Patent Description:
There are many situations where it is desirable to internally inspect pipes or other difficult to access cavities or voids that are already in place, either underground, in a building, or underwater. For example, sewer and drain pipes frequently must be internally inspected to diagnose any existing problems and to determine if there are any breaks causing leakage or obstructions that might impair the free flow of waste. Likewise, other pipes such as water pipes, gas pipes, electrical conduits, and fiber optic conduits need to be internally inspected for similar reasons.

Traditional systems and method for inspecting the pipes include a video camera head disposed on a push-cable that is pushed down a pipe to display the interior of the pipe on a camera control unit (CCU) or other video display. Such video camera heads are essential tools to visually inspect the interior of the pipes and to identify defects caused by, for example, ingress of roots, pipe cracks or breaks, corrosion, leakage, and/or other defects or blockages inside the pipe. Traditional pipe inspection systems, though useful, are limited to visual inspection of pipes or cavities. Existing lateral push-cable camera systems generally include analog cameras due to limitations in power and signal provisioning down a lengthy push-cable, where the camera head must be sufficiently small to fit into and navigate the bends and turns of commonly used pipe diameters. Such analog video systems fail to generate non-video in-pipe data that may be useful in determining problems within an inspected pipe.

One solution to communicating non-video in-pipe data may be to simply add one or more additional wires to a push-cable by which such data may be communicated. Whereas such an approach may seem to achieve the goal of communicating in-pipe data to other above ground system devices, such a solution is less than ideal for lateral push-cable camera systems. As lateral push-cable camera systems must be ruggedized to survive being forced into and moved inside a pipe or other cavity that may often be filled with dirt, grime, and harsh chemicals; and increasing the number of wires in a push-cable may add numerous additional points of failure and thereby increase the fragility to the push-cable and overall pipe inspection system.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art to address the above-described as well as other problems. Likewise, there is an opportunity to retrofit existing analog pipe inspection systems to provide additional non-video in-pipe data through existing communications channels.

<CIT> describes buried object locator systems including transmitters and associated buried object locators using phase-synchronized signals. A transmitter may generate output current signals that are phase-synchronized with a corresponding locator for improved utility locating.

<CIT> B <NUM> describes a pipe inspection system employing a camera head assembly incorporating multiple local condition sensors, an integral dipole Sonde, a three-axis compass, and a three-axis accelerometer. The camera head assembly terminates a multichannel push-cable that relays local condition sensor and video information to a processor and display subsystem. A cable storage structure includes data connection and wireless capability with tool storage and one or more battery mounts for powering remote operation. During operation, the inspection system may produce a two- or three-dimensional (3D) map of the pipe or conduit from local condition sensor data and video image data acquired from structured light techniques or LED illumination.

This disclosure relates generally to video pipe inspection systems, devices, and methods to inspect, for example, the interior of pipes and other conduits. A method for phase synchronizing an electromagnetic sonde and a pipe inspection system for inspecting the interior of pipes or other conduits are provided in the appended claims.

Various additional aspects, features, devices, systems, and functionality are further described below in conjunction with the appended Drawings.

The present application may be more fully appreciated in connection with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

This disclosure relates generally to lateral push-cable based video pipe inspection systems, devices, and methods to inspect interior of pipes and other conduits. More specifically, but not exclusively, this disclosure relates to video pipe inspection systems, devices, and methods integrated with non-video data recording and transmission functionality.

According to one aspect, a video camera for pipe inspection is disclosed that may include a camera head having an outer housing with a hollow interior, a camera module assembly including one or more image sensors supported inside the housing for generating video and still images corresponding to an interior of a pipe, and one or more non-video related sensors for generating non-video data which may include an acoustic/audio sensor for generating acoustic data corresponding to sounds and/or other audio/acoustic signals inside of the same pipe. The camera head may further include a processing circuit coupled to the camera head assembly to receive video signals from the image sensor(s) and non-video data from the non-video sensor(s), including the acoustic data from the interior of the pipe and/or other non-video data as described subsequently herein.

The processing element may encode and embed audio and other non-video data into the video signal via modulating the video signal during the vertical blanking interval (VBI) between frames and/or sparsely embedding the non-video data in the active video frame such that it may later be corrected via overwriting the non-video data lines at the expense of a loss of resolution in the video frame. In specific embodiments, non-video data may be embedded in alternating lines or portions of alternating lines of an interlaced video signal in known locations for transmission to a coupled camera control unit (CCU) or like computing device over a common transmission channel. The camera head may further include a data link receiver circuit to receive program instructions from the CCU or other directly or indirectly wired or wirelessly connected computing device to configure or reconfigure the camera head software and/or firmware. The camera head may retrofit to existing pipe inspection systems wherein video signal and non-video data to be communicated via a single communication channel.

According to another aspect, the present disclosure includes a pipe inspection system having a camera head as described above disposed on a resilient, flexible video push cable that may be stored in and be fed from a cable reel rotatably mounted on a support frame. The hardware present in the push-cable and cable reel may be that present in existing pipe inspection systems allowing the camera head to retrofit into such systems and allow video signal and non-video data to be communicated via a single communication channel of some pre-existing push-cables and associated inspection systems, such as certain systems provided by SeeScan, Inc. , assignee of the instant application. The pipe inspection system may further include a camera control unit (CCU) coupled at the proximal end of the push- cable generally via the cable reel. The CCU may be configured to receive the embedded video signal and further decouple and decode the embedded non-video data and display and store a corrected video as well as present, store, and/or utilize the embedded data. The CCU may generate a data link signal at the CCU that is out of band to the embedded video signal that may communicate data to the camera head.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for embedding and transmitting non-video data in active pipe inspection video frames. The method includes generating video signal and non-video data, encoding the non-video data, embedding the non-video data at known interspersed line locations in the active video, communicating the embedded video to a CCU and/or other display and user input element, decoupling the embedded non-video data and video, decoding the non-video data, using adjacent lines of video signal to the non-video lines to correct the video at the non-video line locations, and displaying and/or storing and/or using the corrected video and non-video data.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for testing the health of a push-cable in a pipe inspection system. The method includes measuring voltage at the CCU and camera head, retrieving push-cable length, calculating resistance per unit length of push-cable, storing the resistance per unit length of push-cable associated with a time, date, and cable reel serial number or like identifier, comparing the resistance per unit length of push-cable and associated data with an initial value corresponding to desired resistance per unit length of push-cable data, and generating a warning wherein the resistance per unit length of push-cable and associated data falls beyond a threshold.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for compensating for impedance of a video signal transmitted via a push-cable. The method includes measuring the impedance of a data link signal at a camera head, comparing the measured impedance to expected impedance, determining if variance in measured impedance to expected impedance is within a tolerable threshold, and adjusting the transmitted video signal to compensate for any variance outside of the threshold.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for compensating for in-pipe noise due to camera head movement. The method includes measuring motion of the camera head, determining if the measured motion is above a predetermined threshold, and lowering the audio gain at the microphone in the camera head wherein motion beyond the threshold is detected.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for boot loading a camera head from a CCU. The method includes turning on the pipe inspection system, receiving camera head data at the CCU, sending firmware/software from the CCU to the camera head based on received camera head data.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for authenticating a camera head in a pipe inspection system. The method includes turning on the pipe inspection system, receiving authentication data at the CCU from the camera head, evaluating the authentication data, and disabling the pipe inspection system where the authentication data has failed.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for adding authentication data to an inspection. The method includes beginning the inspection and generating video and non-video inspection data, communicating inspection identifying data to a cloud server, assigning authentication data to the inspection, and storing authentication data referencing the inspection on a cloud server and store the inspection containing the same authentication data.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for authentication an inspection. The method includes actuating playback of an inspection, comparing authentication data of the inspection stored on a cloud server, and disallowing playback of the inspection wherein the authentication data does not match and allowing playback of the inspection wherein the authentication data does match.

