# US 2014/0207403 A1 · Inspection instrument auto-configuration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0207403 A1 - Document ID: US20140207403A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/747,438 - Filed: 2013-01-22 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-22 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Inventors: Jason Howard Messinger; Sekhar Soorianarayanan; Robert Carroll Ward; Michael Christopher Domke; Scott Leo Sbihli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207403A1 ## CPC - G06F 17/00: Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00) - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract A method includes obtaining, via an inspection instrument, identifying information relating to an object that is to be inspected; querying, via the inspection instrument, a data source for relevant inspection information using at least the identifying information; receiving, via the inspection instrument, the relevant inspection information; and configuring the inspection instrument, via changes automatically implemented by the inspection instrument, based upon the received relevant inspection information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: obtaining, via an inspection instrument, identifying information relating to an object, or a particular portion thereof, that is to be inspected; querying, via the inspection instrument, a data source for relevant inspection information using at least the identifying information; receiving, via the inspection instrument, the relevant inspection information; and configuring the inspection instrument, via changes automatically implemented by the inspection instrument, based upon the received relevant inspection information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the identifying information via a manual entry provided to the inspection instrument, and wherein the inspection instrument comprises a borescope, a PTZ camera, an eddy current inspection device, an x-ray inspection device, an ultrasonic inspection device, a mobile device, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the identifying information via a near-field communications signal provided to the inspection instrument. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the identifying information via a camera, scanner, sensor, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising querying the data source by providing the identifying information to at least one cloud-based service provider. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising querying the data source by providing the identifying information to at least one data repository. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant inspection data comprises at least one of historical data, configuration settings, and a reference to one or more applications. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein configuring the inspection equipment comprises: presenting the historical data on a visual display when the relevant inspection data comprises historical data; applying the configuration settings when the relevant inspection data comprises configuration settings; installing the one or more applications when the relevant inspection data comprises the reference to the one or more applications. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein installing the one or more applications comprises: determining whether the one or more applications are already installed; downloading the one or more applications based upon the reference when the one or more applications are not already installed; and installing the downloaded one or more applications. ### Claim 10 A system, comprising: an inspection instrument, comprising: computer-readable storage, configured to store relevant inspection information useful for configuring the inspection instrument for an inspection; communications circuitry configured to communicatively couple the inspection instrument with a service provider; an input device configured to obtain identification information regarding a portion of an object to be inspected during the subsequent inspection; and a processor configured to: receive the identification information from the input device; query the service provider for relevant inspection information relating to the identification information, by sending a relevant data request to the service provider via the communications circuitry; and receive and apply the relevant inspection information relating to the identification information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the relevant inspection information comprises at least one of: configuration settings of the inspection instrument, data relating to on-device applications for the inspection instrument, and reference data useful for inspections performed using the inspection instrument. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the service provider comprises a cloud-based service provider. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, comprising the service provider or a plurality of services providers configured to obtain the relevant inspection information from a plurality of data repositories. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the input device comprises an RFID reader or other device capable of reading a signal comprising the identification information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the input device comprises a camera, a scanner, or both. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the input device comprises an alphanumeric keypad or touchscreen. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the inspection instrument comprises a non-destructive testing inspection device or a mobile device configured to aid in the inspection by a non destructive testing inspection device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the inspection instrument comprises a borescope, a transportable pan-tilt-zoom camera, an eddy current device, an x-ray inspection device, an ultrasonic inspection device, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 19 A tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions configured to: obtain identifying information relating to a particular portion of an object that is to be inspected; query a data source for relevant inspection information using at least the identifying information; receive the relevant inspection information; and configure the inspection instrument, based upon the received relevant inspection information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising computer readable instructions adapted to configure the inspection instrument by: presenting relevant historical data; installing applications; or applying configuration settings; or any combination thereof.