Mobile under vehicle inspection system

• US 20060170768A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Larry E. Riley
• Original Assignee: Larry E. Riley
• Inventors: Riley, Larry E.
• Application Number:
  US11/045,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170768A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An under vehicle inspection system is disclosed. The under vehicle inspection system comprises a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform, a plurality of sensors mounted on the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform, and a data analysis element receiving and evaluating data captured by the plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors scans the undercarriage of a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform.

Claims

1. An under vehicle inspection system, comprising:

a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform;

a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform and adapted to scan the undercarriage of a stationary vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform; and

,

a data analysis element adapted to receive and evaluate data captured by the plurality of sensors.

2. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises optical cameras, chemical sensors, thermal sensors, or radiation detectors.

3. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a digital line scan camera.

4. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the data captured by the plurality of sensors is received by the data analysis element through a hardwire link connecting the plurality of sensors to the data analysis element.

5. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, further comprising a signaling system controlling vehicle positioning relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform before scanning of the undercarriage by the plurality of sensors.

6. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a digital line scan camera;

and,

wherein the data analysis element comprises a Personal Computer (PC) or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) adapted to receive data captured by the cameras and display images related to the data to a human operator.

7. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises a trailer.

8. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 7, wherein the trailer comprises:

a frame;

wheel channels attached to the frame;

retractable ramps attached to the wheel channels;

retractable wheels attached to the frame;

a camera track attached to the frame; and

,

wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a digital line scan camera associated with a camera bar adapted to traverse some portion of the frame via the camera track.

9. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 8, wherein the wheel channels are width adjustable.

10. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 8, wherein the retractable wheels are attached to the frame by rotating angled axels.

11. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 8, wherein the camera bar scans the undercarriage of the vehicle by moving along the camera track.

12. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 8, wherein the trailer further comprises:

wheel well inspector tracks attached to the frame; and

,

wheel well inspectors attached to the wheel well inspector tracks.

13. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 12, wherein the wheel well inspectors comprise cameras mounted on robotic arms.

22. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the data captured by the plurality of sensors is received by the data analysis element through a wireless link connecting the plurality of sensors to the data analysis element.

23. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, further comprising a signaling system controlling vehicle passage relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform.

24. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an digital line scan camera having zoom capability.

29. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises in combination at least two different sensors selected from a group of sensors consisting of:

a video camera, a digital line scan camera, a chemical sensor, a thermal sensor, and a radiation detector.

31. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an in-ground structure adapted to have a stationary vehicle positioned there over.

32. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an on-ground structure adapted to have a stationary vehicle positioned there over.

33. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 32, wherein the on-ground structure is transportable.

14. A method of inspecting the undercarriage of a stationary vehicle, the method comprising:

scanning the undercarriage of the stationary vehicle positioned on a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform by moving a plurality of sensors relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform; and

,

evaluating data captured by the plurality of sensors using a data analysis element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises optical cameras, chemical sensors, thermal detectors, or radiation detectors.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein evaluating the data captured by the plurality of sensors comprises:

receiving the data in a computer, and displaying the data to a human operator.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises a trailer, and wherein the method further comprises:

towing the trailer to a location; and

,

deploying the trailer at the location before scanning the undercarriage of the vehicle positioned on the trailer by moving the plurality of sensors relative to the trailer.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a digital line scan camera having zoom capability, and wherein scanning the undercarriage of the vehicle further comprises:

stopping the movement of the plurality of sensors relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform; and

,

zooming the digital line scan camera onto a selected portion of the vehicle undercarriage.

30. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises in combination at least two different sensors selected from a group of sensors consisting of:

a video camera, a digital line scan camera, a chemical sensor, a thermal sensor, and a radiation detector.

34. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an in-ground structure, and the method further comprises:

positioning the vehicle over the vehicle inspection system, and thereafter holding the vehicle stationary before scanning the undercarriage.

35. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an on-ground structure, and the method further comprises:

positioning the vehicle over the vehicle inspection system, and thereafter holding the vehicle stationary before scanning the undercarriage.

17. A method of inspecting the undercarriage of a vehicle, the method comprising:

positioning a vehicle in relation to a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform;

maintaining the vehicle in a stationary position relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform while moving a plurality of sensors relative to the undercarriage of the vehicle to scan the vehicle undercarriage with the plurality of sensors; and

,

evaluating data captured by the plurality of sensors using a data analysis element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises optical cameras, chemical sensors, thermal sensors, or radiation detectors.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein positioning the vehicle on the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises:

visually indicating to a vehicle operator using a green light and a red light.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining the vehicle in a stationary position relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises:

moving a barrier adapted to prevent passage or exit of the vehicle from the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein evaluating the data captured by the plurality of sensors comprises:

receiving and evaluating the data in a digital logic system.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises a trailer, and wherein the method further comprises:

towing the trailer to a location; and

,

deploying the trailer at the location before positioning the vehicle on the trailer.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a digital line scan camera having zoom capability, and wherein the method further comprises:

stopping the movement of the plurality of sensors relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform during the scan of the vehicle undercarriage; and

,

zooming the digital line scan camera onto a selected portion of the vehicle undercarriage.

36. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an in-ground structure.

37. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an on-ground structure.

38. The method of claim 37, where in the on-ground structure is transportable.

39. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises a trailer adapted to be towed.