Unmanned aerial vehicle based expansion joint failure detection system

• US 10,423,831 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: De Mers, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L
• Application Number:
  US15/705,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20190087658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/081 by using a contact-less detection method, i.e. with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0008 of bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/005 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0075 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems G01M5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures

Abstract

A camera captures an image of a structural bearing, such as a hanger bearing or a rocker bearing. Additionally, an instrument detects a temperature. A computing system determines, based on the temperature, an expected angle of the bearing relative to a base line. The computing system also determines an actual angle of the bearing relative to the base line. The computing system superimposes a first line on the image, the first line indicating the expected angle. Furthermore, the computing system superimposes a second line on the image, the second line indicating the actual angle.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting an expansion joint, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an image captured by a camera, the image being of a structural bearing, wherein the structural bearing is a hanger bearing or a rocker bearing;

receiving, by the computing system, a temperature measurement generated by an instrument;

determining, by the computing system, based on the temperature, an expected angle of the structural bearing relative to a base line;

determining, by the computing system, an actual angle of the structural bearing relative to the base line;

superimposing, by the computing system, a first line on the image, the first line indicating the expected angle; and

superimposing, by the computing system, a second line on the image, the second line indicating the actual angle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the temperature is a current temperature,

the method further comprises;

storing, by the computing system, a plurality of historical images of the structural bearing; and

storing, by the computing system, a plurality of historical temperature measurements, wherein the plurality of historical temperature measurements includes a corresponding temperature measurement for each historical image of the plurality of historical images, and

determining the expected angle of the structural bearing comprises determining, by the computing system, the expected angle of the structural bearing based on the current temperature, the historical images, and the historical temperature measurements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the structural bearing is coupled to a suspended span and an anchor span, and

determining the expected angle of the structural bearing comprises;

determining, by the computing system, based on the temperature measurement, an expected length of the suspended span; and

determining, by the computing system, the expected angle based on the expected length of the suspended span.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the computing system, based on an angle between the first line and the second line being greater than a threshold, an alert to indicate that the structural bearing is potentially seized up.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after superimposing the first line and the second line on the image, outputting, by the computing system, the image for display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera and instrument are mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

7. A computing system comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

receive an image captured by a camera, the image being of a structural bearing, wherein the structural bearing is a hanger bearing or a rocker bearing; and

receive a temperature measurement generated by an instrument; and

one or more processing circuits configured to;

determine, based on the temperature, an expected angle of the structural bearing relative to a base line;

determine an actual angle of the structural bearing relative to the base line;

superimpose a first line on the image, the first line indicating the expected angle; and

superimpose a second line on the image, the second line indicating the actual angle.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein:

the temperature is a current temperature,

the computing system comprises a memory configured to;

store a plurality of historical images of the structural bearing; and

store a plurality of historical temperature measurements, wherein the plurality of historical temperature measurements includes a corresponding temperature measurement for each historical image of the plurality of historical images, and

the one or more processing circuits are configured such that, as part of determining the expected angle of the structural bearing, the one or more processing circuits determine the expected angle of the structural bearing based on the current temperature, the historical images, and the historical temperature measurements.

9. The computing system of claim 7, wherein:

the structural bearing is coupled to a suspended span and an anchor span, and

the one or more processors are configured such that, as part of determining the expected angle of the structural bearing, the one or more processing circuits;

determine, based on the temperature measurement, an expected length of the suspended span; and

determine the expected angle based on the expected length of the suspended span.

10. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processing circuits are further configured to generate, based on an angle between the first line and the second line being greater than a threshold, an alert to indicate that the structural bearing is potentially seized up.

11. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

after superimposing the first line and the second line on the image, output the image for display.

12. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the camera and instrument are mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, configure a computing system to:

receive an image captured by a camera, the image being of a structural bearing, wherein the structural bearing is a hanger bearing or a rocker bearing;

receive a temperature measurement generated by an instrument;

determine, based on the temperature, an expected angle of the structural bearing relative to a base line;

determine an actual angle of the structural bearing relative to the base line;

superimpose a first line on the image, the first line indicating the expected angle; and

superimpose a second line on the image, the second line indicating the actual angle.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein:

the temperature is a current temperature,

execution of the instructions further configures the computing system to;

store a plurality of historical images of the structural bearing; and

store a plurality of historical temperature measurements, wherein the plurality of historical temperature measurements includes a corresponding temperature measurement for each historical image of the plurality of historical images, and

as part of configuring the computing system to determine the expected angle of the structural bearing, execution of the instructions configures the computing system to determine the expected angle of the structural bearing based on the current temperature, the historical images, and the historical temperature measurements.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein:

the structural bearing is coupled to a suspended span and an anchor span, and

execution of the instructions further configures the computing system to determine the expected angle of the structural bearing comprises;

determining, by the computing system, based on the temperature measurement, an expected length of the suspended span; and

determining, by the computing system, the expected angle based on the expected length of the suspended span.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions further configuring the computing system to:

generate, based on an angle between the first line and the second line being greater than a threshold, an alert to indicate that the structural bearing is potentially seized up.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the computing system to:

after superimposing the first line and the second line on the image, output the image for display.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the camera and instrument are mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.