Untitled record

description

Technical area

The present invention describes a cleaning method with digital data management when cleaning a pipe or shaft using a cleaning nozzle operated with a cleaning liquid, the cleaning nozzle having a camera module and the cleaning method being carried out by a cleaning service provider.

State of the art

[0002] Already in CH716964, the applicant had set himself the task of creating a cleaning process with digital data management, which has improved user-friendliness for the client of the cleaning process. The cleaning results should be easy to archive, which also increases user-friendliness for the cleaning service provider. Since the cleaning results are easily accessible to everyone involved through data management, data can even be available in real time. The aim should be to prevent data from falling into the hands of unauthorized persons.

[0003] This could also be achieved whereby the cleaning process and the storage of the visual results of the cleaning were carried out completely digitally.

1 shows a cleaning method with digital data management when cleaning pipes or shafts, which uses a cleaning nozzle 1 which is operated with cleaning fluid, the cleaning nozzle 1 having a camera module and the cleaning method being carried out by a cleaning service provider RD, where the steps:

a) carrying out the cleaning by the cleaning service provider RD after inserting the cleaning nozzle 1 into the pipe or shaft at a cleaning location,

b) Recording a video during or after cleaning using the camera module of the cleaning nozzle 1,

c) transmitting the video to a mobile device 2 by cable or wirelessly over a first route a),

d) Transmitting the video with recorded position data of the cleaning location of the pipe or the shaft, a position determining device 3 being arranged in the cleaning nozzle 1 or in the mobile device 2, to a protected memory in a data cloud 4, which is provided by the cleaning service provider RD and/or the nozzle manufacturer H is managed, via a second route b,

e) retrieving the protected memory in the data cloud 4 of the cleaning service provider RD and/or the nozzle manufacturer H through prior registration and authentication by a client AG of the cleaning process, whereby

f) Recorded videos are displayed on a screen with a stored card and each video with the associated cleaning location can be retrieved from the memory in the data cloud 4.

[0005] Both the cleaning service provider and the client can view the cleaning videos from the protected storage in the data cloud and thus check that and to what extent the cleaning has been carried out. However, this can lead to differences of opinion between the client and the cleaning service provider, depending on the cleaning requirements and the assessment of the cleaning results.

[0006] Until now, the video evaluation had been carried out by the operator, the cleaning staff or generally the cleaning service provider, with only the subjective analog impression of the video images being used before the video data was saved and made accessible in the data cloud 4. The video data could be accessed in Data Cloud 4 without further comments, but the client had to view the videos themselves, which sometimes took a lot of time and in reality is only carried out in bullet points, if at all.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention has set itself the task of improving the cleaning of pipes and shafts using cleaning nozzles with a video camera and the digital data recording and digital data management with storage of the video data in a data cloud, so that reproducible cleaning results are achieved and can be easily accessed from the video data provided in the Data cloud can be read by the client and the cleaning service provider and there are no later discussions. The cleaning service provider strives for transparency and customer friendliness.

Variations of combinations of features and adaptations of the invention, especially with regard to the evaluation of the video data, can be found in the following detailed description.

CH 720 477 A2

Brief description of the drawings

A preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is described below in connection with the accompanying drawings in the detailed description.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention also emerge from the following description of slightly modified embodiments of the invention, some of which will be clear to those skilled in the art from the drawings alone. They are shown in

Figure 1 shows some features of the cleaning process with digital data management when cleaning pipes or shafts in a schematic view according to the prior art.

Figure 2a shows a screen shot of the app with access to the videos stored in the cloud with a stored road map, while

Figure 2b shows a stored video in the upper part and additional information in the lower part of the screen view.

FIG. 3 shows a screen view after registration and authentication in the memory of the data cloud by a client for checking the videos recorded at different cleaning locations.

description

The cleaning process uses a cleaning nozzle 1, with a data management system D coupled or connected to the cleaning process enabling the further processing of a recorded video and further data. A client AG has ordered a cleaning service provider RD to carry out the cleaning process of a pipe or a shaft at a cleaning location. The cleaning service provider RD then carries out the cleaning process, with data being automatically stored in a memory. This memory is located in a data cloud 4 and, above all, can be accessed in a simplified manner by the client AG. In addition to recording and storing data, the data management system D also includes access or retrieval and the simple representation of the cleaning process data necessary for quality assurance. The data management system D makes the digital data management process possible after the actual cleaning process. The cleaning service provider RD and/or a nozzle manufacturer H provide a necessary app and access to the storage in the data cloud 4 for the client AG. It goes without saying that the cleaning service provider RD and/or the nozzle manufacturer H have access to the memory in the data cloud 4.

