VOICE INSPECTION GUIDANCE

• US 20140188473A1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lambdin, Thomas Eldred, Domke, Michael Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,620,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A system is provided that includes an inspection instrument. The inspection instrument includes communications circuitry, configured to communicatively couple the inspection instrument with information services; an audio input device, configured to receive inspection audio; and a processor, configured to query the information services via sending a request to the information services based upon an analysis of keywords, phrases, or both interpreted from the inspection audio. A voice recognition system configured to analyze the inspection audio for the keywords, phrases, or both is also provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

analyzing, via a computer processor, an inspection audio recording for keywords, phrases, or both associated with an inspection;

querying a data source for relevant inspection information relating to the keywords, phrases, or both;

receiving relevant inspection information from the data source; and

applying the relevant inspection information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the inspection audio recordings comprises using voice recognition logic to interpret words from the inspection audio recording.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising using a jargon dictionary to analyze the inspection audio recording.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the relevant inspection information comprises at least one of:

providing configuration settings to an inspection instrument;

providing a reference to one or more applications;

providing information about the object being inspected;

providing historical data relating to previous inspections;

or providing any other data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the inspection audio recording comprises:

sending the inspection audio recording to a cloud-based voice recognition service; and

obtaining the keywords, phrases, or both from the voice recognition service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the inspection audio recording comprises:

interpreting the inspection audio recording using voice recognition logic of an inspection instrument; and

obtaining the keywords, phrases, or both from the interpreted inspection audio recording.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising using a dictionary specific to an object or a manufacturer or the object that is being inspected, to analyze the inspection audio recording.

8. A method, comprising:

analyzing, via a computer processor, an inspection audio recording for keywords, phrases, or both associated with an inspection;

associating the keywords, phrases, or both as metadata for inspection data acquired in time proximity to the audio recording; and

storing the inspection data with the associated keywords, phrases, or both such that subsequent queries on the keywords, phrases, or both may retrieve the inspection data.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

indexing the keywords, phrases, or both; and

associating the indexed keywords, phrases, or both as metadata for the inspection data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the inspection audio recording is analyzed using a jargon dictionary specific to a manufacturer, an object being inspected, an inspection type, a maintenance facility, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising using a subscription dictionary to analyze the inspection audio recording.

12. A system, comprising:

an inspection instrument, comprising;

communications circuitry, configured to communicatively couple the inspection instrument with information services;

an audio input device, configured to receive inspection audio;

a processor, configured to query the information services via sending a request to the information services based upon an analysis of keywords, phrases, or both interpreted from the inspection audio.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the inspection instrument further comprises a voice recognition system configured to analyze the inspection audio for the keywords, phrases, or both.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the voice recognition system is configured to discern inspection-specific keywords, phrases, or both using a special jargon dictionary.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the special jargon dictionary comprises a dictionary related to a manufacturer of an object being inspected.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the special jargon dictionary comprises a dictionary related to non-destructive testing keywords, phrases, or both.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the special jargon dictionary comprises a dictionary related to keywords, phrases or both that were used in previous inspections.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the query includes a request for voice recognition service via a cloud-based service, wherein the voice recognition service comprises analysis of the inspection audio for the keywords, phrases, or both.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the information services, wherein the information services are configured to provide at least one of;

data provided by a manufacturer of the object being inspected and relating to the keywords, phrases, or both;

historical data relating to the keywords, phrases, or both;

an application reference;

configuration settings for the inspection instrument;

or

any other data relating to the keywords, phrases, or both.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the inspection instrument comprises a mobile device, configured to assist a non-destructive testing inspection, a computer, or a non-destructive testing tool.