Patent · US Expired

Magnetic flux leakage inspection tool for pipelines

US6023986A · kind A · utility

90Cited by
20References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 1998
Grant dateFeb 15, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01M3/005
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention includes a pipeline feature or defect location system including an in-line inspection tool, an inertial navigation system (INS), control points for use with a global positioning system (GPS) and an INS, and a computer programmed with post processing software. Once the longitude, latitude and elevation of the pipeline feature or defect is identified using the in-line inspection system of this invention. The longitude latitude, and elevation of the pipeline feature or defect can be identified by the INS. An efficient method for improving the accuracy of the identified longitude, latitude and elevation of the pipeline feature or defect is by adjusting the geographic coordinates to those determined by using a GPS. Data collected from the pipeline feature or defect location system may be incorporated into geographic information service software.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.