Asset integrity monitoring using cellular networks

Abstract

An ultrasound sensing system for monitoring the condition or integrity of a structure, comprising: a plurality of ultrasound sensors, each sensor being configured to receive at least one first electrical signal, transmit an ultrasound signal in response to said first electrical signal, receive at least one reflected ultrasound signal, and transmit a second electrical signal in response to said reflected ultrasound signal, said first and second electrical signals being analog; and at least one digital sensor interface (DSI) to which at least a portion of said sensors are connectable, said DSI being configured to transmit said first electrical signal and receive said second electrical signal, and to generate at least an A-scan signal based on said first and second electrical signals for each sensor, said DSI having a cellular transceiver for transmitting a cellular signal based directly or indirectly on at least said A-scan signal, said cellular signal including an address corresponding to said at least one DSI.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound sensing system for monitoring the condition or integrity of a structure, comprising:
 a plurality of ultrasound sensors, each sensor being configured to receive at least one first electrical signal, transmit an ultrasound signal in response to said first electrical signal, receive at least one reflected ultrasound signal, and transmit a second electrical signal in response to said reflected ultrasound signal, said first and second electrical signals being analog; and   at least one digital sensor interface (DSI) to which at least a portion of said sensors are connectable, said DSI being configured to transmit said first electrical signal and receive said second electrical signal, and to generate at least an A-scan signal based on said first and second electrical signals for each sensor, said DSI having a cellular transceiver for transmitting a cellular signal based directly or indirectly on at least said A-scan signal, said cellular signal including an address corresponding to said at least one DSI.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said cellular transceiver is configured to communicate with a third-party cellular network. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a user interface connectable to said cellular network to receive said cellular signal.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said cellular transceiver is configured to communicate with a cloud server via said third-party cellular network. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to facilitate display information based on said A-scan signal.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said user interface runs a standard browser. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said user interface is a standard browser-enabled device such as a laptop computer, tablet or smart phone. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said cellular transceiver is configured to call out, and not to receive calls. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery to operate said DSI. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said DSI is configured to read said sensors at a first frequency and to store readings from said sensors in memory, and to upload via said cellular network said readings stored in said memory at a second frequency, which is less than said first frequency. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first frequency is daily and said second frequency is weekly. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said DSI is configured to upload said readings to a cloud server. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising said cloud server. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said cloud server is configured to store said readings and execute post processing. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said post processing includes one or more of compensation for temperature drift or statistical analysis of a corrosion rate. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said cloud server is configured to generate an alarm if a reading is above or below a preset. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said cloud server is configured to host a user interface that is accessible from a web browser to allow users to view and interact with said readings. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor is a dual element sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said DSI comprises encryption functionality for encrypting said cellular signal. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said DSI comprises functionality to establish a VPN between said DSI and cloud data storage.