Abstract:
A remote inspection device includes a digital imager housing having a digital imaging device in communication with a digital video signal conversion device serializing the digital video signal. A digital display housing has a digital display in communication with a digital video signal re-conversion device de-serializing the digital video signal. A push stick housing is configured to be grasped by a user. A flexible cable interconnects the digital imager housing with the push stick housing, thereby rendering a position of the digital imager housing responsive to user manipulation of the push stick housing. The flexible cable also serves as a transmission medium transmitting the serialized digital video signal at least from the digital video signal conversion device to the push stick housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/480,329 filed on Jun. 30, 2006, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/328,603 filed on Jan. 10, 2006, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/032,275 filed on Jan. 10, 2005. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for any purpose. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates generally to borescopes and video scopes.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Borescopes and video scopes for inspecting visually obscured locations are typically tailored for particular applications. For instance, some borescopes have been tailored for use by plumbers to inspect pipes and drains. Likewise, other types of borescopes have been tailored for use by mechanics to inspect interior compartments of machinery being repaired.  
         [0004]     The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     A remote inspection device includes a digital imager housing having a digital imaging device in communication with a digital video signal conversion device serializing the digital video signal. A digital display housing has a digital display in communication with a digital video signal re-conversion device de-serializing the digital video signal. A push stick housing is configured to be grasped by a user. A flexible cable interconnects the digital imager housing with the push stick housing, thereby rendering a position of the digital imager housing responsive to user manipulation of the push stick housing. The flexible cable also serves as a transmission medium transmitting the serialized digital video signal at least from the digital video signal conversion device to the push stick housing.  
         [0006]     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a view of a modular remote inspection device with a digital imager and a digital display housing.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2 , including FIGS.  2 A-C, is a set of block diagrams illustrating alternative functional components of the imager housing and the digital display housing of the modular remote inspection device.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a view of a modular remote inspection device with a remote digital display housing.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an imaging device with light sources and a heat sink for use with a modular remote inspection device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5 , including  FIG. 5A and 5B , is a set of top and bottom views of a light source circuit board having apertures for passing thermal energy from light sources of an imaging device to a heat sink member of the imaging device. 
     
    
       [0012]     The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a remote inspection device  100 . The remote inspection device  100  is generally comprised of three primary components: a digital display housing  110 , a digital imager housing  104 , and a flexible cable  102  interconnecting the digital display housing  110  and the digital imager housing  104 . The flexible cable  102  may be bent or curved as it is pushed into visually obscured areas, such as pipes, walls, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible cable  102  is a ribbed cylindrical conduit having an outer diameter in the range of 1 cm. The conduit can be made of either a metal, plastic or composite material. Smaller or larger diameters may be suitable depending on the application. Likewise, other suitable constructions for the flexible cable  102  are also contemplated by this disclosure.  
         [0014]     The digital imager housing  104  is coupled to a distal end of the flexible cable  102 . In the exemplary embodiment, the digital imager housing  104  is a substantially cylindrical shape that is concentrically aligned with the flexible cable  102 . However, it is envisioned that the digital imager housing  104  may take other shapes. In any case, an outer diameter of the cylindrical digital imager housing  104  is preferably sized to be substantially equal to or less than the outer diameter of the flexible cable  102 .  
         [0015]     A digital imaging device  106  is embedded in an outwardly facing end of the cylindrical digital imager housing  104 . The digital imaging device  106  captures an image of a viewing area proximate to the distal end of the flexible cable  102  and converts the image into a digital video signal. As defined herein, the digital imaging device  106  can be a purely digital imager, or it can be an analog imager having an analog to digital converter (ADC). In some embodiments, an attachment  50  can be removably coupled to the digital imager housing  14 .  
         [0016]     The digital imaging device  106  requires relatively more signal wires than a non-digital imaging device. Therefore, and referring now to  FIG. 2 , a digital video signal conversion device is included in order to serialize the digital video signal and thereby reduce the number of wire. In some embodiments, the conversion device is included in the digital imager housing  104  in order to reduce the number of wires required to be threaded through a portion of the flexible cable  102  (see  FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, the conversion device can be located outside of the digital imager housing, but proximate to the digital imager  106  as opposed to the digital display. Therefore, it should be readily understood that an ADC and conversion device can be disposed in a push stick housing that is remote from a digital display housing in order to reduce a number of wires from the push stick housing to the digital display housing. In yet other embodiments, there is no need for a conversion device, especially if an ADC is in the display housing, or if the ADC is in the pushstick housing and the connection to a remote display housing is a wireless, digital connection. Therefore, it should be understood that the conversion device is used in some embodiments in order to reduce the number of wires needed to transmit digital video image data to the digital video display.  