In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a method for phase synchronizing an electromagnetic sonde. The method includes receiving GNSS signals at the cable reel and/or CCU and utility locator device, communicating a pulsed timing signal to the electromagnetic sonde, generating and broadcasting a signal at the electromagnetic sonde based off the pulsed timing signal, and receiving the signal broadcasted by the electromagnetic sonde at the utility locator device that also has received the GNSS signals for timing.

According to various aspects of the present disclosure, a video camera for pipe inspection is disclosed that may include a camera head having an outer housing with a hollow interior, a camera module assembly including one or more image sensors supported inside the housing for generating video and still images corresponding to an interior of a pipe, and one or more non-video related sensors for generating non-video data which includes at least an acoustic sensor. The acoustic sensor may sense human audible and/or other wavelengths of acoustic signals such as infrasound or ultrasound wavelengths. The acoustic sensor may generate audio/acoustic data corresponding to sounds inside of the same pipe. The camera head may further include a processing circuit coupled to the camera module assembly to receive video signal from the image sensor(s) and non-video data from the non-video sensor(s) including at least the acoustic/audio data from the interior of the pipe. The processing element may encode and embed acoustic/audio and other non-video data into the video signal via modulating the video signal during the vertical blanking interval (VBI) between frames and/or sparsely embedding the non-video data in the active video frame such that it may later be corrected via overwriting the non-video data lines at the expense of a loss of resolution in the video frame.

In specific embodiments, non-video data (e.g., acoustic/audio and/or other non-video sensed data) may be embedded in alternating lines or portions of alternating lines of an interlaced video signal in known locations for transmission to a coupled camera control unit (CCU) or like computing device over a common transmission channel. The camera head may further include a data link receiver circuit to receive program instructions from the CCU or other directly or indirectly wired or wirelessly connected computing device to configure or reconfigure the camera head software and/or firmware. The camera head may retrofit to existing pipe inspection systems wherein video signal and non-video data to be communicated via a single communication channel.

he single communication channel may be a robust communications channel for transmitting data to and from camera heads or other in-pipe devices and other associated inspection system devices above ground. Such a pipe inspection system may include a resilient, flexible video push cable that may be stored in and be fed from a cable reel rotatably mounted on a support frame and a camera control unit (CCU) coupled at the proximal end of the push-cable generally via the cable reel. The CCU may be configured to receive the video signal and further decouple and decode the embedded non-video data and display and store a corrected video as well as present, store, and/or utilize the embedded data. The CCU may generate a data link signal at the CCU that is out of band to the embedded video signal and communicate data to the camera head. This pipe inspection system and camera of the current disclosure may further enable various related methods. Methods of the present disclosure include those relating to embedding and transmitting non-video data in active pipe inspection video frames, testing the health of a push-cable in a pipe inspection system, compensating for impedance of a video signal transmitted via a push-cable, compensating for in-pipe noise due to camera head movement, a method for boot loading a camera head from a CCU, and authenticating a camera head in a pipe inspection system which may function as a theft deterrent.

As used herein, the term "in-pipe" may refer to anything detectable at the location of the camera head. For instance, the terms "in-pipe noise", "in-pipe audio data", and "in-pipe" audio signature" may refer to sound detected at a microphone or other acoustic/audio sensor inside the camera head generally as the camera head is disposed inside a pipe during normal usage.

The term "non-video" as used in "non-video data" or "non-video related sensors" may general relate to aspects of the camera head or inspection not relating to the image sensor(s) or video or images generated therefrom. Such aspects may generally refer to sensors or data generated in the camera head not directly relating to the video such as audio/acoustic signals, temperate sensors and signals, pressure, humidity, water characteristics, non-imaging light signals at visible and/or non-visible wavelength, accelerometers or other positioning sensors, magnetometers, and/or other physical property sensors and the like.

The term "display and user input element" may refer to any device for displaying the video and/ or non-video data that may be generated as well as accepting user input to generate commands that may be communicated to the camera head and/or other devices in the pipe inspection system. "User input" may refer to input explicitly input by the user or implicitly input such as a biometric scan. "User input" may further refer to input from any of the various system sensors. Exemplary display and user input element may include, but should not be limited to, smart phones, tablets, laptop computers, or other electronic computing devices that may be connected via a wire or wireless connection. Such devices may likewise be referred to herein as "computing devices".

The term "data link" as used in "data link receiver" or "data link signal" may relate to data transmitted from a CCU or other display and user input element to a camera head for purposes of communicating and controlling aspects of the camera head, video signal, and non-video data.

The term "out of band" in reference to data link and video signals as described herein may refer to signals occurring in different intervals in the frequency spectrum. For instance, the data link signal may be out of band to the analog video signal transmitted along the same transmission line. In this usage, the "out of band" data link signal may use a frequency above the highest component of the analog video signal. More generally, "out of band" may refer to any technique to establish bi-directional communication between the camera head and CCU (e.g., time-division multiplexing or like technique).

The following exemplary embodiments are provided for the purpose of illustrating examples of various aspects, details, and functions of the present disclosure; however, the described embodiments are not intended to be in any way limiting. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various aspects may be implemented in other embodiments within scope of the appended claims. As used herein, the term, "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration. " Any aspect, detail, function, implementation, and/or embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects and/or embodiments.

<FIG> illustrates an inspection system embodiment <NUM> in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Inspection system <NUM> may include a camera head <NUM> coupled to a push-cable <NUM>, allowing the camera head <NUM> to be pushed into a pipe <NUM> and/or other conduit by a user <NUM> or via user-controlled or automated mechanical force. The push-cable <NUM> may be a push-cable as described in, for example, the following co-assigned patents and patent applications: <CIT>, entitled Dual Push-Cable for Pipe Inspection; <CIT>, entitled Video Push-Cable; <CIT>, entitled Video Push-Cable; <CIT>, entitled Light Weight Sewer Cable; and <CIT>, entitled High Bandwidth Push-Cables for Pipe Inspection Systems. A push-cable spring <NUM> may further couple between the push-cable <NUM> and camera head <NUM>. The spring <NUM> may be used to further improve movement and/or handling of the camera head <NUM> into and within the pipe <NUM>. The push-cable spring <NUM> may be of the variety described in, for example, co-assigned <CIT>, entitled Spring Assemblies with Variable Flexibility for use with Push-Cables and Pipe Inspection Systems.

