METHOD FOR VERIFYING SENSORS INSTALLATION AND DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF THE SENSORS AFTER INSTALLATION IN A STRUCTURAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for installing and locating a plurality of sensors distributed on a structure as part of a structural health monitoring system comprising:
- verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are properly coupled to a sensor data collector;
verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are installed in a proper location;
retrieving a list of sensor pairs formed from the plurality of sensors, each sensor pair comprising a selected sensor and a neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, sending a pulse from the selected sensor and detecting it at the neighbor sensor to determine a sensor time of flight between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, calculating a separation distance between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor using the sensor time of flight;
for each sensor pair, determining a difference between the calculated separation distance and an expected separation distance;
confirming the installation is correct if the difference is within a predetermined threshold; and
determining the location of the plurality of sensors
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Abstract
In the present invention, a method is provided for installing and locating a plurality of sensors distributed on a structure as part of a structural health monitoring system. The method includes verifying the proper installation of the plurality of sensors and determining the location of the plurality of sensors. In one aspect of the present invention, the step of verifying the proper installation further comprises verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are properly coupled to a sensor data collector and verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are installed in a proper location. In another aspect of the present invention, the step of determining the location of the plurality of sensors further comprises determining the positioning of each sensor in reference to fixed structures in the structure.
44 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for installing and locating a plurality of sensors distributed on a structure as part of a structural health monitoring system comprising:
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verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are properly coupled to a sensor data collector;
verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are installed in a proper location;
retrieving a list of sensor pairs formed from the plurality of sensors, each sensor pair comprising a selected sensor and a neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, sending a pulse from the selected sensor and detecting it at the neighbor sensor to determine a sensor time of flight between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, calculating a separation distance between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor using the sensor time of flight;
for each sensor pair, determining a difference between the calculated separation distance and an expected separation distance;
confirming the installation is correct if the difference is within a predetermined threshold; and
determining the location of the plurality of sensors - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for verifying the installation of a plurality of sensors in a structural health monitoring system comprising:
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verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are properly coupled to a data collector;
retrieving a list of sensor pairs derived from the plurality of sensors, each sensor pair comprising a selected sensor and a neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, sending a pulse from the selected sensor and detecting it at the neighbor sensor to determine a sensor time of flight between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, determining a calculated separation distance between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor using the sensor time of flight;
for each sensor pair, determining a difference between the calculated separation distance and an expected separation distance;
confirming the installation is correct if the difference is within a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A structural health monitoring system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors installed on a structure; and
a processor coupled to each of the sensors and operable to;
retrieve a list of sensor pairs formed from the plurality of sensors, each sensor pair comprising a selected sensor and a neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, initiate a pulse from the selected sensor and detect the pulse at the neighbor sensor to determine a sensor time of flight between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor;
for each sensor pair, determine a calculated separation distance between the selected sensor and the neighbor sensor using the sensor time of flight;
for each sensor pair, determine a difference between the calculated separation distance and an expected separation distance; and
determine if each sensor is coupled to a data collector and if all sensors are properly installed within a predetermined location if the difference is within a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification