US 5,857,032 AGranted

System and method for measuring and monitoring three-dimensional shaped objects

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsWeiping Wang, Michael Evans Graham, John Knox Hinds, Garth M. Nelson

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Abstract

This invention discloses a system and method for measuring and monitoring three-dimensional shaped objects with projections of computer models of the objects. The computer models of the three-dimensional shaped objects are in the form of grid patterns. An image of the computer model of grid patterns is simultaneously projected from a dual projection system in two directions onto a real world instance of the object. Any variation between the computer model and the real world instance of the object is highlighted directly on the object by interference patterns of the two projections on the real world instance. The variation is quantified by counting the number of interference patterns on the real world instance of the object.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring a three-dimensional shaped object, comprising:

a computer for generating a model of the three-dimensional shaped object having grid patterns;
a first projector for projecting an image of the computer generated model of grid patterns;
a second projector for projecting the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns, the first projector and the second projector having an overlapping projective space;
means for transforming the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns to the first projector and the second projector in real time, wherein individual data points located on the computer generated model of grid patterns are mapped to the first projector and the second projector, wherein the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns is projected from the first projector and the second projector onto a real world instance of the object;
and
means for comparing the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns projected from the first projector and the second projector with the real world instance of the object, the comparing means determining any variation between the projected images of the computer generated model of grid patterns on the real world instance.

3 more elements

A method for monitoring a three-dimensional shaped object, comprising the steps of:

generating a model of the three-dimensional shaped object having grid patterns;
providing a first projector;
providing a second projector, the first projector and second projector having an overlapping projective space;
transforming an image of the computer generated model of grid patterns to the first projector and the second projector in real time, wherein individual data points located on the computer generated model of grid patterns are mapped to the first projector and the second projector;
projecting the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns from the first projector and the second projector onto a real world instance of the object;
comparing the image of the computer generated model of grid patterns projected from the first projector and the second projector with the real world instance of the object;
and
determining any variation between the projected image of the computer generated model of grid patterns from the first projector and the second projector with the real world instance.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.