A cable reel <NUM> or other apparatus for dispensing push-cable <NUM>, and a display and user input element, such as camera control unit (CCU) <NUM>, may further be coupled to a proximal end of the push-cable <NUM>. The camera head <NUM> may be coupled to a distal end of the push-cable <NUM>. The cable reel <NUM> may be a reel/cable storage drum as described, for example, in co-assigned patents and patent applications including: <CIT>, entitled Video Pipe Inspection System Employing Non-Rotating Cable Storage Drum; <CIT>, entitled Systems and Methods Involving a Smart Cable Storage Drum and Network Node for Transmission of Data; <CIT>, entitled Systems and Methods Involving a Smart Cable Storage Drum and Network Node and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Cable Storage Drum with Moveable CCU Docking Apparatus; and/or <CIT>, entitled Pipe Inspection System with Replaceable Cable Storage Drum.

The cable reel <NUM> and or other system device may further include an element for measuring the amount of cable dispensed (e.g., a cable or distance counter), such as those described in, for example, co-assigned <CIT>, entitled Pipe Inspection Cable Counter and Overlay Management System, and/or <CIT>, entitled Pipe Inspection Cable Counter and Overlay Management System.

The CCU <NUM> and/or other display and user input elements or systems may display images, video, and/or data provided from the camera head (or other multi-imaging module device or system). The CCU <NUM> may further control operation of the camera head, displayed images/video, and/or other devices within the inspection system. The CCU <NUM> may, for example, be a device as described in co-assigned <CIT>, entitled Self-Grounding Transmitting Portable Camera Controller for Use with Pipe Inspection Systems.

In some embodiments, the display and user input element may be a computing device or system such as a laptop computer, smart phone, tablet computer, a utility locator device and/or other devices or systems for displaying and/or controlling operation of the camera head, or controlling image or video display parameters such as perspective within received images/video, lighting controls, resolution controls, articulation controls and the like.

The push-cable <NUM> may include internal cabling for providing electrical power to camera head <NUM> as well as communication of data such as images, video, sensor data, and the like between the camera head <NUM> and CCU <NUM> and/or other system devices. In some embodiments communication of data may be done fully or partially via wireless communication rather than via internal metallic or optical cabling. In some embodiments, electrical power may be provided by one or more batteries (not illustrated) that may be coupled to the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM>. The batteries may, for example, be smart batteries such as those described in co-assigned <CIT>, entitled Modular Battery Pack Apparatus, Systems, and Methods.

An inspection system embodiment in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure may include various additional devices that are not explicitly illustrated. For example, a camera head and/or push-cable may be equipped with an electromagnetic sonde device (e.g., sondes <NUM> or <NUM> of <FIG>) for generating a dipole magnetic field from within a pipe, which may then be detected by a buried utility locator to determine the position of the electromagnetic sonde (below the ground) at the ground surface. The sonde device may, for example, be a sonde such as those described in co-assigned patents and patent applications including: <CIT>, entitled Sondes for Locating Underground Pipes and Conduits; <CIT>, entitled Sondes for Locating Underground Pipes and Conduits; <CIT>, entitled Sondes for Locating Underground Pipes and Conduits; <CIT>, entitled Sonde Devices Including a Sectional Ferrite Core Structure; and/or <CIT>, entitled Sonde Devices Including a Sectional Ferrite Core Structure.

The inspection system <NUM> may include a utility locator device <NUM> that may be used to determine and/or map the location of pipes buried within the ground including pipe locations correlating with video or still images and associated pipe data generated at the camera head <NUM>. In some such system embodiments, a utility locator device such as the utility locator device <NUM> may further be configured to receive image or video data and/or other data or information generated at the camera head, such as via a wireless data connection, and display and/or store images/video from the pipe inspection as transmitted via wireless data connection between the utility locator and CCU or utility locator and reel. In some system embodiments, such data may be communicated via a wired connection indirectly coupling the camera head and the locator. The utility locator device <NUM> may include a processing element for processing and combining locate data, location/position data, and/or images or video from the camera head. The locate data could be combined using synchronization form a common time base. Such a common time base could be achieved through GPS or synchronization of clocks by other means such as optical, audio, or electromagnetic synchronization pulses between system devices. The wireless communication module may, for example, be a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication module, a cellular data communication module, or other wireless communication modules. In some embodiments, the utility locator device <NUM> may further be configured to control operational parameters of the camera head <NUM> and/or other system devices such as the CCU <NUM> and cable reel <NUM>.

Details of example utility locator devices as may be used in combination with the disclosures herein in various system embodiments are described in co-assigned patents and patent applications including: <CIT>, entitled Omnidirectional Sonde and Line Locator; <CIT>, entitled A Compact Self-Tuned Electrical Resonator for Buried Object Locator Applications; <CIT>, entitled Inductive Clamp for Applying Signal to Buried Utilities; <CIT>, entitled Multi-Sensor Mapping Omnidirectional Sonde and Line Locator; <CIT>, entitled Reconfigurable Portable Locator Employing Multiple Sensor Array Having Flexible Nested Orthogonal Antennas; <CIT>, entitled Single and Multi-Trace Omnidirectional Sonde and Line Locators and Transmitters Used Therewith; <CIT>, entitled Compact Line Illuminator for Locating Buried Pipes and Cables; <CIT>, entitled Tri-Pod Buried Locator System; <CIT>, entitled Buried Object Locator Apparatus and Systems; <CIT>, entitled A Buried Object Locator System Employing Automated Virtual Depth Event Detection and Signaling; <CIT>, entitled System and Method for Locating Buried Pipes and Cables with a Man Portable Locator and a Transmitter in a Mesh Network; <CIT>, entitled Phase-Synchronized Buried Object Locator Apparatus, Systems, and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Quad-Gradient Coils for Use in a Locating System; <CIT>, filed March <NUM>, <NUM>, entitled Dual Antenna Systems with Variable Polarization; and/or <CIT>, entitled Inductive Clamp Devices, Systems, and Methods.

As disclosed in the various above-listed patents and patent applications, a utility locator device may include one or more location or position sensors such as global position system (GPS) sensors, inertial sensors, magnetic sensors and the like. Such sensors may be used to track and interpret motion vectors as the utility locator is moved about its operating surface and/or associate these with absolute position data such as latitude/longitude data or relative position data, such as data relating the position of the locator to reference surface features or objects. This data may be combined with images and/or video to generate combined position and mapping data, which may be associated, stored in a memory, transmitted to other electronic computing devices and systems and the like. As described subsequently herein, such mapping solution data may include data corresponding to location imagery as well as data collected through a pipe inspection by a camera head to reference a ground surface location via a utility locator device and/or other system tool. Pipe inspection imagery and data may be displayed upon the utility locator device display, stored in a memory, and/or transmitted to other devices and systems for archiving, mapping, analysis, and the like.

