Examination system for architectural structure exteriors

• US 6,028,625 A
• Filed: 12/12/1997
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael W. Cannon
• Original Assignee: Michael W. Cannon
• Inventors: Cannon, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Anand S.
• Application Number:
  US08/990,061
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 348/135, 348/82, 348/81, 348/139, 348/128, 348/164, 348/165
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/081 by using a contact-less detection method, i.e. with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Detailed images of problem areas occurring in the surface of a structure, such as a multiple story building, are obtained by infrared and visual spectrum cameras positioned proximate to the problem area. A remote camera records a reference field of view that includes the local cameras and their operator, such that the area of interest may be positioned on the surface of the building. A helmet camera worn by the operator records the detailed images and transmits them to a base location.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and recording detailed images of each of a plurality of areas on a surface of an above-ground structure by an inspector, comprising the steps of:

supporting a local image capture device by the structure to be proximate to a first area of said plurality of areas of a surface of the structure;

positioning a remote image capture device at a remote position farther away from the first area than the local image capture device, the remote image capture device being located such that the remote image capture device has a reference field of view including the first area and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the first area on the surface of the structure;

at a first time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the first area;

at the first time and using the remote image capture device capturing a reference image of the reference field of view for the first area;

while still being supported by the structure, repositioning the local image capture device to be proximate to a second area of the surface of the structure;

at a second time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the second area;

at the second time and using the remote image capture device, capturing a reference image of a reference field of view for the second area which includes the second area and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the second area on the surface of the structure;

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of repositioning and capturing in order to capture, for each of a remainder of said areas of the surface, a detailed image and a reference image of a reference field of view; and

assembling a plurality of composite images, one for each of said times, from respective ones of the captured detailed images and the captured reference images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local image capture device is an infrared camera.

3. The method of claim 2 and including the further steps of:

supporting a visual-spectrum camera by the structure to be proximate to the first area;

at the first time and using the visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image of the first area;

while still being supported by the structure, repositioning the visual-spectrum camera to be proximate to the second area;

at the second time and using the visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image of the second area;

for each of the plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of repositioning the visual-spectrum camera and capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image to capture, for each of a remainder of the areas of the surface, a detailed visual-spectrum image; and

assembling the plurality of composite images such that each composite image includes a captured detailed infrared image, a captured detailed visual-spectrum image and a captured reference image.

4. The method of claim 2, and further comprising the step of positioning and repositioning the local image capture device to be substantially orthogonal to the area for which a detailed image is to be captured.

5. The method of claim 2, and further including the steps of:

positioning a plumb line in the reference field of view; and

using the image of the plumb line in the reference images to determine a degree of drift of the structure.

6. A method for identifying and recording detailed infrared and visual-spectrum images of each of a plurality of areas on a surface of a multiple-story building or structure of similar size by an inspector, comprising the steps of:

supporting by the structure a local infrared camera, a local visual spectrum camera, and an inspector for directing the local infrared camera and the local visual spectrum camera, all to be proximate to a first area of the plurality of areas of the surface of the structure;

positioning a remote camera so as not to be supported by the structure at a position farther away from the first area than the local infrared and visual spectrum cameras, the remote camera being located such that the remote camera has a reference field of view including the first area, the inspector, the local cameras and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the first area on the surface of the structure;

at a first time and using the local infrared camera, capturing a detailed infrared image of the first area;

at the first time and using the local visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image of the first area;

at the first time and using the remote camera, capturing a reference image of the reference field of view for the first area;

supporting, by the structure, the inspector, the local infrared camera and the local visual-spectrum camera so as to be repositioned proximate to a second area of the surface of the structure;

at a second time and using the local infrared camera, capturing a detailed infrared image of the second area;

at the second time and using the local visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image of the second area;

at the second time and using the remote camera, capturing a reference image of a reference field of view for the second area which includes the second area, the inspector, the local cameras and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the second area on the surface of the structure;

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of supporting and capturing to capture, for each of a remainder of said areas of the surface, a detailed infrared image, a detailed visual spectrum image and a reference image of a reference field of view; and

assembling a plurality of composite images, one for each of said times, from respective ones of the captured detailed infrared images, the captured visual spectrum images and the captured reference images.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising the step of, for each of selected ones of the areas, using the inspector and an audio pickup proximate the inspector to provide an audio commentary concerning the area simultaneously with the capture of the detailed visual-spectrum image and the detailed infrared image of the area;

and

using the audio commentary to assemble an audiovisual work which also includes the plurality of composite images.

8. Apparatus for detecting, locating and recording defects in a plurality of areas of a surface of an above-ground structure, comprising:

a local image capture device for capturing a detailed image of a selected one of said plurality of areas, a transmitter coupled to said local image capture device for transmitting a detailed image signal;

a movable support for supporting said local image capture device by the structure so as to be proximate to said selected one of the plurality of areas and for supporting, by the structure, said local image capture device so as to be repositioned proximate to other ones of the plurality of areas;

a remote image capture device for capturing a reference image of a reference field of view including said selected one of said plurality of areas and sufficient other ones of said areas of said surface that a reference is provided for the spatial location of said selected one of said areas on said surface of said structure, a transmitter coupled to said remote image capture device for transmitting a reference image signal, said remote image capture device positioned farther away from said selected one of said areas than said local image capture device;

a receiver for receiving said detailed image signal and said reference image signal;

circuitry coupled to the receiver for attributing a time when said detailed image signal was captured and when said reference image was captured; and

