Methods and inspection robots with on body configuration

{
  "publication_number": "US12284761B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Methods and inspection robots with on body configuration",
  "abstract": "Methods and inspection robots with on body configuration are described. An example inspection robot may have a center body with a plurality of connected drive modules, each drive module having a sensing circuit to measure a drive module operating characteristic, and a visual indicator circuit to output a first visual indicator corresponding to the drive module operating characteristic. The visual indicator circuits of each of the plurality of drive modules are positioned to be simultaneously visible at a point of view.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An inspection robot comprising: a center body; and a plurality of drive modules coupled to the center body, each drive module comprising: a sensing circuit structured to measure a drive module operating characteristic; and a visual indicator circuit structured to output a first visual indicator corresponding to the drive module operating characteristic, wherein the visual indicator circuit of each of the plurality of drive modules are positioned to be simultaneously visible at a point of view, wherein a camera of an inspection robot controller is located at the point of view, and wherein the inspection robot is structured to receive a command from the inspection robot controller in response to the first visual indicators for the plurality of drive modules.",
    "2. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein each sensing circuit of the plurality of drive modules comprises a temperature sensing device.",
    "3. The inspection robot of claim 2, wherein the drive module operating characteristic for each drive module comprises at least one of a power electronics temperature, a cooling fluid temperature, or an ambient temperature.",
    "4. The inspection robot of claim 2, wherein the visual indicator circuit for each of the plurality of drive modules is structured to simultaneously output the first visual indicator, wherein the first visual indicator corresponds to at least a temperature or a temperature gradient of the corresponding drive module.",
    "5. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein each sensing circuit of the plurality of drive modules comprises a current sensing device.",
    "6. The inspection robot of claim 5, wherein the drive module operating characteristic for each drive module comprises a motor drive current.",
    "7. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein each visual indicator circuit is structured to simultaneously output the first visual indicator, wherein the first visual indicator corresponds to a current of the corresponding drive module.",
    "8. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the inspection robot comprises an additional indicator circuit structured to output another visual indicator based on a robot operating characteristic.",
    "9. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator circuit for each drive module comprises a light source structured to output the first visual indicator.",
    "10. The inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the first visual indicator for each drive module is based on a gradient of the drive module operating characteristic.",
    "11. A method, comprising: sensing a plurality of drive module operating characteristics, each of the plurality of drive module operating characteristics corresponding to a drive module of a plurality of drive modules of an inspection robot; determining a drive module status for each drive module of the plurality of drive modules in response to the plurality of drive module operating characteristics, wherein the drive module status for each drive module of the plurality of drive modules comprises a temperature or a temperature gradient; outputting a visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules, the visual indicator corresponding to the drive module status for the corresponding drive module, wherein the outputting the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules comprises simultaneously outputting the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules; receiving the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules; and transmitting a notification in response to receiving the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein the drive module status for each drive module of the plurality of drive modules further comprises at least one of a direction of movement, a temperature gradient, a current gradient, a fault condition, or a predictive fault condition.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, wherein the outputting the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules further comprises outputting the visual indicator for a first drive module corresponding to a predictive fault condition of the first drive module.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of drive module operating characteristics comprise a current for each of the plurality of drive modules.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules corresponds to a current gradient of the corresponding drive module.",
    "16. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting an inspection robot operation in response to the outputting the visual indicator from each drive module of the plurality of drive modules.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjusting the inspection robot operation comprises adjusting a coolant flow rate, adjusting a motor speed of at least one of the plurality of drive modules, or adjusting a direction of movement for at least one of the plurality of drive modules."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to robotic inspection and treatment of industrial surfaces.\n\nPreviously known inspection and treatment systems for industrial surfaces suffer from a number of drawbacks. Industrial surfaces are often required to be inspected to determine whether a pipe wall, tank surface, or other industrial surface feature has suffered from corrosion, degradation, loss of a coating, damage, wall thinning or wear, or other undesirable aspects. Industrial surfaces are often present within a hazardous location - for example in an environment with heavy operating equipment, operating at high temperatures, in a confined environment, at a high elevation, in the presence of high voltage electricity, in the presence of toxic or noxious gases, in the presence of corrosive liquids, and/or in the presence of operating equipment that is dangerous to personnel. Accordingly, presently known systems require that a system be shutdown, that a system be operated at a reduced capacity, that stringent safety procedures be followed (e.g., lockout/tagout, confined space entry procedures, harnessing, etc.), and/or that personnel are exposed to hazards even if proper procedures are followed. Additionally, the inconvenience, hazards, and/or confined spaces of personnel entry into inspection areas can result in inspections that are incomplete, of low resolution, that lack systematic coverage of the inspected area, and/or that are prone to human error and judgement in determining whether an area has been properly inspected.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60B 19/12",
    "B25J 13/006",
    "B25J 13/087",
    "B25J 19/0054",
    "B25J 19/021",
    "B25J 19/027",
    "B25J 5/007",
    "B25J 9/0009",
    "B25J 9/1617",
    "B25J 9/163",
    "B25J 9/1653",
    "B25J 9/1664",
    "B25J 9/1666",
    "B25J 9/1674",
    "B25J 9/1692",
    "B25J 9/1694",
    "B60B 19/006",
    "B60B 2360/102",
    "B60B 2360/104",
    "B60B 2360/109",
    "B60B 2900/931",
    "B60K 1/02",
    "B60K 7/00",
    "B60K 7/0007",
    "B62D 53/02",
    "B62D 57/024",
    "G01N 2291/0237",
    "G01N 2291/02854",
    "G01N 2291/0289",
    "G01N 2291/2698",
    "G01N 29/04",
    "G01N 29/043",
    "G01N 29/225",
    "G01N 29/226",
    "G01N 29/265",
    "G05B 2219/45066",
    "G06F 1/206",
    "G06F 2200/201",
    "H05K 1/18",
    "H05K 2201/10151"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/00",
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 5/00",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "B60B 19/00",
    "B60B 19/12",
    "B60K 1/02",
    "B62D 53/02",
    "B62D 57/024",
    "G01N 29/04",
    "G01N 29/22",
    "G01N 29/265",
    "G06F 1/20",
    "H05K 1/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Gecko Robotics Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Edward A. Bryner",
    "Edwin H. Cho"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-05-10",
  "publication_date": "2025-04-22",
  "grant_date": "2025-04-22",
  "priority_date": "2021-04-20",
  "application_number": "US-202217740579-A",
  "family_id": "83601274",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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