System and method for handling and charting data obtained by an inspection vehicle
A method and system for acquiring, manipulating and displaying inspection data obtained by sensors associated with submersible inspection vehicle within a housing having a liquid medium is disclosed in the present application. A control system including an electronic controller is operably coupled with the inspection vehicle and is configured to display data transmitted from the sensor and overlay input data from an operator on the display to facilitate real time analysis during the inspection event.
1. An inspection system comprising:
an inspection vehicle operable in an enclosed liquid medium with components located therein;
at least one sensor operably coupled with the inspection vehicle;
a control system including an electronic controller operably coupled with the inspection vehicle, the control system configured to display data transmitted from the sensor and display input data from an operator on one or more display devices in real time,
wherein the controller ties input from the operator to corresponding sensor data such that the operator input and corresponding sensor data is retrievable together by the control system.
2. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein input data from the operator includes a plurality of input modes.
3. The inspection system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of input modes includes at least one of a voice input, a manual input and a location input.
4. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data and the operator input data are stored to a memory associated with the control system.
5. The inspection of claim 1 , wherein the controller defines and displays an inspection task list during operation of the inspection vehicle.
6. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically generate an inspection chart during operation of the inspection vehicle.
7. The inspection system of claim 6 , wherein the inspection chart includes at least one of a field inspection item and an associated inspection location.
8. The inspection system of claim 6 , wherein the controller records inspection data transmitted from the inspection vehicle for a first field item listed in the inspection chart.
9. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to move the inspection vehicle to a second inspection location after completion of inspection and recordation of data at a first inspection location defined by an inspection chart.
10. The inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the controller populates a second field item in the inspection chart.
11. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the operator input includes an input of a certainty level of an inspection result.
12. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to retrieve inspection and repair history of a component and determine additional field items to inspect based on the repair history.
13. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is operable to retrieve and display data from one or more previous inspection events and display the previous inspection data with data obtained in a current inspection event.
14. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the operator is located remotely from the inspection location.
15. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is operable to overlay display data transmitted from the sensor and display input data from the operator.
16. A method for inspecting components within a housing at least partially filled with a liquid, the method comprising:
moving an inspection vehicle to a first location within the housing;
sensing a field inspection item associated with a component at the first location;
transmitting data obtained during the sensing event to a control system;
displaying a portion of the transmitted data on a display unit;
displaying input data provided by an operator with the transmitted data on one or more display units; and
tying the input from the operator to corresponding sensor data and storing each together in a memory device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein displaying the input data provided by the operator with the transmitted data comprises overlaying the input data in real time as the inspection vehicle is in operation.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein input data from the operator includes at least one of a voice input, a manual input and a location input.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising displaying an inspection task list during operation of the inspection vehicle.
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising automatically generating an inspection chart during operation of the inspection vehicle.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising inspecting at least one field item associated with the inspection chart.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising recording inspection data transmitted from the inspection vehicle for a first field item listed in the inspection chart.
23. The method of claim 22 further comprising moving the inspection vehicle to a second inspection location after recording data at a first inspection location.
24. The method of claim 22 further comprising populating a second field item in the inspection chart.
25. The method of claim 16 further comprising inputting a certainty level of an inspection result.
26. The method of claim 16 further comprising analyzing inspection and repair history of a component and generating additional field items to inspect based on the analyzing.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising displaying an inspection check list for the additional field items.
28. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting inspection data to an expert at a remote location for analysis.
29. A method for inspecting components within a housing at least partially filled with a liquid, the method comprising:
moving an inspection vehicle to a first location within the housing;
sensing a field inspection item associated with a component at the first location;
transmitting data obtained during the sensing event to a control system;
displaying a portion of the transmitted data on a display unit,
displaying input data provided by an operator with the transmitted data on one or more display units; and
retrieving and displaying data from one or more previous inspection events and overlaying the display with data obtained in a current inspection event.
30. A method for inspecting components within a housing at least partially filled with a liquid, the method comprising:
moving an inspection vehicle to a first location within the housing;
sensing a field inspection item associated with a component at the first location;
transmitting data obtained during the sensing event to a control system;
displaying a portion of the transmitted data on a display unit; displaying input data provided by an operator with the transmitted data on one or more display units; and
overlaying input data provided by an operator with the transmitted data.