Under vehicle inspection system

• US 20070030349A1
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Larry Riley
• Original Assignee: Larry Riley
• Inventors: Riley, Larry
• Application Number:
  US11/389,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030349A1
• 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 sensor mounted on sensor carriage, and a data analysis element receiving and evaluating data obtained by the sensor.

Claims

1. An under vehicle inspection system, comprising:

a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform;

a sensor carriage track associated with the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform;

a sensor carriage mounted on the sensor carriage track and adapted to move along the sensor carriage track;

a sensor associated with the sensor carriage and adapted to scan the undercarriage of a stationary vehicle positioned relative the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform as the sensor carriage moves along the sensor carriage track; and

,

a data analysis element adapted to receive and evaluate data obtained by the sensor.

2. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor carriage comprises:

a chassis adapted to hold the sensor; and

,

a transport mechanism adapted to move the sensor carriage along the sensor track.

3. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a plurality of wheel gears connected by respective axels associated with the chassis.

4. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor carriage further comprises a drive mechanism associated with the transport mechanism.

5. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 4, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a stepper motor mounted on the chassis and operatively connected to the transport mechanism.

6. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor carriage further comprises:

a light associated with the sensor and adapted to illuminate the undercarriage of the stationary vehicle.

7. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 6, wherein the light provides either a fixed field of illumination or a directionally variable field of illumination.

8. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor carriage further comprises a processing element associated with the sensor and adapted to communicate data with the data analysis element.

9. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor carriage track comprises a plurality of track sections adapted to be connected in series to define a length for the sensor carriage track.

10. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises;

an optical camera, a chemical sensor, a thermal detector, or a radiation detector.

11. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a digital line scan camera having zoom capability.

12. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein data obtained by the sensor is received by the data analysis element through a hardwire link.

13. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the data obtained by the sensor is received by the data analysis element through a wireless link.

14. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signaling system adapted to position the vehicle relative to the undercarriage inspection platform.

15. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a digital line scan camera with zoom capability;

and,

wherein the data analysis element comprises a Personal Computer (PC) or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) adapted to receive image data obtained by the digital line scan camera and display the image data.

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

17. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 16, wherein the trailer comprises:

a frame;

wheel channels attached to the frame;

retractable ramps attached to the wheel channels; and

,

retractable wheels attached to the frame.

18. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an in-ground structure.

19. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle inspection system comprises an on-ground structure.

20. The under vehicle inspection system of claim 19, wherein the on-ground structure is transportable in a plurality of pieces.

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

scanning the undercarriage of the stationary vehicle positioned in relation to a vehicle undercarriage inspection platform by moving a sensor carriage comprising a sensor along a sensor carriage track associated with the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform; and

,

evaluating data obtained by the sensor using a data analysis element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises an optical camera, a chemical sensor, a thermal detector, or a radiation detector.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein moving the sensor carriage along the sensor carriage track comprises operating a stepper motor to turn an axel associated with the sensor carriage.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a digital line scan camera having zoom capability, and wherein the method further comprises:

stopping the movement of the sensor carriage relative to the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform during a scan of the vehicle undercarriage; and

,

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

25. The method of claim 21, 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.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises an in-ground structure, and wherein the method further comprises:

positioning the vehicle over the in-ground structure before scanning the undercarriage of the stationary vehicle.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises an on-ground structure, and wherein the method further comprises:

positioning the vehicle over the on-ground structure before scanning the undercarriage of the stationary vehicle.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises;

deploying the on-ground structure at a location by assembling a plurality of pieces.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein positioning the vehicle over the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises;

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

30. The method of claim 27, wherein positioning the vehicle over the vehicle undercarriage inspection platform comprises;

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