Remote inspection device

• US 6,369,849 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederik Rodenhuis
• Original Assignee: Vosi Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rzyski, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US09/240,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 348/64-65, 348/66, 348/61, 348/73, 348/77, 348/82, 348/143, 348/148-149, 348/158, 348/162, 600/109, 600/112
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/08 Periscopes arrangements on floating structures of underwater viewing devices B63C11/49; arrangement of visual watch equipment on submarines B63G8/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A remote inspection device is provided which is ideally suited for law enforcement and firefighting personnel. The remote inspection device includes an elongate housing, camera means and power supply for powering the camera means and video display. The camera means operates in the invisible light spectrum, preferably the infrared (IR) spectrum. The camera means creates an image of an object which is transmitted to the video display for producing a visible light image of the object to be evaluated.

Claims

1. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing, said housing having a length greater than twenty-four (24) inches;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

2. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 1 wherein said tip assembly includes one of more lenses for focusing light received through said portal upon said camera means.

3. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 1 wherein said camera means is a charge coupled device (CCD) camera.

4. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 1 wherein said grip is in the form of a pistol grip.

5. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting an image created by said camera means to a location distant from said remote inspection device.

18. The mobile handheld remote inspection device as in any of claims 1-10 wherein said illumination means projects light invisible to the human eye.

6. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing, said housing being telescopic enabling said housing to extend or retract in the direction of said longitudinal axis as desired by a user;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

7. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly detachably attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly being detachable and replaceable, said tip assembly further including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

8. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly being rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said elongate housing, said tip assembly further including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

9. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means being angled relative to said longitudinal axis of said elongate housing;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

10. A mobile handheld remote inspection device including:

an elongate housing having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity and a longitudinal axis traversing the length of said housing;

a grip assembly attached to said housing for enabling a user to hold and carry the remote inspection device;

an illumination means for illuminating an object with light;

a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means;

a tip assembly attached to the distal extremity of said housing, said tip assembly including a portal for receiving light for projection upon said camera means being angled relative to said longitudinal axis of said elongate housing, said tip assembly further including an image bender for bending the path of light received through said portal and for projecting that image upon said camera means;

a video display mounted substantially at the proximal extremity of said housing for displaying an image created by said camera means;

a processor for communicating an image of an object created by said camera means to said video display; and

power supply connected to said illumination means, camera means and video display.

11. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 10 wherein said image bender is comprised of one or more mirrors.

12. The mobile handheld remote inspection device of claim 10 wherein said image bender is a prism.

13. A method of performing law enforcement inspection using a mobile handheld remote inspection device, the remote inspection device including a housing, a grip assembly, an illumination means for illuminating an object in a spectrum of light not visible to the human eye, a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means, and a video display for displaying an image created by said camera means, the method of inspection comprising the steps of:

approaching an object with the remote inspection device;

positioning the remote inspection device so as to project light from the illumination means upon the object;

creating an image of the object by the camera means;

displaying an image of the object upon the video display; and

viewing an image of the object on the video display.

14. The method of performing law enforcement inspection of claim 13 using a mobile handheld remote inspection device, wherein the object is an automobile.

15. The method of performing law enforcement inspection of claim 13 wherein the remote inspection device further includes a transmitter for transmitting an image created by said camera means to a location distant from said remote inspection device, the method further comprising the step of:

transmitting an image created by the camera means to a location distant from said remote inspection device.

16. The method of performing law enforcement inspection of claim 15 wherein the image is transmitted to a law enforcement vehicle.

17. The method of performing law enforcement inspection of claim 15 wherein the image is transmitted to a law enforcement headquarters.

19. A method of inspecting a smoke filled building using a mobile handheld remote inspection device, the remote inspection device including a housing, a grip assembly, an illumination means for illuminating an object in a spectrum of light not visible to the human eye, a camera means operating in the spectrum of light of said illumination means for creating an image of the object illuminated by said illumination means, and a video display for displaying an image created by said camera means, the method of inspection comprising the steps of:

entering a building wherein the visibility in the visible light spectrum is obscured by smoke;

approaching an object with the remote inspection device;

positioning the remote inspection device so as to project light from the illumination means upon the object;

creating an image of the object by the camera means;

displaying an image of the object upon the video display; and

viewing an image of the object on the video display.