circuit updates the operations of the inspection robot in response to the action command value.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the action command value corresponds to a marking procedure, and the inspection circuit updates the operations of the inspection robot in response to the action command value to mark the inspection surface.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the action command value corresponds to an inspection procedure, and the inspection circuit is responsive to the action command value to execute the inspection procedure by actuating a sensor.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the action command value corresponds to a repair procedure, and the system further comprises a repair circuit responsive to the action command value and structured to execute the repair procedure.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller, wherein the controller includes the inspection circuit, the user interaction circuit, and the inspection visualization circuit.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the consistency of the inspection data is further determined by
comparing the inspection data relative to that expected from a detected condition.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the detected condition is at least one of a lifted payload, a lifted sensor, or a fault condition of a component of the inspection robot.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inspection data validity description includes an indication that the inspection data is valid, suspect, or confirmed to be invalid.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the inspection data validation circuit provides additional information with the inspection data validity description;
when a user associated with the user device is a downstream customer of the inspection data, the additional information includes a general description of an inspection operation; and
when the user is an operator of the inspection data, the additional information includes at least one of a parameter used to determine the inspection data validity description, a fault code status of the inspection robot, or an indicator of a condition of the inspection robot.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the additional information includes the indicator of the condition of the inspection robot, and the indicator of the condition of the inspection robot includes at least one of an actuator position, inspection sensors that are active, a power level, or a couplant flow rate.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein a user response command from the user device provides for a user to change an inspection operation of the inspection robot in response to the inspection data validity description indicating suspected invalid data.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the inspection operation includes at least one of updating sensor calibrations, performing coupling operations to ensure acoustic coupling, or repeating the inspection operation.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, comprise:
interpreting inspection data of an inspection surface from an inspection robot;
interpreting a user focus value from a user device, wherein the user focus value includes an activation state value;
providing an interactive inspection map to the user device in response

Assignees

• Gecko Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Loosararian Mark J
• Binger Michael A
• Bryner Edward A
• Cho Edwin H
• Cho Mark
• Cuti Alexander R
• Cordova Ignacio J
• Guise Benjamin A
• Jourde Dillon R
• Low Kevin Y
• Mackenzie Logan A
• Moore Joshua D
• Mrkonich Jeffrey J
• Pridgen William J
• Rodriguez Domenic P
• Trogu Francesco H
• Watt Alex C
• Gu Yizhu
• Miller Ian
• Joslin Todd
• Denner Katherine Virginia
• Auda Michael Stephen
• Westenberg Samuel Theodore

Classifications

• G05D2107/50

  Confined spaces, e.g. tanks, pipelines, tunnels or containers · CPC title

• G05B2219/45066

  Inspection robot · CPC title

• G05D1/2246

  displaying a map of the environment · CPC title

• B25J9/1025

  Harmonic drives (in general: F16H49/001) · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title