System, apparatus, and method for improved location identification

{
  "publication_number": "US2025389671A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "System, apparatus, and method for improved location identification",
  "abstract": "A system for inspecting an inspection surface, the system including an inspection robot and one or more processors. The inspection robot includes: a body; an arm coupled to the body; a payload coupled to the arm; and an inspection surface sensor disposed in the payload for inspecting an inspection surface and structured to generate inspection surface data. The one or more processors are structured to: interpret a position value; interpret the inspection surface data; interpret a feature description corresponding to a feature related to the inspection surface; and generate a high-fidelity region of the inspection surface based at least in part on the position value, the inspection surface data, and the feature description.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: an inspection robot comprising: a body; an arm coupled to the body; a payload coupled to the arm; and an inspection surface sensor disposed in the payload for inspecting an inspection surface and structured to generate inspection surface data; and one or more processors structured to: interpret a position value; interpret the inspection surface data; interpret a feature description corresponding to a feature related to the inspection surface; and generate a high-fidelity region of the inspection surface based at least in part on the position value, the inspection surface data, and the feature description. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further structured to: analyze the feature description to identify the feature; and responsive to identifying the feature, determine that the feature is as an anchor point; wherein generation of the high-fidelity region is based at least in part on the anchor point. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further structured to: stitch, based at least in part on the anchor point, the high-fidelity region to another region of a structure that comprises the inspection surface. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further structured to: transmit the high-fidelity region. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein: the one or more processors are further structured to generate a plurality of high-fidelity regions, that includes the high-fidelity region; interpret a user action; in response to interpreting the user action, select one of the plurality of high-fidelity regions; and transmit the selected one of the plurality of high-fidelity regions. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user action corresponds to a type of analysis of a structure that comprises the inspection surface. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein: the one or more processors are further structured to generate a plurality of high-fidelity regions, that includes the high-fidelity region; and display a list of identifiers corresponding to the plurality of high-fidelity regions. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further structured to display the high-fidelity region. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the inspection robot further comprises: a position sensor that generates the position value. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the inspection robot further comprises: a position sensor structured to generate the position value. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the position sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit (IMU). 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises at least one of: a structural feature; a surface feature; or a virtual feature. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the structural feature comprises at least one of: a component of a structure comprising the inspection surface; or a component of a structure external to a structure comprising the inspection surface. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the structure comprising the inspection surface comprises at least one of: a tank; one or more stairs; a drain; a pipe; a hull; a window; an antenna; a tower; or a building. 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of: a weld line; a joint; a hatch; a panel; or a type of damage. 16. An apparatus comprising: a position processing circuit structured to interpret a position value; an inspection data processing circuit structured to interpret inspection surface data; a feature processing circuit structured to interpret a feature description corresponding to a feature related to an inspection surface; and a map generation circuit structured to generate a high-fidelity region of the inspection surface based at least in part on the position value, the inspection surface data, and the feature description. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising: an anchor generation circuit structured to: analyze the feature description to identify the feature; and responsive to identifying the feature, determine that the feature is as an anchor point; wherein the map generation circuit is further structured to generate the high-fidelity region based at least in part on the anchor point. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a stitch circuit structured to stitch, based at least in part on the anchor point, the high-fidelity region to another region of a structure that comprises the inspection surface. 19. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising: a position sensor structured to generate the position value. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the position sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit (IMU). 21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the feature comprise at least one of: a structural feature; a surface feature; or a virtual feature. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the structural feature comprises at least one of: a component of a structure comprising the inspection surface; or a component of a structure external to a structure comprising the inspection surface. 23. A method for generating a high-fidelity region for an inspection surface, the method comprising: interpreting, via a position processing circuit, a position value; interpreting, via an inspection data processing circuit, inspection surface data; interpreting, via a feature processing circuit, a feature description corresponding to a feature related to the inspection surface; and generating, via a map generation circuit, a high-fidelity region of the inspection surface based at least in part on the position value, the inspection surface data, and the feature description. 24. The method of claim 23 further comprising: analyzing, via an anchor generation circuit, the feature description; and responsive to analyzing the feature description, generating, via the anchor generation circuit, an anchor point; wherein generating the high-fidelity region is based at least in part on the anchor point. 25. The method of claim 24 further comprising: stitching, via a stitch circuit and based at least in part on the anchor point, the high-fidelity region to another region of a structure that comprises the inspection surface. 26. The method of claim 23 further comprising: generating, via a position sensor, the position value. 27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when loaded into at least one processor cause the at least one processor to: interpret a position value; interpret inspection surface data; interpret a feature description corresponding to a feature related to an inspection surface; and generate a high-fidelity region of the inspection surface based at least in part on the position value, the inspection surface data, and the feature description. 28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the stored instructions further cause the at least one processor to: analyze the feature description; and responsive to analyzing the feature description, generate an anchor point; wherein generating the high-fidelity region is based at least on art on the anchor point. 29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the stored instructions further cause the at least one processor to: stitch the high-fidelity region to another region of a structure that comprises the inspection surface. 30 - 228. (canceled)"
  ],
  "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": [
    "G01N 21/8851",
    "B25J 13/088",
    "B25J 19/0029",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 9/1653",
    "B25J 9/1674",
    "B25J 9/1697",
    "G01B 17/08",
    "G01N 2021/8867",
    "G01N 2291/267",
    "G05B 2219/45066",
    "G05D 1/24",
    "G05D 1/249",
    "G05D 1/689"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G01N 21/88"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Gecko Robotics Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jennifer Padgett",
    "Hannah Loy",
    "Ryan Dickerhoff",
    "Michael Lin",
    "Aakash Rohra"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2024-06-25",
  "publication_date": "2025-12-25",
  "priority_date": "2022-12-19",
  "application_number": "US-202418753090-A",
  "family_id": "98219080",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20170169582A1",
    "US20180275671A1",
    "US20190228573A1",
    "US20210239815A1"
  ]
}