# US 8,788,241 B2 · System for inspecting a hull of a ship and associated method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,241 B2 - Document ID: US8788241B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/001,787 - Filed: 2009-06-26 - Published: 2011-08-04 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-30 - Assignees: Dcns - Applicants: Olivier Myx - Inventors: Olivier Myx - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788241B2 ## CPC - G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves} - B63B 71/00: Designing vessels; Predicting their performance - G01B 17/02: for measuring thickness - G01N 2291/02854: Length, thickness - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A system for inspecting the hull of a vessel includes a movable machine which moves on the hull and a positioning element to determine an instantaneous position of the machine in a reference point. The positioning element includes: —first and second coaxial encoding wheels separated from each other by an inter-wheel spacing and in contact with the hull, and are capable of measuring first and second linear movements of the machine; —first and second inclinometers arranged so as to measure inclinations, relative to a reference direction, of a first axis and a second axis of a frame of reference linked to the machine; and, —a processing element, which receives data measured in order to calculate a variation of the position of the machine in the frame of reference, and in order to integrate the successive position variations in order to obtain the instantaneous position of the machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system (2) for inspecting the hull (52) of a vessel (50), comprising: a movable machine (4) with a movement means configured for movement on the surface of the hull of the vessel; and a positioning means that determines a position of the machine relative to a reference point fixed in space, the positioning means comprising first and second encoding wheels (32, 34) which are provided on the machine, which are coaxial and separated from each other by an inter-wheel spacing (D) along a transverse axis (4) perpendicular relative to a longitudinal movement axis (X) of the machine, which are in contact with the hull of the vessel, and which are capable of measuring first and second instantaneous linear movements of the machine, first and second inclinometers (42, 44) which are provided on the machine and which are arranged so as to measure instantaneous inclinations, relative to a frame of reference direction, of a first axis and a second axis of a frame of reference linked to the machine, respectively, and a processing means (24) which receives, as inputs, the first and second instantaneous linear movements and the first and second instantaneous inclinations and which is capable of calculating an instantaneous variation of the position of the machine in the frame of reference linked to the machine, and which is capable of integrating successive instantaneous position variations, from a known initial position (P0), in order to determine an instantaneous position of the machine in the frame of reference fixed in space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one sensor (22) for measuring a local value of a parameter which is characteristic of the hull of the vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein the first axis is parallel with a longitudinal direction (X) of the machine (4) and in that the second axis is parallel with a transverse direction (Y) of the machine (4), the first and second axes being orthogonal relative to a direction which is normal relative to the surface of the hull of the vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein the reference direction of the inclinometers (42, 44) is a geographical vertical line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, further comprising: a remote control station (6) which is in communication with the machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein the processing means (24) is provided on-board the machine (4). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the first axis is parallel with a longitudinal direction (X) of the machine (4) and in that the second axis is parallel with a transverse direction (Y) of the machine (4), the first and second axes being orthogonal relative to a direction which is normal relative to the surface of the hull of the vessel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The inspection system according to claim 7, wherein the reference direction of the inclinometers (42, 44) is a geographical vertical line. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The inspection system according to claim 7, further comprising: a remote control station (6) which is in communication with the machine. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The inspection system according to claim 7, wherein the processing means (24) is provided on-board the machine (4). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the reference direction of the inclinometers (42, 44) is a geographical vertical line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The inspection system according to claim 11, further comprising: a remote control station (6) which is in communication with the machine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The inspection system according to claim 11, wherein the processing means (24) is provided on-board the machine (4). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the inspection system (2) further comprises a remote control station (6) which is in communication with the machine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The inspection system according to claim 14, wherein the remote control station (6) comprises the processing means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means (24) is provided on-board the machine (4). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is capable of taking into account the measurements of the instantaneous orientation of the vessel relative to the reference point in order to determine an instantaneous position of the machine in a frame of reference (X0, Y0, Z0) which is linked to the hull of the vessel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method for inspecting the hull of a vessel, comprising: providing an inspection system (2) according to claim 1; placing the machine against the hull of a vessel and controlling its movement; measuring an instantaneous linear movement of the machine (4); measuring an instantaneous rotation of the machine about a direction (Z) normal relative to the surface of the hull (52) of the vessel (50); measuring the first and second instantaneous inclinations of first and second axes linked to the machine relative to a reference direction; processing the measured data in order to calculate a variation of the instantaneous position of the machine in a frame of reference; and then integrating the instantaneous position variations from a predetermined initial position (P0), in order to determine an instantaneous position of the machine in the frame of reference fixed in space. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the measurements carried out are recorded by sensors with which the machine is provided, and each measurement is associated with the position at which the acquisition was made. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the instantaneous orientation of the vessel is measured relative to the frame of reference in order to determine, from the variation of the instantaneous position of the machine relative to the frame of reference, the instantaneous position variation of the machine relative to a frame of reference which is linked with the hull of the vessel.