SYSTEMS AND METHODS INVOLVING A SMART CABLE STORAGE DRUM AND NETWORK NODE FOR TRANSMISSION OF DATA

• US 20140210989A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seektech Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seektech Inc.
• Inventors: Olsson, Mark S., Nguyen, Tran, Martin, Michael, Stuart, Paul, Castaneda, Phillip, Ollinger, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/826,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20140210989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/84
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Among other things, techniques, systems, methods and computer readable storage medium with executable instructions relating to the viewing of data from and the controlling of the operation of an inspection camera at a remote computing device that is connected to the inspection camera via a network are described. Various features may be realized by using an installable software application or a web browser at the remote computing device. Features of the invention also pertain to a smart cable storage drum comprising a push cable, an inspection camera, and a network transceiver configured to communicate with a remote computer.

Claims

1. A system for viewing of data from and the controlling of the operation of an inspection camera, the system comprising:

a smart cable storage drum comprising;

a push cable;

an inspection camera configured to capture data relating to one or more images; and

one or more wireless transceivers coupled to the smart cable storage drum, and configured to send and receive information to and from one or more remote computing devices and the smart cable storage drum.

2. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising:

a slip-ring coupled to the smart cable storage drum.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip ring includes the one or more wireless transceivers.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip ring includes a key pad.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip ring includes electronics configured to compress the data.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip ring includes a USB port configured to connect to an external memory and transfer data to the external memory.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip ring includes a battery configured to power the one or more wireless transceivers.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the slip-ring slip ring is detachably coupled to the smart cable storage drum along a central axis of the smart cable storage drum.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system causes a web browser or an installable software application to display a user interface (UI) on a computing device operated by a user, wherein the UI provides controls that are selectable by the user to control one or more resources networked to the system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include an image control configured to cause the inspection camera to capture the data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more controls further include a tag control configured to cause the computing device to display an editing interface that enables the user to annotate the data with one or more text, audio or highlighting annotations.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more controls further include a light brightness control configured to cause one or more lights of the inspection camera to adjust a level of illumination.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include a compression control configured to cause the data to be compressed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the compression control is displayed on the UI as an asterisk or star icon.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include a count reset control configured to reset a distance counter.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include an image flip control configured to cause the computing device to display a flipped version of an image captured by the inspection camera by mirroring the image about a horizontal axis when an orientation of the inspection camera has changed.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include a state control configured to cause the inspection camera to change its operation state.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include a sonde control configured to cause a sonde transmitter to activate or deactivate.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more controls include a job manager control configured to cause the computing device to display a menu that permits the user to generate a report.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the system causes a web browser or an installable software application to display a user interface (UI) on a computing device operated by a user, wherein the UI provides one or more status indications.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more status indications include a sonde transmitter status indication configured to notify the user about whether the sonde transmitter is transmitting or not transmitting.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more status indications include an image status indication configured to notify the user about whether the inspection camera is capturing the data or whether the data is undergoing processing.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more status indications include a count status indication configured to display a current count number.

24. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising:

a rotating hub around which the push cable may be wound and unwound.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the rotating hub includes the one or more wireless transceivers.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the rotating hub includes electronics configured to compress the data.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the rotating hub includes a USB port configured to connect to an external memory and transfer data to the external memory.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the rotating hub includes a battery configured to power the one or more wireless transceivers.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a slip-ring that is detachably inserted into to a cavity formed by at least part of the rotating hub.