Surface Inspecting Device

• US 20100138097A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Liu, Peter, Hsieh, Shang-Hsien, Chang, Jia-Ruey, Ku, Kai-Yuan, Kang, Shih-Chung
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/27
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A modular surface inspecting device is provided. A modular surface inspecting device comprises a computing layer having a processing unit in which a modular service-oriented software is installed; a detecting layer having a plurality of sensors obtaining a plurality of surrounding information; and a dynamic layer carrying the computing layer and the detecting layer and controlled by a controlling command generated by the computing layer according to the plurality of surrounding information.

Claims

1. A modular surface inspecting device, comprising:

a computing layer having a processing unit in which a modular service-oriented software is installed;

a detecting layer having a plurality of sensors obtaining a plurality of surrounding information; and

a dynamic layer carrying the computing layer and the detecting layer and controlled by a controlling command generated by the computing layer according to the plurality of surrounding information.

2. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting layer further comprises a controlling chip set, a sensing chip set and a driving chip set, and detects surroundings to obtain the plurality of surrounding information, the plurality of surrounding information are received and processed by the computing layer to generate the controlling command, the controlling command includes a plurality of commands, and the dynamic layer has a plurality of omni-wheels, a vehicle on which the plurality of omni-wheels are rotatably secured, and a plurality of dynamic elements respectively driving the plurality of omni-wheels.

3. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of surrounding information are received by the sensing chip set from the surroundings and transmitted to the processing unit by the controlling chip set.

4. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of commands are transmitted to the driving chip set by the controlling chip set.

5. The modular surface inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the computing layer has an interface by which the processing unit and the control set communicate with each other.

6. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of surrounding information are received from the surroundings and transmitted to the controlling chip set by the sensing chip set, and the plurality of commands are received by the controlling chip set and transmitted to the dynamic elements by the driving chip set.

8. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of dynamic elements are motors, and the plurality of surrounding information are received and processed by the modular service-oriented software to generate the plurality of commands so as to control the plurality of dynamic elements and the plurality of omni-wheels.

7. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein the dynamic layer further comprises a power source providing a power to the plurality of dynamic elements, and the power source is a battery.

9. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is one selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a server, a notebook computer, an electronic device having a central processing unit and a combination thereof.

10. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 1, wherein the modular service-oriented software is a Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio (MSRDS) software.

11. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 10, wherein the MSRDS software further comprises a control service, a tasks service, a sensor service, a laser sensor service, a driver service, an ultrasonic distance service, an electrical compass service, a video device service, an image sensing service and a GPS service.

12. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 11, wherein each of the services further comprises a service identifier, a contract identifier, a partner, a service handler, a main port, a state, a notification and a data member.

13. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 11, wherein the tasks service plans at least one path inspection mode being one selected from a group consisting of a transversal path inspection mode, a longitudinal path inspection mode, a random path inspection mode and a grid path inspection mode.

14. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 13, wherein the tasks service plans at least one special path inspection mode being one of a fixed-position density inspection mode and an obstacle-avoidance mode.

15. The modular surface inspecting device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are ones selected from a group consisting of an ultrasonic distance sensor, an electrical compass, a laser scanner, a video camera, an image sensor, a GPS and a combination thereof.

16. An inspecting device, comprising:

a computing layer installed with a modular service-oriented software and generating a controlling signal; and

a dynamic layer carrying the computing layer and controlled by the controlling signal.

18. The inspection device according to claim 16 being a surface inspecting robot inspecting a pavement.

17. The inspecting device according to claim 17 further comprising a detecting unit having a plurality of sensors detecting surroundings to obtain a plurality of surrounding information, wherein the computing layer is a computing layer has a processor in which the modular service-oriented software is installed, the controlling signal includes a plurality of controlling commands, the dynamic layer is a dynamic layer has a plurality of omni-wheels, a vehicle on which the plurality of omni-wheels are rotatably secured, and a plurality of dynamic elements respectively driving the plurality of omni-wheels, the detecting unit is carried by the dynamic level, and the plurality of surrounding information are received and processed by the computing layer for generating the plurality of controlling commands.

19. An inspecting method, comprising the steps of:

providing a computing layer installed with a modular service-oriented subunit and a dynamic layer carrying the computing layer; and

generating a controlling signal from the computing layer to control the dynamic layer.

20. The inspecting method according to claim 19 further comprising a step of providing a detecting unit having a plurality of sensors detecting surroundings to obtain a plurality of surrounding information, wherein the computing layer is a processor, the dynamic layer is a moving unit, the detecting unit is carried by the moving unit, and the plurality of surrounding information are received and processed by the processor to generate the controlling signal.