Systems and methods for control of a non-destructive testing system

• US 9,581,438 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Messinger, Jason Howard, Ward, Robert Carroll, De Fromont, Francois Xavier, Domke, Michael Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/732,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 702/34, 702/81, 702/108, 702/122, 702/188, 702/94, 324/240, 340/505, 345/173, 382/141, 700/258, 715/752, 726/21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system may include a non-destructive testing (NDT) device. The NDT device may further include a communications system configured to receive control data from an external system, wherein the NDT device is configured to use the control data to control a component included in the NDT device, to control a parameter of the NDT device, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a handheld non-destructive testing (NDT) device comprising;

a handheld borescope comprising an articulating section connected to a head end section;

a display screen, a processor and;

a communications system configured to receive control data from an external system, wherein the NDT device is configured to transform the control data via the processor into articulation commands configured to control the articulation section included in the NDT device so as to reposition the head end section, wherein the head end section comprises a sensor, a camera, or a combination thereof, disposed in the head end section, and wherein the NDT device is configured to apply the control data to control a parameter of the NDT device, or a combination thereof and wherein the NDT device is configured to capture an image, a measurement, or a combination thereof, after the reposition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is configured to use a cloud computing network to receive the control data, to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is configured to use a wireless network, a near field communications (NFC), a personal area network (PAN), and ad hoc pairing, or a combination thereof, to receive the control data, to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises an operational parameter used to reconfigure operations of the NDT device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the operational parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the NDT device is configured to use the control data to access a file system, to display visual data, to play audio data, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein file system comprises a file, a folder, or a combination thereof, and the NDT device is configured to add the file, delete the file, rename the file, update contents of the file, add the folder, delete the folder, rename the folder, update contents of the folder, or a combination thereof, and wherein the visual data comprises an image, a video, a text, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises a virtual controller data, or a combination thereof, derived by manipulating a virtual controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the virtual controller is displayed on a display included in the borescope.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the external system comprises a mobile device, a computing system, or a combination thereof, communicatively coupled to the NDT device by using the communications system.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions configured to:

receive a control data from an external system by using a communications system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT) device, the NDT device comprising a handheld borescope comprising an articulating section connected to a head end section;

a display screen, and a processor;

transform the control data via a processor into articulation commands configured to control the articulation section included in the NDT device so as to reposition the head end section, wherein the head end section comprises a sensor, a camera, or a combination thereof, disposed in the head end section, and wherein the NDT device is configured to apply the control data to control a parameter of the NDT device, or a combination thereof; and

capture an image, a measurement, or a combination thereof, via the NDT device, after the reposition.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, comprising instructions configured to use a cloud computing network to receive the control data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, comprising instructions configured to use a wireless network, a near field communications (NFC), a personal area network (PAN), and ad hoc pairing, or a combination thereof, to receive the control data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the parameter comprises an operational parameter used to reconfigure operations of the NDT device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operational parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a control data via a communication system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT) device, the NDT device comprising a handheld borescope comprising an articulating section connected to an observation tip;

a display screen, and a processor;

transforming the control data via a processor of the NDT device into articulation commands configured to control the articulation section included in the NDT device so as to reposition the head end section, wherein the head end section comprises a sensor, a camera, or a combination thereof, disposed in the head end section, and wherein the NDT device is configured to apply the control data to control a file system of the NDT device, or a combination thereof; and

capturing an image, a measurement, or a combination thereof, via the NDT device, after the reposition.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising using the control data to control a parameter of the NDT device, wherein the parameter is used to reconfigure operations of the NDT device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, an adjustment of gain parameter, an adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—

zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the using the control data to control the file system comprises adding a file, deleting the file, renaming the file, updating contents of the file, adding a folder, deleting the folder, renaming the folder, updating contents of the folder, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising using a cloud computing network to receive the control data.