Linear assets inspection system

• US 20100064041A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian Abbott, David Lilley, Dwight Tays
• Original Assignee: Brian Abbott, David Lilley, Dwight Tays
• Inventors: Abbott, Brian, Lilley, David, Tays, Dwight
• Application Number:
  US12/454,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/04 for monitoring the mechanical state of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

The invention provides a graphical user interface implemented on a computer including an information area for displaying to a user at the computer inspection status information in connection with one or more components of a linear asset infrastructure. The graphical user interface also includes a control component operable by the user at the computer to cause the graphical user interface to display additional information on the one or more components of the linear asset infrastructure.

Claims

1. ) A method for performing inspection of an asset of a linear asset infrastructure, the method including:

a) traversing the asset with a device including a probe to perform inspection of the asset;

b) storing data on a storage device conveying inspection information derived from the probe;

c) processing the data with a computer for;

i) determining if the inspection information is indicative of an abnormality in the asset;

ii) selecting an asset defect among a set of possible asset defects on the basis of the abnormality, wherein the selected defect is a likely asset condition that is the source of the abnormality;

iii) creating for the selected defect a condition record, the condition record being indicative of the selected asset defect.

2. ) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the linear asset infrastructure is a railway infrastructure.

3. ) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the asset that is traversed is a track segment.

4. ) A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the inspection is selected in the group consisting of ultrasonic inspection and inductive testing.

5. ) A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the determining includes comparing the inspection information to a tolerance range, wherein the tolerance range allows discriminating between inspection information indicative of a normal condition and inspection information indicative of an abnormality.

6. ) A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the data in the storage device also includes location information which indicates the location of the abnormality.

7. ) A method as defined in claim 6, including associating the condition record with data mapping the selected asset defect with respective location information.

8. ) A method as defined in claim 3, including selecting a remedial action in connection with the selected defect.

9. ) A method as defined in claim 8, including selecting the remedial action among a set of possible remedial actions and associating the condition record with data which indicates the selected remedial action.