Geospatial Asset Imaging With Selective Pruning for Faster Inspections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current asset management systems for infrastructure and assets face challenges in efficiently and safely collecting and maintaining accurate data on asset conditions, leading to hazardous inspections, inefficient resource management, and outdated information, which can result in safety risks and increased organizational liability.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing data collection devices equipped with cameras and sensors, combined with geospatial functions, computer vision, and artificial intelligence, to automate the identification, recording, and assessment of asset conditions, while providing selective data pruning and integration with asset management systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual inspection methods are used to collect asset data, then inspectors can document asset conditions, but the process is time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection processes with automated electronic data collection systems. Sensors, cameras, and GPS devices mounted on vehicles automatically capture asset data, replacing the mechanical actions of manual inspection and documentation. This substitution eliminates human error in data collection while significantly reducing inspection time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service data collection where the inspection process performs its own data gathering and documentation functions. The automated system collects, processes, and stores asset condition data without requiring human inspectors to manually document findings, making the inspection process self-sufficient and highly efficient.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive asset data is collected and stored, then complete asset information is available, but data management becomes complex and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates critical asset data from the complete dataset for prioritized management. The system identifies and extracts essential information such as asset location, condition status, and maintenance priorities, separating these from comprehensive raw data. This extraction approach maintains complete information availability while simplifying management focus to the most critical data elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different management qualities to different data elements based on their importance. Critical asset information receives priority management and storage, while less critical data is managed with different resource allocation. This local quality approach ensures complete information is preserved while optimizing management resources for the most important data.
3Reliability
If frequent asset inspections are conducted to ensure safety, then asset conditions are monitored, but costs and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic inspection scheduling that adapts inspection frequency based on real-time asset condition data. The system continuously monitors asset conditions and automatically adjusts inspection schedules, increasing frequency for deteriorating assets and reducing frequency for stable assets. This dynamic approach maintains high safety standards while optimizing resource allocation to match actual asset needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes continuous feedback loops where inspection data informs future inspection scheduling and maintenance decisions. Real-time condition monitoring provides feedback that automatically triggers targeted inspections only when conditions warrant attention, rather than following fixed schedules. This feedback mechanism ensures safety through condition-based monitoring while significantly reducing unnecessary inspection costs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is intended to provide enhanced asset data collection functions, asset analysis, and/or asset alerts. The system assists in updating existing asset records, adding new assets to asset inventories, identifying maintenance issues, and/or identifying assets which are no longer present. The system is composed of a data collection device(s) which can collect images and location sensor data, server(s), and client interface(s) for interacting with the collected and/or processed data. The system also includes image processing operations and data pruning and selection functions for the smart asset data collection and processing, allowing to obtain the appropriate data for the appropriate asset at the appropriate time.