a composite image generator coupled to said receiver and said circuitry for generating a composite image including, for a particular time, a respective detailed image and a reference image.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said local image capture device is a local infrared camera, said detailed image being a detailed infrared image, said transmitter coupled to said local infrared camera generating a detailed infrared image signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, and further comprising a local visual-spectrum camera for capturing a local visual-spectrum image of said selected one of said areas of said surface of said structure, said movable support also supporting the local visual-spectrum camera, a transmitter coupled to said local visual-spectrum camera for transmitting a detailed visual-spectrum image signal, said movable support positioning said local visual-spectrum camera to be proximate said selected one of said plurality of areas and operable to reposition said local visual-spectrum camera to be proximate other ones of the plurality of areas, said means for receiving operable to receive said detailed visual-spectrum image signal, said means for generating a composite image incorporating a detailed visual-spectrum image derived from said detailed visual-spectrum signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said local image capture device is a video camera, said transmitter coupled to said local image capture device generating a video signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said remote image capture device is adaptable to capture a plumb line as a portion of said reference field of view as a vertical reference, said apparatus further comprising an image processor coupled to said composite image generator for recognizing said plumb line as a vertical reference, said processor adaptable to generate a plurality of vertical planes parallel to said plumb line and superimposed on said reference field of view image to pass through said structure to visually indicate a degree of drift of said structure.

14. A method for identifying and recording detailed images of each of a plurality of areas on a surface of a structure by an inspector, comprising the steps of:

positioning a local image capture device to be proximate to a first area of said plurality of areas of a surface of the structure, the local image capture device being carried by the inspector;

positioning a remote image capture device at a remote position farther away from the first area than the local image capture device, the remote image capture device being located remote from the inspector such that the remote image capture device has a reference field of view including the first area and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the first area on the surface of the structure;

at a first time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the first area;

at the first time and using the remote image capture device, capturing a reference image of the reference field of view for the first area;

repositioning the local image capture device to be proximate to a second area of the surface of the structure;

at a second time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the second area;

at the second time and using the remote image capture device, capturing a reference image of a reference field of view for the second area which includes the second area and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the second area on the surface of the structure;

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of repositioning and capturing in order to capture, for each of a remainder of said areas of the surface, a detailed image and a reference image of a reference field of view; and

assembling a plurality of composite images, one for each of said times, from respective ones of the captured detailed images and the captured reference images.

15. A method for identifying and recording detailed images of each of a plurality of areas on a surface of an above-ground structure, comprising the steps of:

positioning a remote image capture device at a remote position from the surface of a structure such that the remote image capture device has a reference field of view including a plurality of areas on the surface of the structure;

supporting, by the structure, a movable support;

supporting a local image capture device by the movable support;

moving the movable support to position the local image capture device to be proximate to a first area of said plurality of areas of a surface of the structure, the movable support capable of changing its position within the reference field of view supplied by the remote image capture device;

at a first time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the first area;

at the first time and using the remote image capture device, capturing a reference image of the reference field of view for the first area;

moving the movable support to reposition the local image capture device to be proximate to a second area of the surface of the structure;

at a second time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the second area;

at the second time and using the remote image capture device, capturing a reference image of a reference field of view for the second area which includes the second area and a number of other areas of the surface sufficient to provide a reference to locate the second area on the surface of the structure;

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of moving the movable support and capturing in order to capture, for each of a remainder of said areas of the surface, a detailed image and a reference image of a reference field of view; and

assembling a plurality of composite images, one for each of said times, from respective ones of the captured detailed images and the captured reference images.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the remote image capture device is fixed in position relative to the surface to be inspected.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the local image capture device is an infrared camera.

18. The method of claim 17 and including the further steps of:

supporting a visual-spectrum camera on the movable support;

at the first time and using the visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual spectrum image of the first area;

at the second time and using the visual-spectrum camera, capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image of the second area;

for each of the plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of moving the movable support and capturing a detailed visual-spectrum image to capture, for each of a remainder of the areas of the surface, a detailed visual-spectrum image; and

assembling the plurality of composite images such that each composite image includes a captured detailed infrared image, a captured detailed visual-spectrum image and a captured reference image.

19. The method of claim 15, and further comprising the step of moving the movable support so as to position the local image capture device to be substantially orthogonal to the area for which a detailed image is to be captured.

20. The method of claim 15, and further including the steps of:

positioning a plumb line in the reference field of view; and

using the image of the plumb line in the reference images to determine a degree of drift of the structure.

21. A method for identifying and recording detailed images of each of a plurality of areas on a surface of a multiple-story building or an above-ground structure having a height similar to that of a multiple-story building, comprising the steps of:

supporting a movable support on the structure;

supporting a local image capture device on the movable support;

positioning the local image capture device to be proximate to a first area of a plurality of areas of the surface of the structure;

at a first time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the first area from a point of view substantially orthogonal to the first area of the surface;

repositioning the local image capture device to be proximate to a second area of the surface of the structure;

at a second time and using the local image capture device, capturing a detailed image of the second area from a point of view substantially orthogonal to the second area of the surface;

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, performing said steps of repositioning and capturing in order to capture, for each of a remainder of said areas of the surface, a detailed image of each area from a point of view substantially orthogonal to such area; and

assembling a plurality of composite images, one for each of said times, from ones of the captured detailed images.

22. The method of claim 21, and further comprising the step of:

at the first time, using the movable support to position an inspector to be proximate the first area;

at the second time, using the movable support to reposition the inspector to be proximate the second area; and

for each of a plurality of subsequent times, using the movable support to reposition the inspector to be proximate respective ones of the remainder of the areas.

23. The method of claim 21, and further comprising the steps of:

positioning a remote image capture device at a remote position from the surface of a structure such that the remote image capture device has a reference field of view of the surface including all of the plurality of areas;

at the first time, the second time and each of the subsequent times, and using the remote image capture device, capturing respective reference images of the reference field of view; and

using ones of the reference images in assembling the plurality of composite images.