System and method for monitoring structures for damage using nondestructive inspection techniques

• US 7,647,206 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ford, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wachsman; Hal D
• Application Number:
  US11/532,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20090192727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702 34- 36
• US Class Current: 702/183
• 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 29/4409 by comparison

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a structure for damage is provided. The method includes stimulating a sensor in a sensor array to generate a plurality of waves. The sensor array includes one or more quadrants, wherein each quadrant includes one or more sensors. Sensor data from all sensors are acquired in each quadrant in parallel. The sensor data wave characteristics is processed for analysis. The processed sensor data wave characteristics are compared with threshold values to determine the presence of damage to the structure. If the presence of damage is determined, a corrective system is notified for corrective action.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a structure for damage, comprising:

stimulating a sensor in a sensor array to generate a plurality of waves, wherein the sensor array includes one or more quadrants, wherein each quadrant includes one or more sensors;

acquiring sensor data from all sensors in each quadrant in parallel, the sensor data including one or more wave characteristics;

processing the sensor data wave characteristics for analysis;

comparing the processed sensor data wave characteristics with threshold values to determine the presence of damage to the structure; and

notifying a corrective system if the presence of damage is determined, for corrective action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is a series of data samples representing a wave captured over a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wave is propagated over the surface of the structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogation time is independent of the number of sensor arrays.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each sensor in the sensor array is stimulated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each sensor is a transducer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising multiplexing the sensor data from each quadrant into a single channel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sensor data for each path from each quadrant is acquired simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting sensor data using a plurality of single channels from each quadrant to a computational engine where the data is compared with threshold values stored in a processing module.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the structure has a plurality of sensor arrays;

wherein each sensor in each of the sensor arrays is stimulated; and

wherein the sensor data from all sensors in the sensor arrays are collected and used to determine the presence of damage on the structure.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein damage occurs when the sensor data is equal to or greater than the threshold values.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the structure is between at least two adjacent transducer arrays;

and wherein the at least two adjacent transducer arrays are stimulated simultaneously.

13. A method for monitoring a structure for damage, comprising:

(a) laying out a plurality of sensor arrays on the structure;

wherein each of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a plurality of quadrants;

wherein each quadrant in the plurality of quadrants includes a plurality of sensors;

(b) continuously acquiring sensor data from all sensors in each quadrant in parallel, wherein sensor data including one or more wave characteristics;

(c) processing the sensor data wave characteristics for analysis;

(d) comparing the processed sensor data wave characteristics with threshold values to detect damage to the structure;

(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) so as to detect damage to the structure; and

(f) notifying a corrective system if the damage to the structure is detected, for corrective action.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each sensor is a transducer.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising multiplexing the sensor data from each of the quadrant into a plurality of single channels with a single channel for each quadrant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor data from each quadrant is acquired simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting the sensor data using the plurality of single channels from each quadrant to a computational engine where the sensor data is compared with threshold values stored in a processing module.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein damage occurs when the sensor data is equal to or greater than the threshold values.

19. A system for monitoring a structure for damage, comprising:

a plurality of sensor arrays on the surface of the structure;

wherein each sensor array in the plurality of sensor arrays includes a plurality of quadrants; and

wherein each quadrant in the plurality of quadrants includes a plurality of sensors; and

a plurality of network detection modules;

wherein each network detection module in the plurality of network detection modules acquires sensor data from all sensors in each quadrant in parallel, the sensor data including one or more wave characteristics;

wherein each network detection module includes a plurality of multiplexers for multiplexing the sensor data from each quadrant for transmission into a plurality of single channels with a single channel for each quadrant and a computational engine for comparing the wave characteristics from the plurality of single channels with predetermined thresholds to determine the presence of damage to the structure.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor data is a series of data samples representing a wave captured over a period of time.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the wave is propagated over the surface of the structure.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein interrogation time is independent of the number of sensor arrays.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein each sensor in the sensor array is stimulated.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein each sensor is a transducer.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein each multiplexer multiplexes the sensor data from one of the quadrant into a single channel.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein a path data from each quadrant is acquired simultaneously.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the sensor data is transmitted using single channel each quadrant to a computational engine where the sensor data is compared with threshold values stored in a processing module.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein damage occurs when the sensor data is equal to or greater than the threshold values.

29. A system for monitoring a structure for damage, comprising:

a plurality of sensor arrays disposed about the boundaries of the structure and between the boundaries of the structure;

wherein each sensor array in the plurality of sensor arrays includes a plurality of quadrants; and

wherein each quadrant in the plurality of quadrant includes a plurality of sensors; and

a plurality of network detection modules;

wherein each network detection module in the plurality of network detection modules acquires sensor data from all sensors in each quadrant in parallel, the sensor data including one or more wave characteristics;

where each of the network detection modules are synchronized causing sensors on a first sensor array on a first boundary of the structure to acquire stimulus originating from a second sensor array on a second boundary of the structure;

wherein each network detection module includes a plurality of multiplexers for multiplexing the sensor data from each quadrant into a plurality of single channels with a single channel for each quadrant and a computational engine for comparing the wave characteristics from the plurality of single channels with predetermined thresholds to determine the presence of damage to the structure.