The inspection system <NUM> of <FIG> may further include one or more radios (e.g., cellular, Bluetooth, WIFI, ISM, and/or the like) disposed in the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> and/or utility locator device <NUM> and/or other system devices to communicate with one or more cloud servers such as cloud server <NUM>. The cloud server <NUM>, among other uses, may allow for authentication of a camera head in an inspection system as described with method <NUM> of <FIG> and/or relating to the authentication of inspection data as described with method <NUM> of <FIG> and method <NUM> if <FIG>.

The inspection system <NUM> of <FIG> may further include one or more global navigation system satellite (GNSS) receivers which may be GPS receivers disposed in the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> and/or utility locator device <NUM> and/or other system devices to receive satellite navigation signals from a plurality of navigation satellites <NUM>. Beyond determining locations of the various GNSS receiver laden devices, the received GPS or other navigation signals at the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> may be used to provide a <NUM> pulse-per-second (PPS) or other pulsed timing signal to an electromagnetic sonde, such as sonde <NUM> or sonde <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, allowing a signal broadcasted by the sonde to be phase synchronized with a receiving utility locator device, such as utility locator device <NUM> of <FIG>. Further information regarding phase synchronized sondes may be found in method <NUM> of <FIG>.

Turning to <FIG>, a diagram of a pipe inspection system embodiment <NUM> in keeping with the present disclosure is illustrated which may be or share aspects with the system <NUM> of <FIG>. System <NUM> may include a camera head <NUM> disposed on the distal end of a push-cable <NUM> that may be fed into a pipe <NUM> or conduit for inspecting the interior of pipe <NUM>. The push-cable <NUM> may be fed from a cable reel <NUM> further connected to a CCU <NUM>. The system <NUM> may further include a locator device <NUM> that may be used to determine the location of pipe <NUM> and the location of the camera head <NUM> therein. A wireless link <NUM> may allow the exchange of data between the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> and the locator device <NUM> as well as the exchange of data between the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> and one or more other wirelessly connected computing devices <NUM>. The computing device(s) <NUM> may be or include smart phones, laptop computers, and/or other like portable or non-portable computing devices. In some embodiments, such computing devices may include one or more remote servers.

The camera head <NUM> may include one or more image sensors <NUM> for generating video signal, which may include video and/or still images, corresponding to the interior of a pipe <NUM> as well as one or more non-video related sensors for generating non-video data. The one or more image sensors may, for example, be high dynamic range (HDR) imagers. The camera head <NUM> may be a self-leveling camera and may be or share aspects with the mechanical or digital self-leveling camera heads described in <CIT>, entitled Rotating Contact Assemblies for Self-Leveling Camera Heads <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Camera Head; <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Camera Head; <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Inspection Systems and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Camera Heads; <CIT>, entitled Rotating Contact Assemblies for Self-Leveling Camera Heads; and <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Inspection Systems and Methods.

Non-video related sensors of a camera head such as the camera head <NUM> includes at least a microphone <NUM> or other acoustic/audio sensor for generating acoustic data from inside pipe <NUM>. Acoustic/audio data may be further used by the CCU <NUM>, locator device <NUM>, or other coupled computing device(s) <NUM> to determine pipe <NUM> materials in post processing. For instance, pipes of various materials may generate distinct audio signatures to a microphone or other acoustic sensor disposed inside of the pipe. Wavelengths sensed by the acoustic/audio sensor may include human audible wavelengths and/or infrasonic or ultrasonic wavelengths in alternate embodiments. Information about a material comprising the pipe may be determined by examining acoustic data generated by the microphone and determining a best match against a database of in-pipe acoustic signatures as relating to their associated pipe materials.

Further information regarding a method for determining pipe materials using in-pipe acoustic/audio data is described in method <NUM> of <FIG>. Referring back to <FIG>, in at least one embodiment, the microphone <NUM> may be a <NUM> bit micro-electromechanical systems (MEMs) digital microphone or other like microphone wherein the gain control may be adjusted over a wide bit range.

The camera head <NUM> may include other non-video sensors such as those described previously and/or which may include one or more motion sensors such as multi-axis motion sensor <NUM> and humidity sensor <NUM> as well as other sensors. For example, some system and camera head embodiments (not illustrated) may further include laser, acoustic, and/or radar imaging and distance measuring devices. In system <NUM>, sampling of input voltage <NUM> may occur at the camera head <NUM> and be used to determine the health of the connected push-cable <NUM>. Further information regarding a method for determining push-cable health is described in method <NUM> of <FIG>. In some embodiments, the video signal may be adjusted at the camera head for compensating for frequency-dependent losses experienced by the push-cable. Further information regarding a method for compensating for frequency-dependent losses that may impact video signals sent to a CCU from a camera head is described in method <NUM> of <FIG>. The multi-axis motion sensor <NUM> may be or include accelerometers and/or nine axis motion processing sensors. In some embodiments, the multi-axis motion sensor <NUM> may be or include one or more six axis motion processing sensors and one or more separate magnetometers. In embodiments having both a microphone and a motion sensor inside the camera head, the gain control of the microphone may be configured to automatically adjust based on motion detected at the motion sensor(s). For instance, the movement of the camera head <NUM> inside pipe <NUM> may generate excess audio noise that may be compensated for by automatically lowering the gain at the microphone <NUM> or, in alternative embodiments, at the CCU or other display and user input element when the sound is being processed, played, and/or recorded. Further information regarding a method for compensating for microphone control based detected motion of a camera head is described in method <NUM> of <FIG>.

Non-video data generated at camera head <NUM> may be encoded and embedded in an analog video signal (embedded video <NUM>) that may be further transmitted to CCU <NUM> and/or other devices such as locator device <NUM> and/or other computing device(s) <NUM>. In some embodiments data may digitally encoded and/or transformed between analog and digital encoding formats.

For instance, the camera head <NUM> may include a processing element <NUM> for handling of video signal and non-video data which may include encoding of non-video data. The processing element <NUM> may further be coupled to a switch <NUM> that may switch on and off the image sensor <NUM> allowing non-video data to be interspersed into the video signal. The switch <NUM> may further couple to an output circuit <NUM> for transmitting the embedded video signal <NUM> to CCU <NUM> and/or other devices such as locator device <NUM> and/or other computing device(s) <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the pipe inspection system in keeping with the present disclosure may include one or more optional electromagnetic sondes that may broadcast a signal or signals that may be received above the ground surface by one or more locator devices to determine the location of the sonde and thereby the location of the camera head. As illustrated in system <NUM> of <FIG>, an optional electromagnetic sonde <NUM> may be disposed on or along push-cable <NUM>. Likewise, an optional electromagnetic sonde <NUM> may be disposed in camera head <NUM> connected to a drive circuit <NUM> further connected to processing element <NUM>. In the system <NUM>, a <NUM> PPS or other pulsed timing signal may be generated by the cable reel <NUM> and/or CCU <NUM> from received GNSS signals (e.g., satellite navigation signals received from the navigation satellites <NUM> of <FIG>). The GNSS signals may likewise be received at the locator device <NUM> such that the phase of the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal may be synchronized with the expected signal at the utility locator device. Additional details regarding phase synchronized sondes may be found in method <NUM> of <FIG>.

