Optical laser guidance system apparatus and method

• US 7,536,242 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ledet, Roger J., Yestrau, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PECHE, JORGE O
• Application Number:
  US10/986,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701/28, 701200-211, 156/353, 700/245, 318/568.12, 318/568.1, 318/568.16, 318/580, 318/587, 318/652, 180167-169, 340941-942, 342/70, 901/1, 901 46- 47, 901/50
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4207 in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36439 Guide arm in path by slaving arm to projected path, beam riding
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S

Abstract

An optical laser guidance system includes a laser sensor, a controller and a plurality of actuators. The laser sensor detects a projected laser beam and sends an electrical signal representative of the position of the laser beam to the controller. The controller interprets the representative signal and uses the position of the laser beam relative to a predetermined reference position to generate a control signal to control an actuator in order to control the direction of travel of a vehicle or robot with respect to a predetermined guidepath. The laser sensor may also receive additional control messages that result in the controller generating additional control signals to control additional actuators in order to perform additional functions. The optical laser guidance system may also include a laser projection system capable of projecting a two- or three-dimensional guidepath and additional control messages.

Claims

1. An optical laser guidance system to guide a tape lamination device, the guidance system, comprising:

a laser sensor to sense a laser beam projected along a guidepath, the guidepath providing navigational guidance for the tape lamination device, the laser sensor being disposed upon the tape lamination device, the tape lamination device comprising;

a steerable wheel to steer the tape lamination device;

a tape lamination dispensing head to dispense a composite material upon a contoured surface; and

a vehicle drive actuator to orient the steerable wheel; and

a controller, linked to the laser sensor and linked to the vehicle drive actuator, wherein the laser sensor is configured to forward signals to the controller in response to sensing the laser beam, the controller is configured to determine if the tape lamination device is proceeding along the guidepath in response to the signals from the laser sensor, the controller is configured to forward signals to the vehicle drive actuator in response to determining the tape lamination device is deviating from the guidepath, and the vehicle drive actuator is configured to adjust an orientation of the steerable wheel in response to receiving signals from the controller; and

a processor linked to the laser source to control the laser source, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a sequence of directions in which sequentially to point the laser beam in order to optically transmit a control message to the laser sensor, and the controller is further configured to recognize and interpret the control message received by the laser sensor.

2. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the laser sensor comprises a laser receiver having a set of photosensitive elements, the set of photosensitive elements including a first element and a second element, wherein the controller is configured to determine the tape lamination device is deviating from the guidepath in response to the laser beam being sensed by the second element.

3. The optical laser guidance system of claim 2, further comprising:

an interface control module linked to the laser receiver and to the controller for conditioning the position signal; and

at least a first photosensitive array in the laser receiver;

wherein the interface control module provides for adjustment of an effective width of the first photosensitive array in the laser receiver, and for adjustment of a frequency with which the laser sensor forwards signals to the controller.

4. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the laser sensor comprises a machine vision system to sense the laser beam.

5. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle drive actuator comprises a servo motor.

6. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle drive system to propel the tape lamination device, wherein the controller determines a set of commands that controls the vehicle drive system by way of the vehicle drive actuator.

7. The optical laser guidance system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle drive system comprises at least one drivable wheel.

8. The optical laser guidance system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle drive system comprises a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism, and the first drive mechanism is capable of driving at a differential relative velocity with respect to the second drive mechanism.

9. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, further comprising:

an end-effector actuator; and

an end-effector associated with the end-effector actuator and linked to the controller and coupled to the vehicle for performing a manufacturing or fabrication process, wherein the controller controls the end-effector.

10. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the guidepath is a three-dimensional path corresponding to a contoured surface.

11. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to utilize a guidepath programming algorithm that accounts for a lateral offset and a vertical offset of a location of the laser sensor relative to a surface upon which the tape lamination device moves.

12. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a sequence of directions in which sequentially to point the laser beam in order to dynamically create the guidepath, and to generate a control signal;

and the laser source is further configured to receive the control signal and in response sequentially project the laser beam along the guidepath.

13. The optical laser guidance system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a set of control commands for the laser source, the laser source is configured to intermittently create the guidepath in response to receiving the set of control commands from the processor.