The cleaning nozzle 1 is supplied with cleaning liquid, usually water, by means of a high-pressure line and comprises at least one thrust nozzle with which propulsion through pipes and shafts can take place. Cleaning is carried out, with the cleaning nozzle 1 being inserted into the pipe or shaft and the inner walls being cleaned using cleaning liquid.

The cleaning nozzle 1 comprises at least one camera module with at least one camera, with which videos can be recorded before, during and/or after the cleaning process. At least one light source should be arranged on the cleaning nozzle 1 so that the surroundings are better illuminated when recording the video. The power supply for the camera module and the lamp can be provided by a cable, or by a battery or a built-in rechargeable battery with control. The cable can be part of the high-pressure line, which, in addition to the cleaning fluid, also conducts electrical signals. The cleaning nozzle 1 is particularly preferably constructed in several parts and has at least one stator part and one rotor part. Suitable camera modules with power supply and data transmission are known.

The recorded videos are sent via a first route a using appropriate means on the cleaning nozzle 1 to a mobile device 2 of the cleaning service provider RD, which carries out the cleaning. For this purpose, the cleaning nozzle 1 has corresponding transmission means or a data transmission device with which the first route a to the mobile device 2 is overcome via cable or wirelessly. The wireless transmission from the cleaning nozzle 1 to the mobile device 2 takes place wirelessly via known radio technology in ISM bands, for example as a Bluetooth connection or as a WLAN connection.

The mobile device 2 has a screen on which the video can be viewed by an operator of the cleaning service provider RD directly during the cleaning process or after the video has been recorded on the mobile device 2.

In addition to the video, position data of the cleaning location of the pipe or shaft in the cleaning nozzle 1 and/or in the mobile device 2 is recorded and assigned to the recorded video. For this purpose, the cleaning nozzle 1 and/or the mobile device 2 has a positioning device 3 in the form of a GPS module 3. The position data of the position determination device 3 in the form of a global position determination system or global navigation satellite system define unique position data of the cleaning location, i.e. the location at which the cleaning nozzle 1 cleans. In this way, the video is assigned unique position data of the cleaning location in the mobile device 2 for further use.

CH 720 477 A2

The video with associated position data is then sent over a second route b from the mobile device 2 to a memory in a data cloud 4 or a cloud storage and stored there. For this purpose, the mobile device 2 must have a suitable data transmission device, which is operated with an app. The video and the associated position data of the cleaning location can be sent in real time, while the video is being recorded or only after the cleaning job has been completed, from the mobile device 2 or an app on the mobile device 2 to the cloud 4, with the cloud being the storage in the data cloud 4 is meant. The second route b can be partially wired or partly represent wireless data transmission to the cloud 4, whereby well-known wireless radio technology in ISM bands, in particular as a WLAN connection, is used here.

[0018] Preferably, the data collection and sending to the cloud 4 is carried out automatically and controlled by an app on the mobile device 2 of the cleaning service provider RD. Controlling the video recording using the camera module of the cleaning nozzle 1, for example adjusting the brightness, zooming, or starting and stopping the recording, can also take place using an app on the mobile device 2.

[0019] The memory in the data cloud 4 is accessible to the cleaning service provider RD, so that the video and additional information can be saved there automatically.

In order for the client AG to also have access to the storage in the data cloud 4 with the videos and additional information he has commissioned, the client AG must be registered and authenticated with the cleaning service provider RD and/or with a nozzle manufacturer H in order to access the data cloud 4. This precautionary measure is necessary so that no one has unauthorized access to cleaning data, comprehensive videos and additional information. That is why the client AG must carry out registration or authentication before first access, which in the simplest case can consist of password protection. The client AG can then have access to the videos and additional information in the data cloud 4 even in real time. Access to the data cloud 4 usually takes place via an Internet connection IN.

[0021] If the client AG can access the protected storage in the data cloud 4 through registration and authentication, the client AG has access to the recorded videos for quality control. The data can be viewed and also saved locally at the client AG.

Particularly user-friendly programming of the data management system is provided, which calls up a street map for the client AG, on which cleaning locations are identified with created and saved videos.

[0023] If the client AG uses a mobile device to access the protected storage in the data cloud 4, the app can be displayed on the mobile device according to FIG. 2a. Existing videos are marked in the form of balloons on a stored street map. If you select one of the balloons, additional information is displayed and/or the recorded video of this cleaning location, which is shown in Figure 2b. A browser view of a stored street map with cleaning locations marked on it in balloon form, where videos are stored, is shown in Figure 3. This data can be accessed from the memory in the data cloud 4.

Starting and stopping the video recording, displaying the current video recording, overlaying the video with the associated position data determined at the cleaning location and sending the video data with associated position data can be carried out using an app on the mobile device 2 of the cleaning service provider RD.

