Inspection apparatus for inspecting articles

• US 8,310,533 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies LP (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Morse, Bradford, Lambdin, Thomas Eldred, Bendall, Clark A., Hubben, Edward B., Karpen, Thomas W., Pellegrino, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Senfi, Behrooz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Hee-Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/645,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,153 Days
• Field of Search: 348/92
• US Class Current: 348/92
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2492 Arrangements for use in a hostile environment, e.g. a very hot, cold or radioactive environment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/26 using light guides for illumination G02B23/2469

Abstract

An inspection apparatus can include an application guiding an inspector in the performance of an inspection. The application can be provided in such form as to be modified. In one embodiment, an application for guiding an inspector can be modified responsively to data collected by an inspection apparatus of an inspection system. In one embodiment an application for guiding an inspector can be modified responsively to data output by a data output device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a visual inspection system having a visual inspection apparatus of the type including an elongated inspection module adapted to be articulated by an inspector, and a two dimensional image sensor generating image signals, said method comprising the step of:

(a) providing an inspector guide application for running on said visual inspection apparatus that guides an inspector in completing an inspection by presenting prompts prompting said inspector to complete at least one of a plurality of stages and a plurality of steps;

(b) embedding metadata in a media file collected during completion of said inspection procedure, the metadata including at least one of a stage indicator indicating a stage of an inspection and a step indicator indicating a step during the stage of the inspection;

(c) examining said metadata referred to in step (b) to determine whether at least one of a stage indicated by said stage indicator and a step indicated by said step indicator is to be selectively enabled; and

(d) modifying said inspector guide application responsively to said examining step (c),

wherein the stage of the inspection corresponds to an area on an inspection article to be inspected,

wherein the visual inspection apparatus, in guiding the inspector in completing the inspection procedure, displays a depiction of the inspection article on a display together with one or more indicators disposed on the depiction, the one or more indicators having an appearance on the display that indicates whether the area of the inspection article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected, and

wherein modifying said inspector guide application in step (d) changes the appearance of the indicators to reflect whether the area of the inspection article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected based on the metadata embedded in the media file in step (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said system in which said apparatus is incorporated is configured so that said examining step is executed automatically.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said system in which said apparatus is incorporated is configured so that said examining step can be caused to be actuated by an inspector operating said inspection apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said system in which said apparatus is incorporated is configured so that said examining step can be caused to be actuated by a supervisor operating a workstation computer spaced apart from said inspection apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said examining step including the step of applying a time stamp criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said examining step includes the step of applying a file quality criteria.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said examining step includes the step of applying a represented feature criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying step includes the step of modifying said inspector guide application so that a prompt for a stage indicated in said stage indicator is either not presented or is presented in such manner that said inspector is informed that said stage indicated by said stage indicator need not be performed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying step includes the step of modifying said inspector guide application so that a prompt for a step indicated in said step indicator is either not presented or is presented in such manner that said inspector is informed that said step indicated by said step indicator need not be performed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step includes the step of providing an inspector guide application so that an inspector is prompted to complete a certain number of steps, and wherein said modifying step includes the step of modifying said inspector guide application so that said inspector is prompted to perform less than said certain number of steps.

11. An apparatus for performance of visual inspection respecting an industrial equipment article, the apparatus comprising:

an elongated inspection module;

a two dimensional image sensor generating image signals; and

a display,

wherein said apparatus is configured to enable an inspector to input commands into said apparatus including commands to collect media files including an image file comprising a representation of said industrial equipment article and to collect a video file comprising a representation of said industrial equipment article,

wherein said apparatus is configured for embedding metadata in the media files collected during completion of an inspection procedure, the metadata including at least one of stage indicator indicating a stage of an inspection and a step indicator indicating a step during the stage of the inspection,

wherein said apparatus is configured to modify an inspector guide application that guides an inspector in completing an inspection responsively to the metadata embedded within the media files, and

wherein said apparatus is configured to enable said inspector to control a position of said elongated inspection module relative to an industrial equipment article being inspected,

wherein the stage of the inspection corresponds to an area on an industrial equipment article to be inspected,

wherein the visual inspection apparatus, in guiding the inspector in completing the inspection procedure, displays a depiction of the industrial equipment article on the display together with one or more indicators disposed on the depiction, the one or more indicators having an appearance on the display that indicates whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected, and

wherein said apparatus can change the appearance of the indicators to reflect whether the area of the inspection article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected based on the metadata embedded in the media file.

