Remote tablet-based internet inspection system

• US 8,082,317 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Loda, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US10/082,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,584 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/250, 348/141, 348 82- 85, 348/207.1, 340/539.1, 382/141, 382/152, 356/237.1, 3562411-2415, 318/568.12
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

An integrated system comprising a portal, a server communicating with the portal and at least one local area network, at least one mobile platform in wireless communication with the at least one local area network, and a means for enabling two-way communications between the portal and the server.

Claims

1. An integrated system comprising:

a portal having at least one software tool for analyzing, organizing and sorting at least one form of data for access by at least one community of users, each community having secured access to at least one form of data relevant to said community;

a server communicating with said portal;

at least one wireless local area network in communication with said server;

at least one mobile device in wireless communication with said at least one wireless local area network;

a visual data device in communication with said at least one mobile device; and

a means for enabling two-way communications between said portal and said server,

wherein said at least one mobile device comprises a PC tablet.

2. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said portal may be accessed by at least one mobile device in communication with said portal.

3. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said at least one local area network is physically integrated with said server.

4. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said at least one local area network is in wireless communication with said server.

5. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said visual data device comprises a borescope.

6. The integrated system of claim 5, wherein said borescope communicates with said mobile device via a data feed wire.

7. The integrated system of claim 6, wherein said mobile device comprises at least one USB port for receiving said data feed wire.

8. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said visual data device comprises a stereographic viewing system.

9. The integrated system of claim 8, wherein said stereographic viewing system comprises a stereo image lens in communication with said at least one mobile device.

10. The integrated system of claim 9, wherein said at least one mobile device comprises at least one USB port for receiving data from said stereo image lens.

11. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said server is addressable by a unique IP address and wherein said server hosts at least one web page.

12. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said server is located on said at least one movable platform comprising one of the following:

a boat, an airplane, a spacecraft, an automobile or a truck.

13. A method for providing remote, interactive visual analysis of an apparatus, comprising the steps of:

providing a portal having at least one software tool for analyzing, organizing and sorting visual data for access by at least one community of users, said portal in communication with at least one electronic device;

providing a server in two-way communication with said portal via the internet;

integrating said server into a wireless local area network;

connecting at least one mobile device to said local area network;

providing said visual data from at least one visual device to said at least one mobile device;

receiving said visual data at said at least one electronic device;

accessing securely via said server said visual data relevant to each of said at least one community of users; and

analyzing a turbine engine of the apparatus using said visual data.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising the additional step of issuing control commands to said at least one visual device from said at least one electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said control commands are issued in response to receiving said visual data by said at least one electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising altering an orientation of said visual device in accordance with said control commands.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said receiving of said visual data is limited by a community affiliation of said one or more electronic devices.