Seescan, Inc.

Seesaw, Inc.

Alexander Logan Warren

Mark S Olsson

Michael J Martin

Nicholas A Smith

Ray Merewether

David A Cox

Stephanie M Bench

Eric M Chapman

Michael E Turgeon

Paul G Stuart

Austin Rutledge

Scott A Powell

Loni M Heyenbruch

Jesse O Casares

Amos H Jessup

Garrett A Newby

George L Jemmott

Jeffery D Martin

Wesley Ice

Andrew P Corvin

Joseph B Phaneuf

David C Parsons

Jan Soukup

Steven C Tietsworth

Inho Shin

Loni M Canepa

Michael P Nichols

Adam Mullett

Gina M Hartman

James F Kleyn

Michael Martin

Joseph Phaneuf

Cable storage drum-reels, methods and systems are provided for deploying and retracting at least one push-cable with a distally mounted camera into and out of a pipe or cavity for applications such as plumbing and underground utility location. In an exemplary embodiment, a cable storage drum may include a centrally mounted axially projecting hub, and a housing to removably receive and rotatably support the cable storage drum. The housing may include an inside portion, and an outside portion with a front face and a rear face. The front face has an opening and is sloped inward toward the inside portion of the drum allowing a push-cable to be directed as desired into the cable storage drum and around the drum-reel. One or more cable guide points may be included for providing additional directional guidance of the push-cable into the drum and onto the hub.

Inward sloped drum face for pipe inspection camera system

A slip ring for transferring electrical signals between rotating and static elements of a device includes a rotating element, a static element, an electrical contact assembly, including a plurality of subassemblies, contacting the rotating element and static element, one subassembly including a deformable PCB, and a spring element positioned to supply an axially aligned force to a face of the PCB to facilitate electrical contact between the PCB and other electrical contacts elements on another subassembly.

Robust impedance controlled slip rings

Various systems and methods are disclosed for tracking a camera head deployed into a pipe or other cavity. The systems and methods may include inertial navigation sensors for generating inertial navigation data to direct a user towards a location where the signal emitted by a pipe Sonde may be found at startup or, when in use, the pipe Sonde signal has been temporarily lost by the utility locator device. Various other sensors and elements may generate camera head position data.

Video inspection and camera head tracking systems and methods

Cable storage drum-reel and cable guide apparatus, methods, and systems are provided for deploying and retracting at least one push-cable with a distally mounted camera into and out of a pipe or cavity for applications such as plumbing and underground utility location. In an exemplary embodiment, a cable guide assembly may include a bracket, and one or more wear guides positioned with openings in the bracket. The one or more wear guides may include two spaced-apart wear guides each having an opening defining an inner diameter. In one embodiment, the spacing between the two wear guides may be a distance of three or more times the inner diameter of the wear guides.

Inspection system push-cable guide apparatus

A novel connection port is described for connecting a signal transmitter to an apparatus configured to wirelessly communicate video and images from a pipe inspection system. Such a connection port may establish an electrically conductive pathway to a push-cable and camera head further disposed in cable storage drum that the wireless communication apparatus may couple thereto. A signal transmitter, having an established electrically conductive pathway to the push-cable and camera head, may transmit electromagnetic signals that may be emitted by the push-cable and camera head and further be located at the ground surface via a utility locator device.

Video inspection system apparatus and methods with relay modules and connection ports

A pipe inspection system includes a cable storage drum and a housing configured to removably receive and rotatably support the cable storage drum. A push-cable with a plurality of conductors is stored in the drum. An inspection camera may be attached to a distal end of the push-cable. The drum includes a hollow core outer cone configured to accept an inner core removable module. The removable module may include electrical, mechanical, wireless, satellite, and power/battery interfaces. The module mates with a contact plate sealed inside the inner cone. The inner core components, including the battery module, are stationary relative to the inner core. The inner core is free to rotate bidirectionally inside the outer cone as the camera is being fed into, and out of a pipe or conduit for inspection. Slip-rings are not required to maintain connectivity because the electronics and battery module are stationary relative to each other.