12. A system for use in conducting an inspection of an equipment article, said system comprising:

(a) an inspection apparatus for use in conducting inspections of an industrial equipment article,

wherein said inspection apparatus is configured to run an inspector guide application for guiding an inspector in the performance of an inspection procedure relating to said industrial equipment article, said inspector guide application presenting an inspector with a plurality of prompts,

wherein said inspection apparatus is configured for embedding metadata in a media file collected during completion of said inspection procedure, the metadata including at least one of a stage indicator indicating a stage of an inspection and a step indicator indicating a step during the stage of the inspection,

wherein said system is adapted so that said system can examine the metadata of the media files collected by said apparatus during a first running of said inspector guide application,

wherein said system, responsively to said examination of said metadata of the media files collected during said first running of said inspector guide application, modifies said inspector guide application so that a behavior of said apparatus when running said inspector guide application after said inspector guide application is modified is different than a behavior of said apparatus during said first running of said inspector guide application,

wherein the stage of the inspection corresponds to an area on an industrial equipment article to be inspected,

wherein the visual inspection apparatus, in guiding the inspector in completing the inspection procedure, displays a depiction of the industrial equipment article on a display together with one or more indicators disposed on the depiction, the one or more indicators having an appearance on the display that indicates whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected, and

wherein said apparatus can change the appearance of the indicators to reflect whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected based on the metadata embedded in the media file.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said system includes a user interface for use by a user of said system, said user interface enabling said user to define a criteria for use in examining said data collected by said apparatus.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said user interface is incorporated into said inspection apparatus.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said user interface is incorporated into a supervisor work station spaced apart from said inspection apparatus.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said system is adapted to examine data collected by said apparatus based on criteria selected from the group consisting of a timestamp criteria, a quality criteria and a represented feature criteria.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said system includes a first user interface at said apparatus for enabling an inspector to define criteria for use in examining said data collected by said apparatus, and a second user interface at a work station spaced apart from said apparatus for enabling a supervisor to define criteria for use in examining said data collected by said apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said system is configured so that a first set of controls are made available with use of said first user interface and a second set of controls are made available with use of said second user interface, wherein second set of controls available to a supervisor include at least one control not among said first set of controls.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said system is configured so that a first set of controls are made available with use of said first user interface and a second set of controls are made available with use of said second user interface, the first set of controls being different from said second set of controls.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein said inspection apparatus is a visual inspection apparatus.

21. A method for operating an inspection system comprising a visual inspection apparatus having an elongated inspection module, the method comprising the steps of:

running an inspector guide application on said inspection apparatus to guide an inspector in performing a plurality of steps of an inspection procedure relating to an industrial equipment article, wherein said inspection apparatus, while running said inspector guide application, prompts an inspector to perform a certain step,

embedding metadata in a media file collected during completion of said inspection procedure, the metadata including at least one of a stage indicator indicating a stage of the inspection procedure and a step indicator indicating a step during the stage of the inspection procedure;

examining at a computer external from said inspection apparatus said metadata embedded within said media file, wherein said examining step includes the step of applying a step enabling criteria;

if said examining step indicates that said metadata satisfies said criteria, sending a communication from said external computer to said inspection apparatus to indicate that said step enabling criteria has been satisfied; and

causing said inspection apparatus to re-prompt for completion of said certain step responsively to receipt of said communication,

wherein the stage of the inspection corresponds to an area on the industrial equipment article to be inspected,

wherein the visual inspection apparatus, in guiding the inspector in completing the inspection procedure, displays a depiction of the industrial equipment article on a display together with one or more indicators disposed on the depiction, the one or more indicators having an appearance on the display that indicates whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected, and

wherein said apparatus can change the appearance of the indicators to reflect whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected based on the metadata embedded in the media file.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said system is configured so that said causing step can be executed prior to completion of said inspection procedure.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said examining step including the step of applying a time stamp criteria.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said examining step includes the step of applying a file quality criteria.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said examining step includes the step if applying a file represented feature criteria.

26. A method for operating an inspection apparatus having an elongated inspection module and an image sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an inspector guide application so that said inspector guide application can be modified responsively to a media file from a data output device, the inspector guide application being configured to guide an inspector to complete at least one of stages and steps of an inspection procedure for inspecting an equipment article;

embedding metadata to the media file collected during completion of said inspection procedure, the metadata including at least one of a stage indicator indicating a stage of an inspection and a step indicator indicating a step during the stage of the inspection;

reading said meta data;

responsively to said metadata, modifying said inspector guide application to selectively enable at least one of a set of stages and a set of steps of said inspector guide application; and

running said inspector guide application on said inspection apparatus as modified in said modifying step to guide an inspector in performing an inspection,

wherein the stage of the inspection corresponds to an area on the industrial equipment article to be inspected,

wherein the visual inspection apparatus, in guiding the inspector in completing the inspection procedure, displays a depiction of the industrial equipment article on a display together with one or more indicators disposed on the depiction, the one or more indicators having an appearance on the display that indicates whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected, and

wherein said apparatus can change the appearance of the indicators to reflect whether the area of the industrial equipment article requires inspection, does not require inspection, or has already been inspected based on the metadata embedded in the media file.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said reading step includes the step of reading an output of a real time clock.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said reading step includes the step of reading an output from a sensor.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said reading step includes the step of reading an output from a sensor provided by a temperature sensor.