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US 10,065,318 B2Granted
Methods and systems of repairing a structure
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid Michael Bain, Phillip John Crothers, Martin Szarski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of repairing a structure is provided. The method includes inspecting the structure with a robotic device to identify a structural defect in the structure, generating a tool path for repairing the structural defect, and transmitting the tool path to the robotic device from a location remote from the robotic device.
Claims14
A method of repairing a structure, said method comprising:
- directing a robotic device to conduct a first scan of the structure using a scanner coupled to the robotic device to identify a structural defect in the structure;
- generating an image of the structure based on data obtained during the first scan of the structure;
- displaying the image of the structure and the identified structural defect on a user interface at a location remote from the robotic device after the inspection of the structure is complete;
- receiving a selection of an area of interest on the image that includes the identified structural defect;
- directing the robotic device to conduct a second scan of the structure at the area of interest with an inspection tool coupled to the robotic device, the inspection tool configured to perform a non-destructive inspection of the structure, to facilitate obtaining sub-surface geometry data of structural defect;
- generating a three-dimensional point cloud of the structure and structural defect, based on surface geometry data obtained during the first scan of the structure and sub-surface geometry data obtained during the second scan of the structure;
- generating a tool path for repairing the structural defect based on a user input received at the user interface;
- and
- transmitting the tool path to the robotic device from the location remote from the robotic device.
6 more elements
A system for use in repairing a structure, said system comprising:
- a robotic device comprising at least one inspection tool, wherein said robotic device is at a first location;
- and
- a computing device, comprising a user interface, coupled in communication with said robotic device, wherein said computing device and said user interface are at a second location remote from the first location, said computing device configured to:
- direct the robotic device to conduct a first scan of the structure with the at least one inspection tool to identify a structural defect in the structure;
- generate an image based on data obtained during the first scan of the structure;
- display the image of the structure and the identified structural defect on the user interface after the inspection of the structure is complete;
- receive a selection of an area of interest on the image that includes the identified structural defect;
- direct the robotic device to conduct a second scan of the structure at the area of interest;
- and
- generate a three-dimensional point cloud of the structure and structural defect based on surface geometry data obtained during the first scan of the structure and sub-surface geometry data obtained during the second scan of the structure;
- generate a tool path for repairing the structural defect based on a user input received at the user interface;
- and
- transmit the tool path to said robotic device.
10 more elements
A computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
- direct a robotic device to conduct a first scan of a structure with at least one inspection tool to identify a structural defect in the structure;
- generate an image based on data obtained during the first scan of the structure;
- display the image on a user interface at a location remote from the robotic device after the inspection of the structure is complete;
- receive a selection of an area of interest on the image;
- and
- direct the robotic device to conduct a second scan of the structure at the area of interest;
- generate a three-dimensional point cloud of the structure and structural defect based on surface geometry data obtained during the first scan of the structure and sub-surface geometry data obtained during the second scan of the structure;
- generate a tool path for repairing the structural defect based on a user input received at the user interface;
- and
- transmit the tool path to the robotic device from the location remote from the robotic device.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.