         [0017]     With particular reference now to  FIG. 2A , the number of wires required to transmit the video signal from the digital imager housing to the digital display can be reduced from eighteen wires to eight wires by using a differential LVDS serializer  200  in the digital imager housing  104  to reformat the digital video signal  202  to a differential LVDS signal  204 . Then, a differential LVDS deserializer  206  in the digital display housing  110  can receive the LVDS signal  204  and convert it back to the digital video signal  202  for use by the digital video display. In this case, the LVDS signal  204  replaces the twelve wires required to transmit the digital video signal with two wires required to transmit the LVDS signal. Six more wires are also required: one for power, one for ground, two for the LED light sources, one for a serial clock signal, and one for a serial data signal. One skilled in the art will recognize that the serial clock signal and the serial data signal are used to initiate the digital imaging device  106  at startup. In some additional or alternative embodiments, it is possible to reduce the number of wires even further by using a microcontroller to eliminate the serial communication lines, thereby reducing the wire count by an additional two wires.  
         [0018]     Alternatively, and with particular reference to  FIG. 2B , a digital to analog converter  208  in the digital imager housing  104  can convert the digital video signal  202  to an analog video signal  210 . This analog video signal  210  can in turn be received by analog to digital converter  212  in the display housing  110 , and be converted back to the digital video signal  202 . Like use of a serializer, the use of the analog to digital converter reduces the number of wires from eighteen wires to eight wires. Again, two wires are needed to provide the analog voltage signal.  
         [0019]     As another alternative, and with particular reference to  FIG. 2C , the digital video signal  202  can be converted to an NTSC/PAL signal  216  by a video encoder  214  in the digital imager housing  108 . One skilled in the art will readily recognize that NTSC is the standard for television broadcast in the United States and Japan, while PAL is its equivalent European standard. This NTSC/PAL signal  216  can then be reconverted to digital video signal  202  by video decoder  218  of display housing  110 .  
         [0020]     Returning the digital video signal to its original form allows use of a digital display to render the video captured by the digital imaging device  104 . Use of the digital display can leverage various capabilities of such displays. For example, digital pan and zoom capability can be acquired by use of a larger imager in terms of pixels than the display, or by digital zoom. Thus, the display can be moved for greater detail/flexibility within the fixed visual cone of the imager head. Also, a software toggle can be implemented to increase perceived clarity and contrast in low spaces by switching from color to black and white.  
         [0021]     Referring generally now to FIGS.  2 A-C, it should be readily understood that the same types of conversion devices can be placed outside of the digital imager housing but proximate to the imager as opposed to the display. For example, each of the serializer  200 , digital to analog converter  208 , or video encoder  214  can be placed in a push stick housing that is remote from the digital imager housing and the digital display housing. This placement can be especially beneficial in the case of placement of an ADC in the push stick housing, and use of a wired connection between the push stick housing and the digital display housing.  
         [0022]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , additional or alternative embodiments of the modular remote inspection device  100  can have a remote digital imager housing  110 . In this instance, the remote housing  110  is configured to be held in another hand of the user of the inspection device  100 , placed aside, or detachably attached to the user&#39;s person or a convenient structure in the user&#39;s environment. The flexible cable  102  can be attached to and/or passed through a push stick housing  108  that is configured to be grasped by the user. A series of ribbed cylindrical conduit sections  102 A-C can connect the push stick housing  108  to the cylindrical digital imager housing  104 . One or more extension sections  102 B can be detachably attached between sections  102 A and  102 C to lengthen the portion of flexible cable  102  interconnecting push stick housing  108  and digital imager housing  104 . It should be readily understood that the sections  102 A-C can also be used in embodiments like those illustrated in  FIG. 1  in which the digital display housing  110  is not remote, but is instead combined with push stick housing  108 .  
         [0023]     In some embodiments, as mentioned above, the flexible cable can pass through push stick housing  108  to digital display housing  110 . For example, a coiled cable section  102 D extending from push stick housing  108  can connect to a ribbed cylindrical conduit section  102 E extending from digital display housing  110 . Thus, flexible cable  102  can carry a serialized digital video signal from digital imaging device  106  through the ribbed cylindrical conduit sections  102 A and  102 C to push stick housing  108 , through which it is transparently passed through to the remote digital video display housing  110  by the coiled cable section  102 D and the ribbed cylindrical conduit section  102 E. It should be readily understood that one or more extension sections  102 B can be used to lengthen either or both of the cable portions interconnecting the push stick housing with the digital display housing and the digital imager housing.  
         [0024]     In yet alternative or additional embodiments, flexible cable  102  can terminate at the push stick housing  108 , and push stick housing can include a wireless transmitter device, thereby serving as a transmitter housing. In such embodiments, it should be readily understood that digital display housing  110  can contain a wireless receiver device, and the serialized digital video signal can be transmitted wirelessly from the push stick housing  108  to the digital display housing  110 . It should also be readily understood that one or more antennas can be provided to the push stick housing  110  and the digital display housing to facilitate the wireless communication. Types of wireless communication can include Bluetooth, 802.11(b), 802.11(g), 802.11(n), wireless USB, Xigbee, analog, wireless NTSC/PAL, and others.  
