Pipe inspection and/or mapping camera heads, systems, and methods
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Olsson, Michael J. Martin, Adam Mullett, Alexander L. Warren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims14
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.