Augmented reality (AR) display of pipe inspection data

1. A method of providing an augmented reality (AR) scene of pipe inspection data, comprising:

obtaining, using a processor, pipe inspection data derived from a pipe inspection robot that traverses through the interior of an underground pipe, the pipe inspection data including a cylindrical, three-dimensional (3D) representation of the underground pipe;

obtaining, using a processor, real-time visual image data of an above-ground surface;

using computer vision to detect a surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

detecting a related in-ground position feature in the pipe inspection data comprising a gap in the pipe inspection data to align at least a part of the pipe inspection data with the surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

combining, using a processor, the pipe inspection data with the real-time visual image data in an AR scene; and

displaying, using a display device, the AR scene.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising detecting a user input and updating the display of the AR scene in response to the user input.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the updating the display of the AR scene comprises repositioning one or more of the pipe inspection data and the real-time visual image data within the AR scene.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the updating the display of the AR scene comprises repositioning the pipe inspection data in response to user input selected from the group consisting of gesture input and voice input.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the updating the display of the AR scene comprises transforming the pipe inspection data from the cylindrical representation of a pipe to a planar representation of a pipe.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the pipe inspection data comprises data relating to an in-ground position of the underground pipe; and

the real-time visual image data comprises surface feature data indicating a position of a surface feature.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the combining comprises using the data relating to the in-ground position of the underground pipe to align at least a part of the pipe inspection data with the surface feature in the real-time visual image data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the surface feature in the real-time visual image data comprises at least a part of a physical man hole cover; and

the related in-ground position feature in the pipe inspection data comprises a gap in the pipe inspection data associated with an opening in the underground pipe for a manhole.

9. A device, comprising:

a display device,

a camera;

a processor; and

a memory that stores processor executable instructions comprising:

instructions that obtain, using the processor, pipe inspection data derived from a pipe inspection robot that traverses through the interior of an underground pipe, the pipe inspection data including a cylindrical, three-dimensional (3D) representation of the underground pipe;

instructions that obtain, using the camera, real-time visual image data of an above-ground surface;

instructions that use computer vision to detect a surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

instructions that detect a related in-ground position feature in the pipe inspection data comprising a gap in the pipe inspection data to align at least a part of the pipe inspection data with the surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

instructions that combine, using the processor, the pipe inspection data with the real-time visual image data in an augmented reality (AR) scene; and

instructions that display, using the display device, the AR scene.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the display device comprises a display device selected from the group consisting of a handheld two-dimensional display device and a head mounted display device.

11. The device of claim 9 , comprising instructions that detect a user input and instructions that update the display of the AR scene in response to the user input.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the user input includes one or more of movement of the display device, gesture input and voice input.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that update the display of the AR scene comprise instructions that reposition one or more of the pipe inspection data and the real-time visual image data within the AR scene.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that update comprise instructions that transform the pipe inspection data from the cylindrical representation of a pipe to a planar representation of a pipe.

15. The device of claim 9 , wherein:

the pipe inspection data comprises data relating to an in-ground position of the underground pipe; and

the real-time visual image data comprises surface feature data indicating a position of a surface feature.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that combine comprise instructions that use the data relating to the in-ground position of the underground pipe to align at least a part of the pipe inspection data with the surface feature in the real-time visual image data.

17. The device of claim 16 ,

wherein:

the surface feature in the real-time visual image data comprises at least a part of a physical man hole cover; and

the related in-ground position feature in the pipe inspection data comprises a gap in the pipe inspection data associated with an opening in the underground pipe for a manhole.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium that stores processor executable instructions, comprising:

instructions that obtain pipe inspection data derived from a pipe inspection robot that traverses through the interior of an underground pipe, the pipe inspection data including a cylindrical, three-dimensional (3D) representation of the underground pipe;

instructions that obtain real-time visual image data of an above-ground surface;

instructions that use computer vision to detect a surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

instructions that detect a related in-ground position feature in the pipe inspection data comprising a gap in the pipe inspection data to align at least a part of the pipe inspection data with the surface feature in the real-time visual image data;

instructions that combine the pipe inspection data with the real-time visual image data in an augmented reality (AR) scene; and

instructions that display, using the display device, the AR scene.