Inner drum module with push-cable interface for pipe inspection

Systems and methods for annotating, also known as tagging, visually identifiable objects using natural language (i.e. spoken voice) are provided. More specifically, but not exclusively, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for tagging identified objects related to underground utilities and assets, and communication systems. Once tagged, data representing identified objects can be stored, transmitted, and/or mapped. In an exemplary embodiment, a utility service worker or other personnel may walk or drive around an area of interest using utility locating equipment or systems to collect data. As data is being collected, the user may visually identify utility related or other items using a laser pointer, and then use their voice to tag items of interest. A headset including a microphone may be provided for capturing the user's voice. Hardware and/or software may be provided for processing tagged items, and relating them to a specific location, and/or utility asset.

Natural voice utility asset annotation system

The application discloses various systems and methods for generating and utilizing computer animation transition methods and systems in the leveling of a video to an upright, earth normal orientation which may be used in pipe inspections. Such computer animation transitions may be generated from a single inspection image at one time in the inspection video or from subsequent inspection images at different times and points in space in the inspection video. Some leveling methods may include rotating a square GL surface in ninety degree increments that includes one or more computer animation transition. Other leveling methods may also include rotating a three dimensional GL surface that is shaped to match the shape of the pipe that includes one or more. Further methods may include rotating a GL surface that is a regular polygon in shape that includes one or more computer animation transition.

Systems and methods for inspection animation

Coaxial video push-cables are disclosed. One embodiment includes a central conductor and a multi-dielectric stack of multiple concentric tubular layers disposed around the central conductor having one or more structural layers and one or more impedance tuning layers where the thickness of materials of each layer are selected to provide a pre-defined elastic modulus and electromagnetic impedance, an electromagnetic shielding layer, and a jacket enclosing the shielding layer, multi-dielectric stack layers, and central conductor.

Multi-dielectric coaxial push-cables and associated apparatus

Video inspection systems are disclosed. In one embodiment a video camera for use in a pipe inspection system includes a camera head including an outer housing, a camera module assembly including video and non-video sensors, a processing circuit, and a data link receiver.

Video pipe inspection systems and methods with sensor data

Camera head apparatus, systems, and methods for providing wide angle/panoramic images and/or video of the interior of pipes or other cavities using multiple imaging and illumination modules are disclosed.

Inspection camera devices and methods

Systems, devices, and methods for drain cleaning using high voltage, high frequency AC electrical power supplied through a video push-cable are disclosed. In one embodiment, a drain cleaning system may include a cable for carrying electrical control and/or data signals as well as alternating current (AC) power at a high voltage and high frequency relative to AC mains frequencies.

High frequency AC-powered drain cleaning and inspection apparatus and methods

Camera heads and associated systems, methods, and devices for inspecting and/or mapping pipes or cavities are disclosed. A camera head may be coupled to a push-cable and may include one or more image sensors to capture images and/or videos from interior of the pipe or cavity. One or more multi-axis sensors may be disposed in the camera head to sense data corresponding to movement of the camera head within the pipe or cavity. The images and/or videos captured by the image sensors may be used in conjunction with the data sensed by the multi-axis sensors to generate information pertaining to the pipe or cavity may be generated.

Pipe inspection and/or mapping camera heads, systems, and methods

Embodiments of video inspection systems with moveably dockable camera control units (CCUs) which may include a display are disclosed. In one embodiment, a video inspection system includes two frame elements which each have a handle. The frame elements may be moved into multiple positions and orientations relative to each other and provide a secure stand for a CCU. The CCU may be attached and detached from the frame elements. The handles may be used to carry the frame elements with or without the CCU attached. The handles may be slip resistant to provide a stable support for a CCU when the frame elements are positioned on a surface. Docking apparatus are provided to allow a CCU, tablet, pad, laptop, or smartphone to be attached to the frame elements and put in a variety of positions or orientations to make viewing convenient for a user.

Dockable camera reel and camera control unit (CCU) system

Cable handling devices, methods and systems are provided for securing and deploying, or retracting, one or more cables or hoses into or out of a pipe or cavity allowing inspection of the pipe or cavity. The cables and/or hoses may be coupled and moved together, or decoupled enabling them to be moved independently. A hand-held device with a housing for at least partially enclosing one or more cables or hoses, at least one coupling mechanism integrally attached to the housing, and a coupling control for coupling and decoupling the one or more cables or hoses may be provided. One or more of the cables may be connected to a camera disposed at the distal end of a cable thereby facilitating inspection of the pipe or cavity. Tools such as cutting devices or a jetter may be provided at the end of the one or more cables and/or hoses.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Alexander Logan Warren