Method for visualizing a position of a vehicle navigating a pipe

• US 9,255,806 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spering Micro-Systems
• Original Assignee: Spering Micro-Systems
• Inventors: Spering, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US13/887,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,011 Days
• Field of Search: 701/454, 701/457, 701/459, 701/432, 701/28, 901/44, 901/41, 901/1, 831/78, 104/138.2, 700/245, 700/900, 116/35.R, 116/36, 348/82, 348/84, 348/85, 348/94, 348/95, 348/113, 348/114, 348/118, 348/119, 348/135, 348/142, 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/265 specially adapted for work at or near a junction between a main and a lateral pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/48 Indicating the position of the pig or mole in the pipe or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/06 of cavities, e.g. tunnels

Abstract

A method for visualizing a position of a vehicle configured for navigating a pipe within the pipe on a display device wherein the visualization on the display device is at least partially performed based on a virtual representation and the pipe is graphically represented at least in sections and preferably in a form of lines defining its enveloping surfaces on the display device, wherein the vehicle and preferably its movement is also represented on the display device thus within the pipe.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing a position of a vehicle in a pipe on a display device, comprising the steps:

visualizing a position of a vehicle in a pipe and a graphical representation of the pipe on a display device through a virtual representation;

graphically representing the pipe on the display device at least in sections through lines defining enveloping surfaces of the pipe; and

representing the vehicle and movement of the vehicle in the pipe on the display device,

wherein data regarding the pipe is determined in that the pipe is navigated by the vehicle,

wherein data regarding the extension of the pipe and data regarding a position and a geometry of branches or inlets of other pipes into the pipe is captured through a camera arranged at the vehicle; and

wherein the graphical representation of the pipe is generated from said data regarding the pipe, data regarding the extension of the pipe, and data regarding the position and the geometry of branches or inlets of other pipes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein data regarding the position and movement of the vehicle is determined by recording position changes of the vehicle from a known starting position of the vehicle in the representation of the pipe.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data regarding the pipe is taken over from a map that is provided in digital form.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a graphical representation of sections of the pipe which have already been processed by the vehicle are represented in a different color than a graphical representation of sections of the pipe which are not yet processed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the branches or inlets are graphically represented on the display device in color.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lines for graphically representing the pipe on the display device are grid lines.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is photographically represented on the display device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes at least one tool for processing the pipe, wherein the tool is a milling or boring tool, and wherein the vehicle includes a camera for monitoring a processing performed with the tool.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle in a representation on the display device includes a body that is provided with wheels or tracks and at least one arm movably connected with the body, wherein the tool or the camera is arranged at the body.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the pipe on the display device is three dimensional.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is represented on the display device in a different color than the pipe.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a graphical representation of sections of the pipe which have already been processed by the vehicle are represented differently from a graphical representation of sections of the pipe which are not yet processed.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein for visualizing the position of the vehicle in the pipe on the display device an orientation of the vehicle or of an arm of the vehicle or of a tool of the vehicle is captured through at least one position sensor or angle sensor arranged at the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein a visualization on the display device is provided in two portions, wherein a first portion of the visualization includes the position of the vehicle in the pipe and the second portion of the visualization includes a detailed representation of the vehicle or of a tool of the vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is represented transparent or partially transparent or partially opened on the display device at least a location of the pipe where the vehicle is positioned.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is graphically represented on the display device and an orientation of the vehicle within the pipe is represented by body axes that are visualized within the graphical representation of the pipe.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle in a representation on the display device includes a body that is provided with wheels or tracks and at least one arm movably connected with the body, wherein the tool and the camera are arranged at the body.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein for visualizing the position of the vehicle in the pipe on the display device an orientation of the vehicle and of an arm of the vehicle and of a tool of the vehicle are captured through at least one position sensor and angle sensor arranged at the vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein a visualization on the display device is provided in plural portions, wherein a first portion of the visualization includes the position of the vehicle in the pipe and a second portion of the visualization includes a detailed representation of the vehicle and of a tool of the vehicle.