By recording and transmitting the videos of the cleaned pipes or shafts, when linked to position data, an improved representation of the data from the memory of the data cloud 4 can be made available to the client. Archiving the videos is also easier, whereby the position data can always be saved and accessed accordingly for checking. The user-friendliness for the client AG is significantly increased. As a by-product, data archiving by the cleaning service provider RD in Cloud 4 is also simplified.

Optionally, additional cleaning information, for example the type of cleaning nozzle used, camera settings, as well as temperature and/or humidity, can be recorded by the cleaning nozzle 1 during the video recording and transmitted to the mobile device 2 via the first route a. Corresponding sensors must be arranged on the cleaning nozzle 1 so that the additional cleaning information can be determined. This can happen automatically, preferably through an app on the mobile device 2.

Further additional information, such as the name of the person cleaning, the company name of the cleaning service provider and, for example, comments on the environment or condition of the pipes and shafts, can be entered via the mobile device 2, assigned to the pipe and/or shaft to be cleaned. This additional information must be entered manually on the mobile device 2.

The points shown on the road map in the online representation of the cleaning locations represent the cleaned shafts or pipes on which videos are recorded and stored in the memory 4 in the data cloud.

The videos are recorded during the last cleaning step or after cleaning when the cleaning nozzle 1 is moved out of the inner surfaces of the pipes and shafts, with artificial intelligence doing the cleaning here

CH 720 477 A2 automatically detects the cleaning level based on the video images and saves the video accordingly with an associated cleaning level.

The cleaning level can be defined based on at least two parameters, which is possible by an appropriately trained artificial intelligence based on at least one trained neural network.

The underlying technology of neural networks and trained artificial intelligence has been known for a long time. Here, the at least one neural network was trained in advance with video images of differently dirty interiors of pipes and shafts after or during cleaning. Cleaning levels were assigned to the archive images so that by analyzing defined parameters, the artificial intelligence is able to determine the cleaning level itself after sufficient training. Training techniques are also known for training the at least one neural network and various can be used.

The parameters for the cleaning level were those visible in video images

1. Amounts of organic components, especially plant components such as roots, branches, leaves or flowers, solid or loose

2. Amounts of natural and artificial aggregates such as gravel, sand, chippings, gravel and stone (loose deposits)

3. Amounts of deposited fats and/or oil layers, loose.

4. Amounts of solid deposits such as concrete and mortar.

5. Amounts of leftovers, loose or solid.

used to define the cleaning achieved. You could also define other objects that can occur as deposits in pipes and shafts as parameters for determining the cleaning level, but basically two of them are enough. The parameters listed here represent the common contaminants. Depending on the area of application of the cleaning process, there may be other chemical or physical deposits that can be used to train the artificial intelligence.

The neural network should be trained with at least 100 to 1000 example videos, preferably with at least 500, although of course even more training images lead to even more reliable results. Since the hardware of the cleaning service provider RD includes the cleaning nozzle 1 with camera module and the mobile device 2, the recorded video data can be sent via the mobile device 2 to the memory in the data cloud 4, whereby the artificial intelligence software, the at least one trained neural network, is also included is stored in the data cloud 4 or on a geographically remote server of the cleaning service provider RD or the nozzle manufacturer H and runs there. Once the cleaning levels have been determined, they are assigned to the evaluated videos and each video can be provided with a reference to the cleaning level, in addition to the associated cleaning location and additional data, so that all data can be displayed on a screen with a street map.

The automation of determining the cleaning level based on the video images of the cleaning nozzle 1 perfects digital data management. During the cleaning process, the recording of video data, the evaluation of the cleaning level, the storage of the data, the sending to a data cloud and the electronic access to the data are completely digitalized and automated.

The artificial intelligence and thus the at least one neural network behind it fully automatically recognizes the cleaning level and assigns it to each video and thus to the cleaned pipe or shaft. The evaluation of the cleaning level is thus achieved reproducibly by the AI.

[0036] So that the client AG, who wants to view the recorded videos in the memory in the data cloud 4, can already see, for example, based on a green frame around the icon of the video, that the AI has recognized a cleaned pipe with the highest cleaning level. If contamination can still be seen in the video, i.e. a parameter that is above saved target values, then a yellow or red frame around the video icon can simply indicate that the cleaning is below a cleaning level.

List of reference symbols

[0037]

CLEANING NOZZLE

Mobile device

Position determination device / GPS module

Storage in data cloud/cloud storage network

RD cleaning service provider

AG client

CH 720 477 A2

H nozzle manufacturer

D data management system

IN Internet connection a, b Communications connection (of the data management system, wired or wireless)