As described in the embedded video signal method <NUM> of <FIG>, a camera head may generate a video signal <NUM> concurrently or near concurrently with non-video data <NUM>. Leading from step <NUM>, the non-video data may be encoded in step <NUM>. In some embodiments, such as step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), encoding may include modulating the luminance of some number of pixels to create groupings of light or dark pixels. These groupings may be generated in a pattern to represent the non-video data. Likewise, encoding of non-video data embedded into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) may be achieved through modulation of other video signal aspects. Such patterns may further be known and decipherable at the CCU. In other embodiments, encoding of the non-video data may include modulating of colors or other pixel or pixel grouping characteristics. In a step <NUM>, the encoded non-video data may be embedded into the video signal.

In some embodiments, such as with step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), non-video data may be embedded into the active video frame. For instance, in some embodiments, the non-video data may be embedded in alternating lines or portions of alternating lines of an active interlaced video in a known or subsequently developed manner (e.g., adaptive based on an algorithm or driven by conditions) and/or in the VBI. In a step <NUM>, the embedded video may be communicated to a CCU and/or other display and user input element such as a smart phone, laptop, or like computing device. In a step <NUM>, the embedded non-video data may be decoupled from the video signal. In a step <NUM>, a corrected video signal may be generated from adjacent video lines or pixels.

In some embodiments, such as step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), adjacent lines or pixels may be copied and replaced over embedded non-video data lines/pixels. In other embodiments, the corrected video may be generated by averaging pixel luminance or color or other pixel aspect from contiguous pixels on adjacent video lines to each pixel location of the corrected lines. In a step <NUM> concurrent to step <NUM>, the non-video data may be decoded. In some embodiments, decoding instructions may be communicated in the VBI data. In a step <NUM> from step <NUM>, the corrected video may be displayed and or stored on a CCU or other display and user input element. In a step <NUM> leading from step <NUM> and concurrent to step <NUM>, the decoded non-video data may be stored and or used. For instance, in at least one embodiment, audio data may reproduce in-pipe sounds at the CCU or other display and user input element allowing a user to listen to the sounds present at the camera position in the pipe in real time or near real time.

Turning to <FIG>, a specific embedded video signal method <NUM> may include a step <NUM> where a video signal is generated at a camera head concurrently or near concurrently with a step <NUM> where non-video data including in-pipe audio data is generated. Leading from step <NUM>, the non-video data may be encoded in step <NUM> via modulating the luminance of some number of pixels to create groupings of light or dark pixels. These groupings may be generated in a pattern to represent the non-video data. Likewise, encoding of non-video data embedded into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) may be achieved through modulation of other video signal aspects. Such patterns may further be known and stored in memory so as to be decipherable at the CCU. In other embodiments, encoding of the non-video data may include modulating of colors or other pixel or pixel grouping characteristics. In a step <NUM>, the encoded non-video data may be interspersed into alternating lines of the active video in a known manner and/or in the VBI. In a step <NUM>, the embedded video may be communicated to a CCU. In a step <NUM>, the embedded non-video data may be decoupled from the embedded video signal. In a step <NUM>, a corrected video signal may be generated from adjacent video lines by adjacent video lines being copied and replacing embedded non-video data lines. In a step <NUM> concurrent with step <NUM>, the non-video data may be decoded. In some embodiments, decoding instructions may be communicated in the VBI data. In a step <NUM> from step <NUM>, the corrected video may be displayed and or stored on a CCU or other display and user input element. In a step <NUM> leading from step <NUM> and concurrent to step <NUM>, the decoded non-video data may be stored and or used. For instance, in at least one embodiment, audio data may reproduce in-pipe sounds at the CCU or other display and user input element allowing a user to listen to the sounds present at the camera position in the pipe in real time or near real time.

In some method embodiments, the camera head may be digital self-leveling camera head such as those described in <CIT>, entitled Adjustable Variable Resolution Inspection Systems and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Inspection Systems and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Inspection Systems and Methods; <CIT>, entitled Adjustable Variable Resolution Inspection Systems and Methods; and <CIT>, entitled Adjustable Variable Resolution Inspection Systems and Methods.

<FIG> illustrates an embedded video signal method <NUM> for use with a digital self-leveling camera. In the method <NUM>, a digital-self leveling camera head may generate a video signal in step <NUM> concurrently or near concurrently with non-video data including camera head orientation/pose data in a step <NUM>. For instance, accelerometers or other inertial sensors or like sensors for producing orientation and/or pose data for the camera head to generate the orientation/pose data. Leading from step <NUM>, the non-video data, including camera head orientation/pose, may be encoded in step <NUM>. In some embodiments, such as step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), encoding may include modulating the luminance of some number of pixels to create groupings of light or dark pixels. These groupings may be generated in a pattern to represent the non-video data. Likewise, encoding of non-video data embedded into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) may be achieved through modulation of other video signal aspects. Such patterns may further be known and decipherable at the CCU. In other embodiments, encoding of the non-video data may include modulating of colors or other pixel or pixel grouping characteristics.

In a step <NUM> from steps <NUM> and <NUM>, the encoded non-video data may be embedded into the video signal. In some embodiments, such as with step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), non-video data may be embedded into the active video frame. For instance, in some embodiments, the non-video data may be embedded in alternating lines or portions of alternating lines of an active interlaced video in a known manner (e.g., adaptive based on an algorithm or driven by conditions) and/or in the VBI. In a step <NUM>, the embedded video may be communicated to a CCU and/or other display and user input element such as a smart phone, laptop, or like computing device. In a step <NUM>, the embedded non-video data including orientation/pose data may be decoupled from the video signal. In a step <NUM>, a corrected video signal may be generated from adjacent video lines or pixels. In some embodiments, such as step <NUM> of method <NUM> (<FIG>), adjacent lines or pixels may be copied and replaced over embedded non-video data lines or pixels. In other embodiments, the corrected video may be generated by averaging pixel luminance or color or other pixel aspect from contiguous pixels on adjacent video lines to each pixel location of the corrected lines.

In a step <NUM>, which may be concurrent to step <NUM>, the non-video data including the camera head orientation/pose data may be decoded. In some embodiments, decoding instructions may be communicated in the VBI data. In a step <NUM> the orientation/pose of the video from step <NUM> may be corrected using the camera head orientation/pose data decoded in step <NUM>. In a step <NUM> from step <NUM>, the corrected video with a corrected orientation/pose may be displayed and or stored on a CCU or other display and user input element. In a step <NUM> leading from step <NUM>, the decoded non-video data may be stored and/or used and/or transmitted to another system device or system. For instance, in one embodiment, acoustic/audio data may reproduce in-pipe sounds at the CCU or other display and user input element allowing a user to listen to the sounds present at the camera position in the pipe in real time or near real time. Sensed sounds at non-human audible frequencies may be mixed up or down to human-audible frequencies for listening by a user.

