Abstract: A system for determining a condition of an asset such as a vehicle or a machine tool includes a diagnostic tool. The diagnostic tool for determining a condition of a vehicle includes an inspection unit having a scanner, a camera, a laser pointer, and a thermometer, a communication unit having a transceiver, a wireless and a Bluetooth, and a user interface unit having a microphone, LED lights and a speaker. The diagnostic tool acquires a vehicle identification number (VIN), transmits the VIN information, and receives basic information including an inspection procedure provided from a manufacturer of the vehicle and history information of the vehicle associated with the acquired VIN for providing a new health condition of the vehicle under inspection. A method for determining a condition of an asset is also performed by the system including the diagnostic tool.

Abstract: A portable inspection unit is provided. The portable inspection unit may include a unit body, a flexible cable, and an imager housing. The flexible cable may extend from the unit body and the imager housing may be disposed at a distal end of the flexible cable. The portable inspection unit may be configured to receive an actuating accessory.

Abstract: A portable inspection unit is provided. The portable inspection unit may include a unit body, a flexible cable, and an imager housing. The flexible cable may extend from the unit body and the imager housing may be disposed at a distal end of the flexible cable. The portable inspection unit may include a grasper that extends and retracts from the imager housing.

Abstract: The portable inspection unit may include a unit body, a flexible cable, and an imager housing. The flexible cable may extend from the unit body and the imager housing may be disposed at a distal end of the flexible cable. The portable inspection unit may be configured to receive an actuating accessory.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a remote video inspection device. The method includes: applying an insulating coating to an exterior surface of a conduit; forming an imager housing on one end of the conduit using an overmolding process, the imager housing having a cavity configured to receive a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed thereon; feeding wires through the conduit and electrically coupling the wires to the circuit board assembly; inserting the circuit board assembly into the cavity of the imager housing; affixing a cap over the cavity of the imager housing; sliding an insulating finger guard over an opposing end of the conduit; affixing the finger guard along the conduit at a location proximate to the opposing end of the cable, such that the finger guard extends radially outward from the cable; and attaching a connector to the opposing end of the conduit. In this way, the remote inspection device has been designed to meet certain electrical safety standards.

Abstract: A portable inspection unit is provided. The portable inspection unit may include a unit body, a flexible cable, and an imager housing, The flexible cable may extend from the unit body and the imager housing may be disposed at a distal end of the flexible cable. The portable inspection unit may be configured to receive an actuating accessory.

Abstract: A light dispersal unit or light pipe for a video imaging device includes a transparent body. The body includes a tubular ring having an outer diameter and a through bore defining an inner diameter. Four equidistantly spaced raised portions are homogenously joined to the tubular ring. The ring has a semi-circular shape corresponding to the outer and inner diameters of the tubular ring. The raised portions each include a slot created between opposed first and second extending portions, the slot having an end wall and opposed first and second slot walls. A rounded end face defines a free end of each of the first and second extending portions facing away from the tubular ring. The rounded end face includes at least two curved portions each having a different radius of curvature. The light pipe can be a tapered light pipe having a flange portion for mounting the tapered light pipe.

Abstract: A remote inspection device imager assembly includes an imager body having a male threaded portion. An accessory assembly includes: a tubular body portion having first internal female threads engaged with the male threaded portion such that tubular body portion rotation axially translates the tubular body portion with respect to the imager body; and a mirror obliquely angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of both the imager assembly. A threaded coupler positioned between the imager body and tubular body portion has second internal female threads engaged with the male threaded portion. The threaded coupler is selectively axially translated by rotation to a first contact position with the imager body or a second contact position with the tubular body portion. The second contact position binds the first and second internal female threads with the male threaded portion to prevent tubular body portion axial rotation and fix a mirror orientation.

Abstract: A print monitoring system is disclosed using combination of analog signal processing circuits and signal processors on the slave processing boards to avoid the need for analog-to-digital converters and dedicated frame buffers between the slave processor and the video capture device. Additionally, the division of labor between the slave processors and the master processor is configured such that the slave processors perform a larger portion of the data manipulation, data analysis for the captured images. The master processor can be simply used to collect the decoded data and/or data analysis results from the slave processors and to run the interface to the operator to communicate the data/results. Finally, a graphical user interface between the user and the master processor is used to facilitate the calibration of the system and specifically the images captured by each of the video cameras.

Abstract: A method for encoding, on an imprintable medium, identification information for identifying the imprintable medium in a manner detectable by a print-monitoring system includes the steps of defining an identification pattern. The identification pattern is imprinted on a print control region so as to be relatively inconspicuous to an unaided human reviewer of the printed matter while remaining detectable to a print monitoring system. The method includes the step of imprinting, at a plurality of locations in the print control region, a plurality of bit characters detectable by the print control system. The spatial distribution of the bit characters encodes information about the identity of the document.

Abstract: Printed matter has printed informational content. This refers to the content of a given document which is relevant to the intended reviewer, e.g., the printed text of the letter or pictures. According to the invention, the printed matter also, however, comprises a print control symbol. This symbol is located at a predetermined position on the printed matter, which is separated from the printed informational content. The print control symbol is hidden such that it is not apparent to a reviewer of the printed matter and encodes information concerning the printed matter such as sequencing information, which is relevant to the printing system during printing and mailing, for example.