Inspection systems and methods employing different wavelength directional light for enhanced imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12596076-B2
Application number	US-202217985501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2022
Priority date	Nov 11, 2022
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

An inspection system and related methods are provided. The inspection system includes an inspection camera, a plurality of light sources collocated with the inspection camera, and a post processing system. The plurality of light sources output directional light that have different respective ranges of light wavelengths. The inspection camera is configured to capture image data while a surface of interest is being illuminated with the directional light. Further, the post processing system is configured to receive the image data, process portions of the image data into a plurality of images that include distinct images corresponding to the different respective ranges of light wavelengths. The plurality of images can be reviewed to identify an abnormal region of the surface of interest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inspection system comprising:
a guide tube; a plurality of light sources coupled to the guide tube at different respective locations so as to impart different directionality to directional light output from each of the plurality of light sources onto a surface of interest, the directional light from each of the plurality of light sources having a different respective range of light wavelengths; an inspection camera configured to activate so as to capture image data while the surface of interest is being simultaneously illuminated with the directional light from the plurality of light sources, wherein the inspection camera includes different sensor channels configured to capture different portions of the image data corresponding to the different respective range of light wavelengths output by each of the plurality of light sources; and a post processing system configured to receive the image data, process portions of the image data into a plurality of distinct images corresponding to each of the different respective range of light wavelengths output by each of the plurality of light sources, normalize the different sensor channels to generate an evenly lit color composite image, generate difference images by comparing the evenly lit color composite image with individual ones of the plurality of distinct images, and identify an abnormal region of the surface of interest using at least one of the evenly lit color composite image and the difference images.

2 . The inspection system of claim 1 , comprising a controller electrically coupled to the inspection camera and the plurality of light sources, wherein the controller is configured to direct the plurality of light sources to simultaneously output the directional light and to activate the inspection camera to capture the image data.

3 . The inspection system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light sources are tunable to alter a peak or range of light wavelengths of the directional light from each of the plurality of light sources and the controller sends signals to the plurality of light sources to alter a peak or range of light wavelengths of the directional light from each of the plurality of light sources.

4 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the post processing system is further configured to:
normalize lighting data in each of the plurality of distinct images with respect to the different respective locations of the plurality of light sources; and generate the evenly lit color composite image from the lighting data as normalized.

5 . The inspection system of claim 1 wherein the post processing system is further configured to normalize lighting data in each of the plurality of distinct images using a model of the surface of interest.

6 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the different respective locations at which each of the plurality of light sources are positioned includes a concentric arrangement around an exterior of the guide tube.

7 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are selectively deployable from a resting position concentric around an exterior of the guide tube into an extended position.

8 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of light sources are located in line with each other.

9 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources include a first light source emitting directional light having a range of light wavelengths associated with the color green, a second light source emitting directional light having a range of light wavelengths associated with the color red, and a third light source emitting directional light having a range of light wavelengths associated with the color blue.

10 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the inspection camera is configured to activate to capture the image data as a sequence of discrete data frames such that groupings of a plurality of images are combinable into a video sequence of the surface of interest.

11 . An inspection system comprising:
a guide tube; a borescope comprising an inspection camera, the borescope configured to pass through an interior of the guide tube to a distal end thereof; a plurality of light sources coupled to the distal end of the guide tube and positioned at different respective locations relative to the inspection camera so as to impart different directionality to directional light output from each of the plurality of light sources onto a surface of interest, the directional light from each of the plurality of light sources having a different respective range of light wavelengths; a controller electrically coupled to the inspection camera and the plurality of light sources, wherein the controller is configured to direct the plurality of light sources to simultaneously output the directional light and to activate the inspection camera to capture image data while the surface of interest is illuminated with the directional light; and a post processing system configured to receive the image data from the inspection camera, process portions of the image data into a plurality of distinct images corresponding to the different respective range of light wavelengths output by each of the plurality of light sources, normalize lighting data in each of the plurality of distinct images with respect to the different respective locations of the plurality of light sources; and generate an evenly lit color composite image from the lighting data as normalized, wherein the post processing system is further configured to generate difference images by comparing the evenly lit color composite image with individual ones of the plurality of distinct images and identify an abnormal region of the surface of interest using at least one of the evenly lit color composite image and the difference images; wherein the post processing system includes a display device for displaying the difference images.

12 . The inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the inspection camera includes different sensor channels configured to capture different portions of the image data corresponding to the different respective ranges of light wavelengths.

13 . An inspection system comprising:
an inspection camera; and a plurality of light sources positioned at different respective locations relative to the inspection camera and emitting directional light onto a surface of interest, wherein at least two of the plurality of light sources have different respective range of light wavelengths; wherein the inspection camera is configured to activate so as to capture image data while the surface of interest is being simultaneously illuminated with the directional light from the plurality of light sources, wherein the inspection camera includes different sensor channels configured to capture different portions of the image data corresponding to the different respective ranges of light wavelengths; and further comprising a post processing system configured to receive the image data, process portions of the image data into a plurality of distinct images corresponding to each of the different respective ranges of light wavelengths, normalize the different sensor channels to generate an evenly lit color composite image, generate difference images by comparing the evenly lit color composite image with individual ones of the plurality of images, and identify an abnormal region of the surface of interest using at least one of the evenly lit color composite image and the difference images.

14 . The inspection system of claim 13 , wherein the inspection camera is positioned at a distal end of a guid

Assignees

• General Electric Company
• Oliver Crispin Robotics Ltd

Inventors

• Kommareddy Vamshi Krishna Reddy
• Medhi Biswajit
• Graham Andrew Crispin

Classifications

• G02B23/2484

  Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device (processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70) · CPC title

• G02B23/2476

  Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports · CPC title

• G02B23/2461 Primary

  Illumination · CPC title

• G02B23/2415

  Stereoscopic endoscopes · CPC title

• G01N21/8806

  Specially adapted optical and illumination features · CPC title