Turning to <FIG> and <FIG>, exemplary interspersed data embedding is illustrated. The video <NUM> may be interstitial analog video comprising odd and even lines stitched together. Some such lines may be video lines <NUM> configured to communicate video signal whereas some alternating lines may non-video lines <NUM> configured to communicate non-video data that may be encoded, for instance, as described in method <NUM> of <FIG> or method <NUM> of <FIG>. The non-video lines <NUM> may appear in some number of lines around the periphery of the active video frame. In other embodiments (not illustrated), non-video line may be present in the middle of the active video frame or throughout the entire active video frame. In correcting the video frame for display, video lines <NUM> adjacent to the non-video lines <NUM> may be copied and replace the non-video lines <NUM>. In other embodiments, the corrected video may be generated by averaging pixel luminance or color or other pixel aspect from contiguous pixels on adjacent video lines <NUM> to each pixel location on the non-video line <NUM>. In some embodiments, such as in <FIG>, the non-video lines <NUM> may be horizontally oriented. In other embodiments, such as in <FIG>, the non-video lines <NUM> may be vertically oriented. In yet further embodiments, the non-video lines <NUM> may only be partial lines.

Turning back to <FIG>, the camera head <NUM> may further include a data link receiver circuit <NUM> to receive program instructions such as data link signal <NUM> initiated from the CCU <NUM> or, in some embodiments, other directly or indirectly wired or wirelessly connected computing device such as the computing devices <NUM> to configure or reconfigure camera head <NUM> software and/or firmware. The data link signal <NUM> may be out of band to the embedded video signal generated at the camera head <NUM>. In system <NUM>, the data link signal <NUM> may be on-off-keyed data modulated onto a <NUM> signal or other common data technique involving a fixed or variable carrier out of band in the frequency spectrum for the video signal. In some system embodiments, boot loading firmware of camera head <NUM> may be achieved via data link signals <NUM> communicated from the CCU <NUM>. Further information regarding a method for boot loading a camera head is described in method <NUM> of <FIG>. In some such embodiments, a CCU may be configured to authenticate a camera head, thus preventing a stolen camera head to operate on other CCUs. This authentication may be done by methods known or developed in the art. For example, further details of one method for authenticating a camera head which may function to deter theft thereof are described in method <NUM> of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the embedded video signal <NUM> may include non-video data embedded in the active interlaced embedded video <NUM> as well as communicated via signal modulation during vertical blanking intervals <NUM>. The embedded video signal <NUM> may be communicated from a camera head <NUM> and be communicated to a CCU <NUM>. A data link signal <NUM> which may be out of band to the embedded video signal <NUM> that may be communicate from CCU <NUM> to camera head <NUM>.

Turning back to <FIG>, camera head <NUM> may optionally include a secondary processing element <NUM> which may receive instruction to control LED modulation <NUM>. In some embodiments, LED modulation <NUM> may instead occur with processing element <NUM>. In system embodiment <NUM>, the LED modulation <NUM> may be used to communicate control signals to other non-connected system devices (not illustrated) disposed on or near camera head <NUM>. For instance, an external steering mechanism (not illustrated) may be disposed near camera head <NUM> that may not otherwise be electrically coupled to the camera head <NUM> or other connected system devices. LED modulation <NUM> may signal to the steering device (not illustrated) to steer the camera head <NUM> in a preferred direction as indicated at the CCU <NUM> by a user. The camera head <NUM> may further include data storage <NUM> which may include non-transitory computer readable medium for storage of camera head or other system or inspection related data.

Turning to <FIG>, a camera head <NUM> is illustrated which may be or share aspects with the camera head <NUM> of the inspection system <NUM> of <FIG> or camera head <NUM> of the inspection system <NUM> of <FIG>. Camera head <NUM> may have an external housing <NUM> comprising of a front housing <NUM> and a rear housing <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the front housing may have a window <NUM> allowing the light to pass to one or more image sensors in a camera module disposed inside camera head <NUM>, such as image sensor <NUM> (<FIG>) of camera module <NUM> (<FIG>). Likewise, light may pass from an illumination element such as LEDs <NUM> of <FIG> inside camera head <NUM> to illuminate the inside of the pipe or other work area.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a connector <NUM> may extend out from the rear housing <NUM> allowing signal to communicate with electronic components inside camera head <NUM>. The connector <NUM> may be a three pin connector as used in some current analog pipe inspection camera heads and systems allowing the camera head <NUM> to be used with certain currently available push-cables and related inspection system devices provided by SeeScan, Inc. , assignee of this application. The rear housing <NUM> may further be formed with threads <NUM> and threads <NUM> allowing a push-cable to secure thereto.

Turning to <FIG>, the camera head <NUM> may include a camera module <NUM> disposed inside the front housing <NUM> and rear housing <NUM>. One or more O-rings, such as the O-rings <NUM> and <NUM>, may seat between front housing <NUM> and rear housing <NUM> providing a water tight seal to camera head <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, additional O-rings <NUM> and <NUM> may be disposed near between connector <NUM> and rear housing <NUM> as well as O-rings <NUM> - <NUM> positioned at other locations of potential water ingress to further ensure a water tight seal to camera head <NUM>. The camera module <NUM> may include image sensor <NUM> disposed on a PCB <NUM> which may be an HDR imager. The PCB <NUM> may be coupled to a mechanical self-leveling mechanism <NUM> allowing the camera module <NUM> and attached image sensor <NUM> to self-level and provide upright video while communicating signal and provide power to the PCB <NUM> and a components thereon.

The mechanical self-leveling mechanism <NUM> may include a male self-leveling subassembly <NUM> extending into the camera module <NUM> and a female self-leveling subassembly <NUM> seated inside the camera module <NUM> to communicate signal and receive power from the male self-leveling subassembly <NUM> further coupled to connector <NUM>. The mechanical self-leveling mechanism <NUM> may be or share aspects with the <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Camera Head or <CIT>, entitled Self-Leveling Inspection Systems and Methods of the patent applications. The components disposed on PCB <NUM> may include those illustrated and described in conjunction with <FIG> or otherwise described herein in conjunction with a camera head. The camera module <NUM> may further include an additional PCB <NUM> with one or more LEDs <NUM> or like illumination element to illuminate the interior of a pipe or other work area. A connector (not illustrated) may further communicate signal and provide power to PCB <NUM> and LEDs <NUM>. The camera module <NUM> may include a lens module <NUM> having one or more optical lenses allowing light to pass to image sensor <NUM> on PCB <NUM>. A light control element <NUM> may seat on image sensor <NUM> between image sensor <NUM> and lens module <NUM> controlling the amount of light allowed to pass to image sensor <NUM>.

