Inspection apparatus for performing inspections

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

(a) a probe receiving unit;

(b) a central processing unit (CPU) incorporated in said probe receiving unit,

(c) a probe holder disposed on said probe receiving unit communicatively coupled to said CPU;

(d) a first probe having an elongated inspection tube and being of a certain probe type;

(e) a second probe haying an elongated inspection tube and being of a probe type different from said certain probe type;

(f) wherein each of said certain probe type and said probe type different from said certain probe type are probe types selected from the group consisting of a visual inspection probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an image sensor for generating image signals, an eddy current probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an eddy current sensor and an ultrasound probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an ultrasound sensor;

(g) wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that said probe receiving unit can detachably receive, via said probe holder, one of said first probe and said second probe at a given time;

(h) wherein said CPU is adapted to process data corresponding to information generated by a probe presently received in said probe holder, whether said first probe or said second probe is presently received in said probe holder;

(i) wherein said inspection apparatus includes at least two of: visual probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing image data, eddy current probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing eddy current data, and ultrasound probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing ultrasound data;

(j) wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that said CPU receives probe data from a probe received in said probe holder whether said probe is said first probe or said second probe;

(k) wherein said inspection apparatus is further adapted to run a software program which monitors said probe data to detect probe type signature characteristics so that said inspection apparatus can detect a probe type of a probe presently received in said probe holder, said probe type signature characteristics identifying a probe type of a probe presently received in said probe holder; and

(l) wherein said inspection apparatus is further adapted so that said inspection apparatus activates an appropriate one of said visual probe resources, said eddy current probe resources, and said ultrasound probe resources responsively to a detection of said probe type.

2. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said probe receiving unit includes a hand held housing, wherein said CPU is disposed in said hand held housing, and wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that when said first probe or said second probe is held in said probe holder to define a held probe, a proximal end of said held probe is held in a certain position relative to said hand held housing.

3. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said inspection apparatus includes at least two of visual probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing image data, eddy current probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing eddy current data, and ultrasound probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing ultrasound data;

wherein said each of said first probe and said second probe includes a nonvolatile memory storing probe type identifying information;

wherein said CPU is adapted to communicatively couple with said first probe responsively to said first probe engaging with said probe receiving unit, and wherein said CPU is adapted to communicatively couple with said second probe responsively to said second probe engaging with said probe receiving unit;

wherein said CPU is further adapted to receive message data including said probe type identifying information of said first probe when said first probe is received in said probe receiving unit;

wherein said CPU is further adapted to receive message data including said probe type identifying information of said second probe when said second probe is received in said probe receiving unit;

so that said inspection apparatus can detect a probe type of a probe presently received in said probe receiving unit and activate an appropriate one of said visual probe resources, said eddy current probe resources, and said ultrasound probe resources responsively to said detection of said probe type.

4. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said inspection apparatus further includes first resources associated with said first probe selected from the group consisting of visual probe resources, eddy current probe resources and ultrasound probe resources, said first resources including program code stored in a nonvolatile memory of said first probe that is transmitted for running on said probe receiving unit responsively to said first probe being received in said probe holder.

5. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said probe receiving unit has a hand held housing and wherein said probe receiving unit has disposed on said hand held housing a keyboard and a display.

6. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said probe receiving unit has a housing that commonly has disposed thereon a keyboard, display and said probe holder.

7. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that said probe receiving unit further comprises a user interface component, and is further adapted so that a function of said user interface component is reconfigured when a state of said inspection apparatus changes between a first state in which said first probe is held in said probe holder and a second state in which said second probe is held in said probe holder.

8. An inspection apparatus for performing inspections, said inspection apparatus comprising:

(a) a probe receiving unit having a housing;

(b) a central processing unit (CPU) incorporated in said probe receiving unit;

(c) a first probe holder disposed on said probe receiving unit and being communicatively coupled to said CPU;

(d) a second probe holder also disposed on said probe receiving unit and being communicatively coupled to said CPU;

(e) a display disposed on said probe receiving unit;

(f) a keyboard disposed on said probe receiving unit;

(g) a first probe being a visual inspection probe including an elongated inspection tube and an image sensor for generating image signals, said inspection apparatus being adapted so that said probe receiving unit can receive is said first probe holder said first probe;

(h) a second probe including an elongated inspection tube, wherein a probe type of said second probe is selected from the group consisting of a visual inspection probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an image sensor, an eddy current probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an eddy current sensor, and an ultrasound probe type having an elongated inspection tube and an ultrasound sensor, said inspection apparatus being adapted so that said probe receiving unit can receive via said second probe holder said second probe

(i) wherein said probe receiving unit is adapted so that said CPU can process image data corresponding to image signals of the type that can be generated by said image sensor, and is further adapted so that said CPU can process data corresponding to information generated h said second probe; and

(j) wherein said inspection apparatus further comprises an apparatus that mechanically couples said first probe and said second probe so that respective elongated inspection tubes of said first probe and said second probe are held in contact with one another or in close proximity with one another, the apparatus comprising a plurality of clamping devices disposed at spaced apart locations along respective lengths of elongated inspection tubes of said first and second probes.

9. The inspection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that when said first probe and said second probe are held by said probe receiving unit, a proximal end of said each of said first probe and second probe is held in a certain position relative to said probe receiving unit.

10. The inspection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said CPU runs a multitasking operating system adapting said CPU so that said CPU can process data corresponding to information generated by said first probe contemporaneously while processing data corresponding to information generated by said second probe.

11. The inspection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said at least one of said keyboard and said display are commonly disposed on a common hand held housing that further has disposed thereon said first probe holder and said second probe holder.

12. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said inspection apparatus further comprises a coupling apparatus that mechanically couples said first probe and said second probe so that respective elongated inspection tubes of said first probe and said second probe are held in contact with one another or in close proximity with one another.

13. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inspection apparatus further comprises a coupling apparatus that mechanically couples said first probe and said second probe so that respective elongated inspection tubes of said first probe and said second probe are held in contact with one another or in close proximity with one another, said coupling apparatus comprising an elongated tube.

14. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said inspection apparatus further comprises an apparatus that mechanically couples said first probe and said second probe so that respective elongated inspection tubes of said first probe and said second probe are held in contact with one another or in close proximity with one another, the apparatus comprising a plurality of clamping devices disposed at spaced apart locations along respective lengths of elongated inspection tubes of said first and second probes.

15. The inspection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said inspection apparatus includes at least two of:

visual probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing image data,

eddy current probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing eddy current data, and

ultrasound probe resources adapting said inspection apparatus for processing ultrasound data;

wherein said inspection apparatus is adapted so that said CPU receives probe data from a probe received in said probe holder whether said probe is said first probe or said second probe;

wherein said inspection apparatus is further adapted to run a software program which monitors said probe data to detect probe type signature characteristics so that said inspection apparatus can detect a probe type of a probe presently received in said probe holder, said probe type signature characteristics identifying a probe type of a probe presently received in said probe holder; and

wherein said inspection apparatus is further adapted so that said inspection apparatus activates an appropriate one of said visual probe resources, said eddy current probe resources, and said ultrasound probe resources responsively to a detection of said probe type.