Shallow angle shape sensor
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsNelson Pedreiro, Roelof W. H. van Bezooijen, Larry Dewell
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Abstract
A system for providing shape determination of a planar or quasi-planar surface is disclosed. The system includes a number of targets located on the surface and one or more sensor devices. The sensor devices are configured to monitor the targets and obtain information relating to deflections normal to the plane of the surface. The sensor devices are mounted close to each other and the line-of-sight of each sensor device is at a shallow angle to the plane of the surface. The system further includes processing logic configured to execute a shape reconstruction algorithm based on the information to determine the shape of the surface.
Claims53
A system for providing shape determination of a surface, the system comprising:
- a plurality of targets located on the surface;
- a plurality of sensor devices configured to obtain information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the line-of-sight of each sensor device is at a shallow angle relative to the plane of the surface, and wherein each sensor device is mounted to the surface;
- and
- processing logic configured to:
- derive deflection information based on the obtained information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the deflection information includes information relating to deflections of the plurality of targets normal to the plane of the surface;
- and
- execute a shape reconstruction algorithm based on the deflection information to determine the shape of the surface.
A shape determination system for determining the shape of a planar or quasi-planar surface associated with a structure, the system comprising:
- a plurality of targets located on the surface;
- a plurality of sensor devices configured to capture information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the angle between the line-of-sight of each sensor device and the plane of the surface is shallow, and wherein each sensor device is mounted to the surface;
- and
- processing logic configured to:
- derive deflection information based on the captured information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the deflection information includes information relating to deflections of the plurality of targets normal to the plane of the surface;
- select a shape reconstruction algorithms from a plurality of selectable shape reconstruction algorithms;
- and
- execute the selected shape reconstruction algorithm to determine the shape of the surface.
A method for determining the shape of a surface, the surface having a plurality of targets located thereon, comprising:
- using a plurality of sensor devices to capture information related to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the line-of-sight of each sensor device is at a shallow angle relative to the plane of the surface, and wherein each sensor device is mounted to the surface;
- and
- using a processor to derive deflection information based on the captured information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, the deflection information including information relating to deflections of the plurality of targets normal to the plane of the surface, and execute a shape reconstruction algorithm based on the deflection information to determine the shape of the surface.
A method for determining the shape of a planar or quasi-planar surface associated with a structure, the surface having a plurality of targets located thereon, comprising:
- using a plurality of sensor devices to capture information related to positions of the plurality of targets, wherein the angle between the line-of-sight of each sensor device and the plane of the surface is shallow, and wherein each sensor device is mounted to the surface;
- and
- using a processor to derive deflection information based on the captured information relating to positions of the plurality of targets, the deflection information including information relating to deflections of the plurality of targets normal to the plane of the surface, select a shape reconstruction algorithm from a plurality of selectable shape reconstruction algorithms and execute the selected shape reconstruction algorithm based on the deflection information to determine the shape of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.