Turning to <FIG>, the camera module <NUM> may include a front camera module <NUM> and rear camera module <NUM> securing PCB <NUM> and image sensor <NUM> and the female self-leveling subassembly <NUM>. The female self-leveling subassembly <NUM> and PCB <NUM> may secure to the front camera module <NUM> with image sensor <NUM> facing forward through the lens module <NUM> on front camera module <NUM> via bolt <NUM>. The rear camera module <NUM> may be formed with threads <NUM> such that the rear camera module <NUM> may secure to the front camera module <NUM>. The rear camera module <NUM> may further be formed with an opening <NUM> allowing the male self-leveling subassembly <NUM> (<FIG>) to extend into camera module <NUM>.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> to determine a pipe's material from acoustic/audio signals may include a first step <NUM> wherein a pipe inspection may be performed including collecting in-pipe audio data. The step <NUM> may utilize the pipe inspection systems and camera head embodiments described herein. In a second step <NUM>, the audio data may be compared against a database relating in-pipe audio signatures to pipe materials. This may be pre-generated by measuring and storing acoustic data on various pipe materials, sizes, shapes, and the like. In a step <NUM>, a best fit may be determined from the pipe inspection in-pipe acoustic data to that of the database. In a step <NUM>, the pipe material may be determined by best fit of step <NUM> based on a best match between the sensed acoustic data and the stored database information.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for determining the health of a push-cable is described. In concurrent first steps <NUM> and <NUM> voltage may be measured at both the CCU and at the camera head. In a step <NUM>, data describing the length of the push-cable may be retrieved. Each cable reel may, for instance, have a serial number or like identifier that may reference a database having the push-cable length. In some embodiments, the cable reel may communicate data which may include the length of the push-cable contained inside. In a step <NUM> the resistance per unit length of push-cable is calculated. In a step <NUM>, the resistance per unit length of push-cable is associated and stored along with a time, date, and cable reel serial number or like identifier. In a step <NUM>, the resistance per unit length of push-cable data and associated time, date, and cable reel serial number or like identifier may be compared against some initial value. The initial value may, in some embodiments, come from a database of past values for the particular cable reel or from like cable reels. In a step <NUM>, a question may be asked as to whether the resistance per unit length of push-cable data falls outside of a threshold.

The threshold, in some embodiments, may be any deviation beyond a range from a pre-defined initial value. In other embodiments, the threshold may be a range of value predetermined to be in a range of what is healthy for a push-cable having similar properties. If the resistance per unit length of push-cable data falls does not fall outside of the threshold in step <NUM>, method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection may continue. If the resistance per unit length of push-cable data falls does fall outside of the threshold in step <NUM>, method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein a warning may be generated. In some method embodiments, the warning may be displayed to or otherwise alert a user via the CCU or other display and user input element. In yet further embodiments, such as those having a direct or indirect connection to the internet, may issue a warning may instead or additionally to be communicated back to a service center. Such warning data may include information regarding the push-cable or cable reel in which it sits such as serial number or other identifier, time and date of the identified problem, as well as data identifying the problem. From step <NUM>, method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection may continue. From step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may optionally repeat at concurrent steps <NUM> and <NUM>.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for compensating for frequency-dependent losses that may impact video signals sent to a CCU from a camera head in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure is described. In a step <NUM>, the pipe inspection system may be turned on. In a step <NUM>, the impedance of a data link signal may be measured at the camera head. In a step <NUM>, the measured impedance from the prior step may be compared to an expected impedance value. For instance, the expected impedance may be a value or range of values of the impedance of the data link signal at the camera head given a length and type of push-cable. This value or range of values may be accessed from a database stored in memory (such as data storage <NUM> of <FIG>) in the camera head. In a step <NUM>, a decision stage may be implemented to determine whether the measured impedance is within a predetermined threshold. The threshold of step <NUM> may account for some variance from the expected impedance value. From step <NUM>, if the measured impedance is within the expected impedance value threshold, method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection may continue. From step <NUM>, if the measured impedance is not within the expected impedance value threshold, method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the transmitted video signal may be adjusted to compensate for the evaluated impedance variance. From step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> again where the pipe inspection may continue. From step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may optionally repeat back at step <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a signal from a camera head, such as the video or non-data signals, may be subject to attenuation as it is transmitted from the distal end of the video push-cable to the proximal end of the video push-cable. This attenuation may cause the received signal to differ from the transmitted signal. The CCU may be enabled to send, or cause to be sent, to the camera head, a message requesting that the camera transmit a fixed reference pattern. The camera may then reply with an acknowledgement of the request, and transmit a fixed reference pattern to the CCU. For example, the fixed reference pattern or signal may be the "color bars" of analog video or some other signal such as a black and white "checkerboard". A difference between what the sent reference pattern from the camera head and received reference pattern at the CCU may be used to generate a correction pattern or signal. The correction pattern or signal may then be applied to subsequently received video or still images, to correct for the attenuation or other undesirable influence of the push-cable. Such a system may operate continuously or periodically as the video pipe inspection camera is advanced into the pipe thereby continuously or periodically correcting for any changes in the signal properties communicated via the push-cable. In some embodiments, the system may save, separately from the video or still images, a time series of correction data that may optionally be applied to the received video or still images, such that the alteration or correction of the video or still images may be reversed by the operator of the system if desired.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for microphone or other acoustic sensor control based detected motion of a camera head, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure, is described. In step <NUM>, the pipe inspection may begin wherein video and non-video data including both in-pipe acoustic/audio data and camera head motion data are generated. The in-pipe acoustic data may be generated by a digital microphone or other acoustic sensor, such as a <NUM> bit MEMs microphone or a similar bit range acoustic sensor. In a step <NUM>, camera head motion may be measured. The camera head motion data may be generated by one or more motion which may be one or more multi-axis motion sensors such as a <NUM>-axis motion sensor. The motion data may be handled as quaternions in encoding and embedding such non-video motion data in the video signal.

