Autonomous inspection and maintenance

• US 8,812,154 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Vian, John Lyle, Saad, Emad William, Clark, Gregory J., Kalinowski, Robert Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PECHE, JORGE O
• Application Number:
  US12/404,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/258, 901/8, 901/44, 901/46, 901/47
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

The different advantageous embodiments may provide an apparatus that may comprise a number of mobile robotic machines, a wireless communications system and a computer system. The number of mobile robotic machines may be capable of moving to a number of locations in a maintenance area and may be capable of performing a number of maintenance operations on a structure in the maintenance area. The wireless communications system may be capable of providing communication with the number of mobile robotic machines within the maintenance area. The computer system may be capable of exchanging information with the number of mobile robotic machines using the wireless communications system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of mobile robotic machines configured to move to a plurality of locations in a maintenance area and configured to perform a plurality of maintenance operations on a structure in the maintenance area, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines are arranged to perform at least one maintenance operation on a structure in the maintenance area, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations, to cover inspection of both of respective exterior and interior sections of the structure, and wherein a first portion of the plurality of mobile robotic machines are arranged on exterior sections of the structure and the second portion of the plurality of mobile robotic machines are arranged on interior sections of the structure, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines comprises at least one of an internal mobile robotic machine in a number of internal mobile robotic machines and an external mobile robotic machine in a number of external mobile robotic machines, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines further comprise at least one of a level one machine in a number of level one machines and a level two machine in a number of level two machines, wherein the number of level one machines are configured to perform macro inspection of the structure, and wherein the number of level two machines are configured to perform micro inspection of the structure in order to identify or characterize a detected inconsistency;

a wireless communications system configured to provide communication with the plurality of mobile robotic machines within the maintenance area; and

a computer system configured to exchange information with the plurality of mobile robotic machines using the wireless communications system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of power sources configured to supply power to the plurality of mobile robotic machines.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information comprises at least one of a message, a program, and a command.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the message comprises at least one of sensor data, operation status, and operation queries.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the computer system is further configured to generate commands and programs for execution by the plurality of mobile robotic machines, communicating the commands and the programs to the plurality of mobile robotic machines, and receiving messages from the plurality of mobile robotic machines.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines is further configured to generate a plurality of messages and transmitting the plurality of messages to the computer system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines further comprises:

a sensor system, wherein the sensor system comprises a number of sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the number of sensors comprises a number of types of sensors selected from at least one of a camera, a receiver configured to receive positioning system information, a non-destructive evaluation scanner, a microelectromechanical system device, a magnetic field sensor, an ultraviolet light source, an ultraviolet light receptor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a radio frequency identification reader, and fiber optics.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the number of sensors are located on at least one of the plurality of mobile robotic machines.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines are configured to move around an exterior of the structure and configured to perform a number of first operations on the exterior of the structure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the number of internal mobile robotic machines are configured to move within an interior of a structure and configured to perform a number of second operations in the interior of the structure, wherein the number of second operations are performed in conjunction with the number of first operations to inspect the structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the number of internal mobile robotic machines are configured to be permanently located in an interior of the structure and configured to perform a number of third operations in the interior of the structure.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of maintenance operations comprises at least one of inspecting the structure, scanning the structure, capturing an image, detecting inconsistency, identifying inconsistency, characterizing inconsistency, cleaning the structure, repairing the structure, and moving the structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure is selected from one of an aircraft, a wing, a fuselage, an engine, a tank, a submarine, a spacecraft, a surface ship, a building, a manufacturing floor, and a vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one maintenance operation includes at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations.

16. A maintenance and inspection system comprising:

a number of external mobile robotic machines disposed on an exterior of a structure and configured to move around the exterior, and configured to perform a number of first operations on the exterior of the structure, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations; and

a number of internal mobile robotic machines disposed on an interior of the structure and configured to move within the interior, and configured to perform a number of second operations in the interior of the structure, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations; and

wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines further comprise at least one of a level one machine in a number of level one machines and a level two machine in a number of level two machines, wherein the number of level one machines are configured to perform macro inspection of the structure, and wherein the number of level two machines are configured to perform micro inspection of the structure in order to identify or characterize a detected inconsistency.

