# US 10,502,834 B2 · Method and device for detecting the form of sails > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,834 B2 - Document ID: US10502834B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/515,237 - Filed: 2015-09-28 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-29 - Assignees: Politecnico Di Milano - Applicants: Politecnico Di Milano; Fondazione Cariplo - Inventors: Fabio Fossati; Remo Sala; Ambra Vandone; Giacomo Mainetti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502834B2 ## CPC - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - B63H 9/04: using sails or like wind-catching surfaces (sail or rigging arrangements specially adapted for water sports boards, e.g. for windsurfing or kitesurfing B63H8/00) - G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A method for detecting the form of sails and the like wherein in the form detection is brought about by means of a three-dimensional measurement of a plurality of locations of the surface of the sail, which measurement is carried out by means of measurement of the time-of-flight of an optical signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting the form of a sail, comprising detecting the form of the sail by a three-dimensional measurement of a plurality of locations of a surface of the sail, which measurement is carried out by measurement of a time-of-flight of an optical signal, wherein the optical signal is used to generate a cloud of locations measured on the sail and the locations of the cloud of locations are then interpolated in order to generate a real surface of the sail during operation, and the real surface is compared with a theoretical design surface of the sail in order to adjust the sail via the comparison between the real surface and the theoretical design surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical signal is generated and received by one or more 3D cameras. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more 3D cameras are time-of-flight cameras. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical signal comprises a laser signal is received by means of a multi-echo time-of-flight (TOF) laser scanner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the laser scanner is oscillated about an axis perpendicular to an axis of a rotating mirror of the laser scanner through an angle such that the laser of the scanner progressively illuminates the entire surface of the sail. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the laser signal is generated and received by a time-of-flight (TOF) laser scanner having 5 or more echoes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the TOF laser scanner is controlled by a computer program which controls a motorization unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the laser scanner is oscillated about an axis perpendicular to an axis of a rotating mirror of the laser scanner through an angle such that the laser of the scanner progressively illuminates the entire surface of the sail. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein an angle of rotation about an axis (15) is adjusted according to the dimensions of the sail and a position of the TOF laser scanner, and is such as to illuminate the entire surface of the sail starting from an initial scanning position that is determined, for each acquisition of data, by a proximity transducer (25) mounted on a bracket (14), and the proximity transducer is sensitive to an angular position of the scanner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the motorization unit comprises a brushless motor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the optical signal is generated by: an optical time-of-flight detection device, or an optical time-of-flight detection device mounted on the plane of the deck of a sailing boat. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the optical time-of-flight detection device comprises at least three or more 3D cameras, and the at least three or more 3D cameras comprise at least three or more time-of-flight camera which frames the vertexes of the sail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the optical time-of-flight detection device comprises one or more 3D cameras. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the optical time-of-flight detection device comprises at least three time-of-flight cameras which can frame the volume comprised within the vertexes of the sail. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein either optical time-of-flight detection device comprises a time-of-flight laser scanner; and, a motorization unit of the laser scanner in order to rotate the laser scanner about an axis perpendicular to an axis of a rotating mirror of the laser scanner through an angle such that the laser of the laser scanner progressively illuminates the entire surface of the sail. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the laser scanner is a multi-echo time-of-flight (TOF) scanner. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the motorization unit comprises a controlled rotating actuator, or the motorization unit comprises a brushless gear motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a computer program via a serial port controls the controlled rotating actuator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein an acquisition or receiving of data is via a TCP/IP protocol and saved in a mass storage device of a computer, generating the cloud of locations (points) whose 3D coordinates are measured in a single absolute reference for each individual point, and the cloud of locations describes the three-dimensional shape of the sail in the conditions of use corresponding to the detection of the data, and this cloud is transformed into a three-dimensional surface by a computer program. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein acquisition or receiving of data from the laser scanner is managed via an Ethernet connection through a user interface of the laser scanner. ### Claim 21 A method for detecting the form of a sail, comprising detecting the form of the sail by a three-dimensional measurement of a plurality of locations of a surface of the sail, which measurement is carried out by measurement of a time-of-flight of an optical signal, wherein the optical signal comprises a laser signal generated and received by means of a multi-echo time-of-flight (TOF) laser scanner, and the TOF laser scanner is controlled by a computer program which controls a motorization unit, and wherein an angle of rotation about an axis (15) is adjusted according to the dimensions of the sail and a position of the TOF laser scanner, and is such as to illuminate the entire surface of the sail over a time interval, starting from an initial scanning position that is determined, for each acquisition of data, by a proximity transducer (25) mounted on a bracket (14), and the proximity transducer is sensitive to an angular position of the scanner. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the optical signal: (a) is generated and received by one or more 3D cameras, or (b) is generated and received by one or more time-of-flight cameras. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the motorization unit comprises a brushless motor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the time interval is about a second.