Systems and methods for control of a non-destructive testing system

• US 10,290,206 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Messinger, Jason Howard, Ward, Robert Carroll, De Fromont, Francois Xavier, Domke, Michael Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US15/427,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 702 34, 702 81, 702 94, 702108, 702122, 702188, 324240, 340505, 345173, 382259, 700258, 715752, 726 21, 348143
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system may include a non-destructive testing (NDT) device. The NDT device may further include a communications system configured to receive control data from an external system, wherein the NDT device is configured to use the control data to control a component included in the NDT device, to control a parameter of the NDT device, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile device configured to receive input from a user;

a non-destructive testing (NDT) device selected from a group consisting of;

a borescope, a pan-tilt-zoom camera, an eddy current inspection device, an ultrasonic inspection device, and an x-ray inspection device;

one or more processors of the NDT device configured to control operation of the NDT device; and

a communications system of the NDT device configured to receive remote control data from the mobile device, wherein

the remote control data includes one or more of;

virtual control-based control data, gesture-based control data, motion-based control data, and voice-based control data, and

the one or more processors control operation of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data, the operation of the NDT device including one or more of capturing an image or a video, performing a measurement, and reprogramming a component of the NDT device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is configured to use a cloud computing network to receive the remote control data, to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is configured to use a wireless network, a near field communications (NFC), a personal area network (PAN), and ad hoc pairing, or a combination thereof, to receive the remote control data, to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to control an operational parameter used during operations of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the operational parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the NDT device is configured to use the remote control data to access a file system, to display visual data, to play audio data, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein file system comprises a file, a folder, or a combination thereof, and the NDT device is configured to add the file, delete the file, rename the file, update contents of the file, add the folder, delete the folder, rename the folder, update contents of the folder, or a combination thereof, and wherein the visual data comprises an image, a video, a text, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual control-based control data comprises a virtual controller data derived by manipulating a virtual controller.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by one or more processors, which when executed cause the one or more processors to:

receive remote control data from a mobile device by using a communications system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT) device, wherein the NDT device is selected from a group consisting of;

a borescope, a pan-tilt-zoom camera, an eddy current inspection device, an ultrasonic inspection device, and an x-ray inspection device; and

control operation of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data, the operation of the NDT device including one or more of capturing an image or a video, performing a measurement, and reprogramming a component of the NDT device,

wherein the remote control data includes one or more of;

virtual control-based control data, gesture-based control data, motion-based control data, and voice-based control data.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the one or more processors to use a cloud computing network to receive the remote control data.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein execution of the instructions further causes to one or more processors to use a wireless network, a near field communications (NFC), a personal area network (PAN), and ad hoc pairing, or a combination thereof, to receive the remote control data.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the one or more processors to control an operational parameter used during operations of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operational parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

14. A method comprising:

receiving remote control data from a mobile device by using a communication system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT) device, wherein the NDT device is selected from a group consisting of;

a borescope, a pan-tilt-zoom camera, an eddy current inspection device, an ultrasonic inspection device, and an x-ray inspection device; and

control operation of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data, the operation of the NDT device including one or more of capturing an image or a video, performing a measurement, and reprogramming a component of the NDT device,

wherein the remote control data includes one or more of;

virtual control-based control data, gesture-based control data, motion-based control data, and voice-based control data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising controlling a parameter of the NDT device in accordance with the remote control data, wherein the parameter is used to control operations of the NDT device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the remote control data to control the file system comprises adding a file, deleting the file, renaming the file, updating contents of the file, adding a folder, deleting the folder, renaming the folder, updating contents of the folder, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising using a cloud computing network to receive the remote control data.