         [0025]     Two or more light sources protrude from the outwardly facing end of the cylindrical imager housing  104  along a perimeter of the imaging device  106  such that the imaging device  106  is recessed directly or indirectly between the light sources. In a presently preferred embodiment, the light sources are superbright LEDs, such as Nichias branded LEDs, which produce approximately twelve times the optical intensity compared to standard LEDs. Specifically, superbright LEDs such as  5 mm Nichias LEDs produce upwards of 1.5 lumens each. The inclusion of the superbright LEDs produces a dramatic difference in light output, but also produces much more heat than standard LEDs. Therefore, an addition of a heat sink to the imager housing can be used to accommodate the superbright LEDs.  
         [0026]     A transparent cap encases the imaging device and light sources within the imager housing. The transparent cap can also be modified to provide imaging optics (e.g., layered transparent imager cap) in order to effectively pull the focal point of the imaging device  106  outward compared to its previous location. For a given shape imager head, this change in the focal point can widen the effective field of view, thus rendering a snake formed of the flexible cable  102  and imager housing  104  more useful. This change in focal point can also allow vertical offset of the imaging device  106  from the light producing LEDs, thus making a smaller diameter imager head assembly possible. Additional details regarding the light sources, heat sink, and optics of the imager head are described below with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
         [0027]     It is envisioned that various types of imager housings  104  can be provided, each having different types of light sources and/or imaging optics that are targeted to different types of uses, or lack of light sources and imaging optics. For example, an imager housing  104  with light sources producing relatively greater amounts light in the infrared spectrum than another imager housing can be provided. For example, LEDs can be employed that produce light in the infrared spectrum, and one or more optical filters can be added to the imaging optics that selectively pass infra red light. This infrared imaging head is especially well suited to night vision and increasing the view distance and detail in galvanized pipe. In similar embodiments, the infrared light sources can be omitted to accomplish a thermal imaging head that has an infrared filter.  
         [0028]     In additional or alternative embodiments, an imager housing  104  can be provided that has light sources optimized for producing light in the ultraviolet spectrum. For example, LEDs can be employed that produce light in the ultraviolet spectrum, with an optical filter provided to the imaging optics that selectively passes ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet imaging head is especially well suited for killing bacteria and fluorescing biological materials.  
         [0029]     It should be readily understood that an imaging head can be provided that has white light sources, and that any or all of the different types of imaging heads can be supplied separately or in any combination. It is additionally envisioned that software for operating the digital display can have various modes for use with different types imager heads, and/or can have image processing capability to enhance images.  
         [0030]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the digital imaging device  106  can be combined in imager housing  106  with light sources  400 A-B. Light shield  402 A-B prevents stray light from light sources  400 A-B from entering the field of view of the digital imaging device  106 . This light shield  402 A-B can be attached to cap members  404 A-B that protect the light sources  400 A-B. Light shield  402 A-B can also serve as a holder for holding one or more layers of imaging optics  406 A-B, such as lenses or prisms, that shift the focus of the digital imaging device  106 . Together, light the light shield  402 A-B and imaging optics  406 A-B permit placement of the imaging device beneath the light sources  400 A-B, which allows for a slimmer imager housing  106 . In some embodiments, the cap members  404 A-B (e.g., an LED cover), the light shield  402 A-B, and the imaging optics  406 A-B can be positioned to ensure that an image 85° FOV is bent by a prism to be clear of the light shield  402 A-B and the LED cover.  
         [0031]     The imager head with light sources  400 A-B that are superbright, such as superbright LEDs, can be provided with a metal housing  104  and heat sink member  408 A-B. Heat sink member  408  can also be metal, and can permit transfer of heat produced by the light sources  400 A-B to the metal housing  106  for dissipation. Heat sink member  408  can be shaped in an angular fashion (e.g., L-shaped) to facilitate passage of wires in the imager housing, and can have apertures to permit passage of wires to light source circuit board  41  OA-B.  
         [0032]     Turning finally to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , light source circuit board  410  can have apertures  500 A-B, such as through holes, to permit passage of wires for powering light sources  400 . These wires can be attached to pads  502 . An index feature  504  can assist in ensuring proper orientation of the circuit board  410  within the metal housing. Pours  506 A-B can be formed on the circuit board  410  to spread heat from the light sources  400  over a surface of the circuit board  410 , and these pours can be made of any electrically non-conductive, but thermally conductive material, such as ceramic PCB. Vias  508 A-B can transfer heat from a light source side of the circuit board  410  to a heat sink member side of the circuit board  410 . Thus, the vias  508 A-B thermally connect pours  506 A-B on opposite surfaces of the circuit board  410  in order to transfer thermal energy produced by the light sources to the heat sink member.  
         [0033]     The preceding description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.