In a step <NUM>, a decision stage as to whether the camera head motion is beyond a predetermined threshold may be implemented. This may be determined at the camera head or, in some embodiments, motion data may be communicated to the CCU or like connected computing device for determining camera head motion. From step <NUM>, if the camera motion is above a predetermined threshold, in a step <NUM> the gain for the microphone may be lowered such that the audio signal may be back into the threshold. In a step <NUM> following step <NUM>, the pipe inspection may continue. The method <NUM> may either end or again repeat back at the step <NUM> wherein the question again may be asked as to whether the camera head motion is beyond a predetermined threshold. If the motion data is not beyond the predetermined threshold, the method <NUM> may proceed to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection may continue. From step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may either end or again repeat back at the step <NUM> wherein a decision stage may be implemented as to whether the camera head motion is beyond a predetermined threshold.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for boot loading a camera head in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure is described. In a first step <NUM>, the pipe inspection system may be turned on. In a step <NUM>, camera head data may be received at the CCU. For instance, camera head data describing the type or aspects of the camera head or otherwise authentication data for the camera head (as described further in method <NUM> of <FIG>) may be embedded into the VBI data or otherwise in the signal received by the CCU sent from the camera head. In a step <NUM>, the CCU may boot load the camera head by sending program instruction relating to the camera head firmware and/or software instructions and based on the camera head data from the prior step. In a step <NUM>, the pipe inspection may begin.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> is described for authenticating a camera head, which may function to deter theft of a camera head in keeping with the present disclosure. In a step <NUM>, a pipe inspection system, including a camera head coupled to a CCU via a push-cable as described in the system and device embodiments described herein, may be turned on. In a step <NUM>, the CCU may receive authentication data from the camera head. For instance, the processing element(s) of the camera heads in keeping with the present disclosure may be, include, or function in part as a cryptoprocessor. Such a cryptoprocessor may generate authentication data at the camera head that may be sent to a like cryptoprocessor which may be a processing element in the CCU. In a step <NUM>, the authentication data may be evaluated. Such an evaluation may, for instance, include checking against a database of correct or acceptable authentication data. Authentication may occur at the CCU, connected device, or a remote server or cloud server (e.g., cloud server <NUM> of <FIG>) in systems wherein an internet connection or like data connection may be established. In a step <NUM>, a question may be asked as to whether the authentication data is correct/acceptable. If the authentication data is correct/acceptable in step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection may begin. If the authentication data is not correct/acceptable in step <NUM>, the method <NUM> may continue to step <NUM> wherein the pipe inspection system may be disabled. In some system embodiments, the CCU may further include anti-theft measures such as, but not limited to, physical or software keys, passwords, or other software authentication means.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> is described for adding authentication data to a pipe inspection which may function to prevent fraudulent inspections. In a first step <NUM>, an inspection may begin generating video and non-video inspection data. Such a step may include a pipe inspection system having a camera head coupled to a CCU via a push-cable as described in the system and device embodiments herein. The system devices may be turned on to actuate the pipe inspection process and begin recording. In a step <NUM>, the pipe inspection system may communicate identifying data to a cloud server. Such identifying data may include time and/or location data and/or other data relating to the inspection provided by the cable reel and/or CCU and/or utility locator device and/or other system device. For instance, GNSS receivers in the various system devices may record a precise time and location on the Earth's surface. The time, location, or time and location may be included in the identifying data from the pipe inspection system communicated to the cloud server.

In other embodiments, identifying data maybe or include other data including but not limited to images collected during the inspection. In a step <NUM>, authentication data may be correlated to the inspection. The authentication data may, for instance, assign an alphanumeric number or similar identifier to the inspection which may be generated via the cloud server and/or by one or more pipe inspection system devices. In some embodiments, the GPS coordinates or other location data and/or time stamp data relevant to the inspection may be used to generate and correlate authentication data with the inspection. In other embodiments, the authentication data may be or include the identifying data from step <NUM>. In yet other embodiments, the authentication data may serve to encapsulate an uninterrupted, unaltered recorded inspection or portion of the inspection. In a step <NUM>, the authentication data referencing the inspection may be stored on non-transitory computer readable memories on the cloud server. Likewise, the inspection may be stored on one or more non-transitory computer readable memories which may include that disposed in the cloud server, one or more inspection system devices including the CCU, cable reel, utility locator device, and/or other computing devices (e.g., laptop or desktop computer, other server or database, smartphone, tablet, or like computing device).

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for authenticating an inspection is described. In a step <NUM>, playback of the inspection may be requested. For instance, a user may press a "start" button or otherwise request or initiate playback of the inspection. In a step <NUM>, the authentication data of the inspection requested for playback may be compared against the stored authentication data on the cloud server. For instance, the CCU, computer, or other display device may communicate with the cloud server containing stored authentication data. In a step <NUM>, a determination may be made as to whether the inspection authentication data matches that of the stored authentication data on the cloud server. For instance, GPS coordinates or other location data and/or time stamp data and/or other data or images relating to the requested inspection may be compared to that stored on a cloud server. In a step <NUM> leading from the decision in step <NUM>, if the authentication data does match, playback of the inspection may begin. In a step <NUM> leading from the decision in step <NUM>, if the authentication data does not match playback of the inspection may not begin. In other embodiments, if authentication data does not match, a warning may alternatively be generated regarding mismatched authentication data and/or possible fraudulent inspection data.

Turning to <FIG>, a method <NUM> for phase synchronizing an electromagnetic sonde with a receiving utility locator device or other signal receiving device in a pipe inspection system is described. In a step <NUM>, GNSS signals may be received at one or more of the pipe inspection devices including a cable reel (e.g., such as cable reel <NUM> of <FIG>) and/or CCU (e.g., such as CCU <NUM> of <FIG>) as well as one or more utility locator devices (e.g., such as utility locator device <NUM> of <FIG>) and/or other devices for receiving the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal. In a step <NUM>, a pulsed timing signal may be communicated to an electromagnetic sonde disposed along the push-cable and/or in a camera head (e.g., a sonde <NUM> disposed along the push-cable <NUM> and/or sonde <NUM> in camera head <NUM> of <FIG>).

The pulsed timing signal may, for instance, be a <NUM> pulse-per-second (PPS) signal or similar timing signal relating to the precise clocking of received GNSS signals. In a step <NUM>, the electromagnetic sonde may generate and broadcast a signal based off the pulsed timing signal. For instance, the generated signal may use the timing signal to have a phase pattern which may be known or predicted at the utility locator device or like device above the ground surface. In a step <NUM>, the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal may be received at a utility locator device or other receiving device also receiving that has also received the GNSS signals. The phase pattern of the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal may be synchronized to the expected phase pattern of the utility locator device or other receiving device. In some embodiments, the orientation of the sonde in the pipe or other conduit, and thereby the orientation of the attached camera head, may be determined based on measuring the current flow direction of the synchronized phase of the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal at the utility locator device.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, certain functions, methods and processes described herein related to control of and/or data communication to or from imaging modules, illumination modules, processing elements, and/or other electronic elements of camera heads, sensors, and associated inspection systems may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.

It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps or stages in the processes and methods disclosed herein are examples of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps or stages in the processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. Any accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented unless explicitly noted.

For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles or any combination thereof.

Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the disclosure.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein and, for example, in processing elements as described herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core or any other such configuration. A processing element may furthering include or be coupled to one or more memory elements for storing instructions, data and/or other information in a non-transitory digital storage format.

The steps or stages of a method, process or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, CD-ROMs or any other form of storage medium known or developed in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to the storage medium.

The scope of the presently claimed invention is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown and described previously herein, but should be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more. As an example, "at least one of: a, b, or c" is intended to cover: a; b; c; a and b; a and c; b and c; and a, b and c.

Claim 1:
A method for phase synchronizing an electromagnetic sonde, comprising:
receiving (<NUM>) at least one global navigation satellite system, GNSS, signal at a cable reel and/or at a camera control unit, CCU, and a utility locator device;
communicating (<NUM>) a pulsed timing signal from the cable reel and/or CCU to an electromagnetic sonde;
generating and broadcasting (<NUM>) a signal from the electromagnetic sonde based on the pulsed timing signal, wherein the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal is phase synchronized with an expected phase pattern of the utility locator device;
receiving (<NUM>) the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal having a predefined phase pattern to the utility locator device from the GNSS signal;
determining an orientation of the electromagnetic sonde in a pipe or other conduit based on measuring a current flow direction of the synchronized phase of the broadcasted electromagnetic sonde signal at the utility locator device; and
determining the orientation of a camera head attached to the electromagnetic sonde using the orientation of the electromagnetic sonde.