Mobilized Sensor Network for Structural Health Monitoring

• US 20130018525A1
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jang, Jung Soon, Ihn, Jeong-Beom
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0231 Composite or layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2694 Wings or other aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/225 Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2475 Embedded probes, i.e. probes incorporated in objects to be inspected
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2481 Wireless probes, e.g. with transponders or radio links
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2493 Wheel shaped probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/265 by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4472 Mathematical theories or simulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for inspecting an object is provided. Movement of inspection vehicles relative to a surface of the object is controlled using a controller. Generation of data about the object by sensor systems configured to generate the data when the sensor systems are in a configuration with respect to a location on the object for inspection and receiving power from the inspection vehicles is controlled using the controller. The data generated by the sensor systems is stored.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

inspection vehicles configured to move relative to a surface of an object and transmit data generated about the object;

sensor systems configured to generate the data about the object when the sensor systems are in a configuration with respect to a location on the object for inspection and when receiving power from the inspection vehicles; and

a controller configured to control movement of the inspection vehicles, control operation of the sensor systems to generate the data, and receive the data transmitted by the inspection vehicles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor systems are ultrasonic sensor systems in which a first portion of the ultrasonic sensor systems is configured to transmit a number of signals into the object and a second portion of the ultrasonic sensor systems is configured to receive a number of response signals generated in response to the number of signals transmitted into the object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor systems are associated with the inspection vehicles and wherein the controller is configured to identify the location on the object for the inspection, control the inspection vehicles to move relative to each other into the configuration with respect to the location, and control the sensor systems to generate the data about the object when the inspection vehicles are in the configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor systems are associated with the object at locations on the object and wherein the controller is configured to control the movement of the inspection vehicles to the locations of the sensor systems.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor systems and the inspection vehicles form a mobile sensor network when the sensor systems and the inspection vehicles are in the configuration with respect to the location on the object for the inspection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the movement of the inspection vehicles using a model of the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to store the data in a database in association with coordinates identifying the location for which the data was generated by the sensor systems.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the database includes historical data for a number of inspections for the location performed a number of times prior to generation of the data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inspection vehicles transmit the data over a number of wireless communications links to the controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor systems are configured to transmit the data to the inspection vehicles.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a movement system configured to move the inspection vehicles relative to the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from one of a mobile platform, a stationary platform, a land-based structure, an aquatic-based structure, a space-based structure, an aircraft, a surface ship, a tank, a personnel carrier, a train, a spacecraft, a space station, a satellite, a submarine, an automobile, a power plant, a bridge, a dam, a manufacturing facility, and a building.

13. A health monitoring system comprising:

inspection vehicles configured to move relative to a surface of an object and transmit data generated about the object;

sensor systems associated with the inspection vehicles, wherein the sensor systems are configured to generate the data about the object; and

a controller configured to control movement of the inspection vehicles into a configuration with respect to a location for inspection, control operation of the sensor systems to generate the data about the object for the location, and receive the data transmitted by the inspection vehicles.

14. A method for inspecting an object, the method comprising:

controlling, using a controller, movement of inspection vehicles relative to a surface of the object;

controlling, using the controller, generation of data about the object by sensor systems configured to generate the data when the sensor systems are in a configuration with respect to a location on the object for inspection and receiving power from the inspection vehicles; and

storing the data generated by the sensor systems.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining whether an undesired inconsistency is present at the location on the object using the data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining whether the undesired inconsistency is present at the location on the object using the data comprises:

determining whether an inconsistency identified using the data and historical data generated for the object at times prior to the generation of the data is the undesired inconsistency.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of controlling the generation of the data about the object by the sensor systems configured to generate the data when the sensor systems are in the configuration with respect to the location on the object for the inspection and receiving the power from the inspection vehicles comprises:

causing a first portion of the sensor systems to transmit a number of signals into the object; and

causing a second portion of the sensor systems to detect a number of response signals generated in response to the number of signals transmitted into the object, wherein the number of response signals forms the data.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor systems are associated with the object at locations on the object and wherein the step of controlling, using the controller, the movement of the inspection vehicles relative to the surface of the object comprises:

controlling the inspection vehicles to move to the locations on the object, wherein the inspection vehicles are configured to send the power to the sensor systems when the inspection vehicles are at the locations on the object.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor systems are associated with the inspection vehicles and wherein the step of controlling, using the controller, the movement of the inspection vehicles relative to the surface of the object comprises:

identifying the location for the inspection using a model of the object; and

controlling the inspection vehicles to move into the configuration with respect to the location for the inspection.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of storing the data generated by the sensor systems comprises:

storing the data in a database in association with coordinates identifying the location for which the data was generated by the sensor systems.