IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0039552
(2008-02-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-8087311
(2012-01-03)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
Inspecting an interior portion of a pipe system. An imaging device includes a camera that is fixedly attached to an interior surface of a pipe. The camera captures a plurality of images of an interior portion of a pipe. The imaging device is connected to a data communication network and transmits da
Inspecting an interior portion of a pipe system. An imaging device includes a camera that is fixedly attached to an interior surface of a pipe. The camera captures a plurality of images of an interior portion of a pipe. The imaging device is connected to a data communication network and transmits data over the data communication network. The data includes image signals representative of the captured images. A computing device, also connected to the data communication network, receives the data transmitted over the data communication network by the imaging device. The computing device is remotely located with respect to the imaging device.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for inspecting pipes in a sewer network from a computing device remotely located with respect to said apparatus, said remote computing device being connected to a data communication network, said apparatus comprising: a camera for capturing a plurality of images of at least a portion
1. An apparatus for inspecting pipes in a sewer network from a computing device remotely located with respect to said apparatus, said remote computing device being connected to a data communication network, said apparatus comprising: a camera for capturing a plurality of images of at least a portion of an interior surface of a pipe in the sewer network and for generating signals representative of the captured images;a processor receiving and responsive to the generated signals and configured for communicating with the remote computing device;a transmitter associated with the processor for communicating the generated signals representative of the captured images to the remote computing device via the data communication network;a first sensor for sensing a physical characteristic external to the pipe, said first sensor comprising one or more of the following: a rain sensor for detecting a presence of rainfall in an atmosphere adjacent an exterior surface of the pipe and a water sensing device for detecting transpiration and evaporation in an atmosphere adjacent an exterior surface of the pipe; anda housing for the camera, the processor, and the transmitter, said housing being adapted for mounting on a surface of a manhole adjacent the interior surface of the pipe. 2. The apparatus of claim of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor for sensing a physical characteristic within the pipe, said processor being responsive to the sensed physical characteristic for controlling operation of the apparatus. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a power source responsive to the physical characteristic sensed by the second sensor for supplying power to the camera. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an output device responsive to the physical characteristic sensed by the second sensor, said output device comprising one or more of the following: a light source, a motor for adjusting the location and orientation of the camera, a fan, and another sensor. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second sensor comprises one or more of the following: a thermocouple for measuring a temperature within the pipe, a flow meter for measuring a fluid flow within the pipe, a light sensor for measuring a light intensity present inside the pipe, a distance sensor for measuring distances between objects located in the pipe and the interior surface of the pipe, and a pressure gauge for measuring a pressure inside the pipe. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes a receiver for receiving requests from the remote computing device, and wherein the processor is responsive to said requests for communicating the generated signals to the remote computing device. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor stores position data indicative of the location of the camera within the sewer network, and wherein the transmitter communicates said position data to the remote computing device. 8. An apparatus for inspecting pipes in a sewer network from a computing device remotely located with respect to said apparatus, said remote computing device being connected to a data communication network, said apparatus comprising: a camera for capturing a plurality of images of at least a portion of an interior surface of a pipe in the sewer network and for generating signals representative of the captured images;a processor receiving and responsive to the generated signals and configured for communicating with the remote computing device; anda transmitter associated with the processor for communicating the generated signals representative of the captured images to the remote computing device via the data communication network;a first housing for the camera, said first housing being adapted for mounting within the sewer network adjacent a lateral pipe of the sewer network, wherein the camera generates images of at least a portion an interior surface of the lateral pipe;a second housing for the transmitter and the processor, said second housing being adapted for mounting on an interior surface of a manhole; and wherein the camera of the first housing and the processor of the second housing are operably connected. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the camera is fixedly attached to the interior surface of the pipe and located remotely from the transmitter. 10. A system for inspecting pipes comprising: an imaging device for capturing a plurality of images of at least a portion of an interior of a pipe, said imaging device being connected to a data communication network and transmitting data over the data communication network, said data including image signals representative of the captured images, said imaging device including a camera fixedly attached to an interior surface of the pipe;a computing device connected to the data communication network for receiving data transmitted over the data communication network by the imaging device, said computing device being remotely located with respect to the imaging device; anda first sensor for sensing a physical characteristic external to the pipe, said first sensor comprising one or more of the following: a rain sensor for detecting a presence of rainfall in an atmosphere adjacent an exterior surface of the pipe and a water sensing device for detecting transpiration and evaporation in an atmosphere adjacent an exterior surface of the pipe. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computing device includes a monitor for displaying the image signals included in the data transmitted by the imaging device as images representative of the captured images. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the image signals comprise video signals. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the imaging device includes a second sensor for sensing a physical characteristic of the pipe, and wherein the data transmitted by the imaging device and received by the computing device includes data representative of said sensed physical characteristic. 14. The system of claim 10 wherein the computing device includes a transmitting component for transmitting data via the data communication network to the imaging device, and wherein the imaging device includes a receiving component for receiving the data transmitted via the data communication network by the transmitting component and a processing component for responding to said received data. 15. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a detectable object positioned in the interior of the pipe, said pipe being located below ground; anda locating device for transmitting position data to the remote computing device, said locating device being positioned above ground and substantially vertically with respect to the position of the detectable object, wherein said position data identifies said locating device and indicates the position of said locating device. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the locating device includes a global position system (GPS) receiver, and wherein said locating device determines the position data based on global positioning signals received by the GPS receiver.
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