17. A maintenance and inspection system for a structure comprising:

a plurality of mobile robotic machines configured to move to a plurality of locations in a maintenance area and configured to perform a plurality of maintenance operations to inspect the structure in the maintenance area, wherein the operations comprises at least one of inspecting the structure, scanning the structure, capturing an image, detecting inconsistency, identifying inconsistency, characterizing inconsistency, cleaning the structure, repairing the structure, and moving the structure, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines comprises a number of internal mobile robotic machines disposed on an interior of a structure and a number of external mobile robotic machines disposed on an exterior of the structure, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines further comprise at least one level one machine in a number of level one machines and at least one level two machine in a number of level two machines, wherein the number of level one machines are configured to perform a macro inspection of the structure, wherein the number of level two machines are configured to perform a micro inspection of the structure, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines are configured to move around an exterior of the structure and configured to perform a number of first operations on the exterior of the structure in order to identify or characterize a first detected inconsistency, wherein the number of internal mobile robotic machines are configured to move within an interior of the structure and configured to perform a number of second operations in the interior of the structure in order to identify or characterize a second detected inconsistency, wherein the number of second operations are performed in conjunction with the number of first operations to inspect the structure;

a wireless communications system configured to provide communication with the plurality of mobile robotic machines within the maintenance area;

a computer system configured to exchange information with the plurality of mobile robotic machines, wherein the information comprises at least one of a message, a program, and a command, wherein the message comprises at least one of sensor data, operation status, and operation queries received from the plurality of mobile robotic machines;

a plurality of power sources configured to supply power to the plurality of mobile robotic machines; and

a sensor system, wherein the sensor system comprises a number of sensors, wherein the number of sensors are located on at least one of the plurality of mobile robotic machines, wherein the number of sensors comprises a number of types of sensors selected from at least one of a camera, a receiver configured to receive positioning system information, a non-destructive evaluation scanner, a microelectromechanical system device, a magnetic field sensor, an ultraviolet light source, an ultraviolet light receptor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a radio frequency identification reader, and fiber optics.

18. A method for inspecting a structure, the method comprising:

identifying the structure;

establishing communications with a plurality of mobile robotic machines configured to move to a plurality of locations in a maintenance area and configured to perform a plurality of operations to inspect the structure in the maintenance area, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations, using a wireless communications system, wherein the plurality of mobile robotic machines are arranged to perform at least one maintenance operation on a structure in the maintenance area to cover inspection of respective exterior and interior sections of the structure;

selecting an inspection process;

selecting a plurality of mobile robotic machines to execute the inspection process;

sending commands to the plurality of mobile robotic machines to inspect the structure using the inspection process via an autonomous maintenance system;

inspecting an exterior section of the structure using a first portion of the plurality of mobile robots;

concurrently with inspecting the exterior section, inspecting an interior section of the structure using a second portion of the plurality of mobile robots; and

wherein the first portion further comprises at least one of a level one machine in a number of level one machines and a level two machine in a number of level two machines, wherein the number of level one machines are configured to perform macro inspection of the structure, and wherein the number of level two machines are configured to perform micro inspection of the structure in order to identify or characterize a detected inconsistency.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sending commands to the plurality of mobile robotic machines to inspect the structure using the inspection process further comprises:

identifying a plurality of sections of the structure for inspection, wherein the plurality of sections collectively comprise the structure;

sending commands to the plurality of mobile robotic machines, wherein the commands comprise the plurality of sections to be inspected and assign a section in the plurality of sections to at least one mobile robotic machine in the plurality of mobile robotic machines; and

receiving first messages from the plurality of mobile robotic machines, wherein the first messages comprise data from the inspection of the structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second portion further comprises at least one of a second level one machine in a second number of level one machines and a second level two machine in a second number of level two machines, wherein the second number of level one machines are configured to perform macro inspection of the structure, and wherein the second number of level two machines are configured to perform micro inspection of the structure in order to identify or characterize a detected inconsistency.

21. A method comprising:

commanding, via an autonomous maintenance system, a number of mobile robotic machines to perform an inspection of a structure, wherein the number of mobile robotic machines comprise at least one of a number of external mobile robotic machines and a number of internal mobile robotic machines, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines comprise at least one of a level one machine in a number of level one machines and a level two machine in a number of level two machines, wherein the at least one of the number of level one machines are configured to perform a macro inspection of the structure and the at least one of the number of level two machines are configured to perform a micro inspection of the structure, wherein the number of external mobile robotic machines are configured to perform a number of first operations on the exterior of the structure, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations to identify or characterize a first detected inconsistency, and wherein the number of internal mobile robotic machines are configured to perform a number of second operations in the interior of the structure, including at least one of simultaneous and tiered inspection operations, to identify or characterize a second detected inconsistency; and

performing, using the number of mobile robotic machines, an inspection of the structure.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the number of internal mobile robotic machines further comprise at least one of a second level one machine in a number of second level one machines and a second level two machine in a number of second level two machines, and wherein commanding the number of mobile robotic machines to perform a second number of operations in the interior of the structure further includes:

commanding the at least one of the second number of level one machines to perform a second macro inspection of the structure; and

commanding the at least one of the second number of level two machines to perform a second micro inspection of the structure.