IP Library Granted Patent US 12,643,744
Granted Patent B2
US 12,643,744 · App. 18/248,059 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Method for inspecting a facility, preferably a conveying facility

Inventors: Axel Eckmann (Wachtberg-Pech, DE); Patrick May (Göttingen, DE); Jack Bruce Wallace (Powell, OH); Clemens Panzer (Hamburg, DE); Ester Belen Bandiera (Munich, DE)
Assignee: ContiTech Transportbandsysteme GmbH
B65G43/02B64U10/13B64U20/87B64U10/14B64U2101/26B64U2101/30B65G2203/0275B65G2203/041B65G2203/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,643,744
App. No.
18/248,059
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for inspecting a facility ( 1 ), wherein the method comprises at least the automatically executed steps of: capturing ( 100 a ) optical data from at least one facility part ( 12, 13 ) of the facility ( 19 ), capturing ( 100 b ) acoustic data from at least the same facility part ( 12, 13 ) of the facility ( 19 ), and jointly evaluating ( 200 ) the captured optical data and the captured acoustic data.

Claims (13)

1 . An inspection system for inspecting a conveying facility, the system comprising:

at least one drone to capture both optical and acoustic data;

an RGB camera;

a plurality of acoustic sensors, and

at least one control unit configured to:

capture optical data from a plurality of rollers of the facility ( 19 ) using the RBG camera and the infrared camera;

capture ( 100 b ) acoustic data from the plurality of rollers using the plurality of acoustic sensors;

jointly evaluate the captured optical data and the captured acoustic data to determine conditions for the plurality of rollers; and

wherein the plurality of acoustic elements are located on the conveying facility and the infrared camera is located on a drone.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory having a program code implemented by the control unit.

3 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of drones each comprising a GPS receiver to detect position, capture additional optical data and additional acoustic data at a plurality of positions, store the captured additional optical data in the additional acoustic data and transmit the captured additional optical data and the additional acoustic data.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera sensors are movable and the acoustic sensors are stationary.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a drone landing pad configured to send stored optical data to the at least one control unit and recharge a drone.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2024
From: CONTITECH TRANSPORTBANDSYSTEME GMBH
To: CONTITECH DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
Reel/Frame 068974/0551 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2023
From: ECKMANN, AXEL; MAY, PATRICK; WALLACE, JACK BRUCE; PANZER, CLEMENS; BANDIERA, ESTER BELEN
To: CONTITECH TRANSPORTBANDSYSTEME GMBH
Reel/Frame 063266/0979 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 212 604.6 · Oct 6, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230365341A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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