Patent ID: 8930042
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: inspection vehicles, including at least a first inspection vehicle and a second inspection vehicle, the inspection vehicles configured to be placed on a surface of an object to move relative to the surface of the object and transmit data generated about the object; wherein the inspection vehicles move with respect to one or more sensor systems, including a first sensor system attached to the object at a first location and a second sensor system attached to the object at a second location, the first inspection vehicle configured to provide power to the first sensor system and the second inspection vehicle configured to provide power to the second sensor system, the sensor systems configured to generate the data about the object when the sensor systems are in a configuration with respect to a location on the object for inspection and when receiving power from the inspection vehicles, the first sensor system configured to generate a signal that passes through the object and the second sensor system configured to receive the signal; a controller configured to control movement of the inspection vehicles, control operation of the sensor systems to generate the data, and receive the data transmitted by the inspection vehicles, the inspection vehicle configured to receive data generated about the object, and the inspection vehicle further configured to transmit received data generated about the object to the controller, and the controller configured to determine whether an undesirable inconsistency is present for the object using data generated about the object and historical data, the controller also configured to control when the first inspection vehicle provides power to the first sensor system and the second inspection vehicle provides power to the second sensor system; and a robotic system configured to pick up, hold, and release the inspection vehicles via one or more robotic arms.