Assembly and method for verifying a real model using a virtual model and use in aircraft construction

• US 8,849,636 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Holger, Becker, Benjamin, Calis, Ilke Oencue
• Primary Examiner(s): Saxena, Akash
• Application Number:
  US13/525,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/7, 703/8, 345/419, 345/420
• US Class Current: 703/8
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/00 Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/03 by measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/04 by measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design

Abstract

An arrangement for verifying a real model by using a virtual model is provided. The arrangement comprises a real model which has a real coordinate system, a virtual model which has a virtual coordinate system, a first position determination element, which is applied in/on the real model in a defined manner, and a real tool element, which is arranged in the real model. A position and/or orientation of the real tool element in the real model can be determined relative to the first position determination element. An operation of the real tool element can be triggered in the real model, and the operation of the real tool element can be imaged in the virtual model. The operation of the real tool element in the real model and the imaged operation in the virtual model can be logically or functionally assigned to one another.

Claims

1. Arrangement for verifying a real model by using a virtual model, comprising:

a real model of an aircraft structure which has a real coordinate system;

a virtual model which has a virtual coordinate system;

a first position determination element, which is coupled to the real model in a defined manner such that the position of the first position determination element relative to the real model is known;

a real tool element, which is positionable in the real model; and

a visualisation device that includes a camera, which records at least part of information associated with the real model, the visualisation device arranged to determine at least one of a position and an orientation of the visualisation device in relation to the first position determination element, and the visualisation device displays at least part of the virtual model,

wherein at least one of a position and orientation of the real tool element in the real model is determined relative to the first position determination element, and an operation of the real tool element is triggered in the real model, with the operation of the real tool element imaged in the virtual model, and the operation of the real tool element in the real model and the imaged operation in the virtual model is logically or functionally assigned to one another,

wherein as the real tool element performs the operation, the virtual model is altered to include the operation performed by the real tool element, and

wherein the part of the virtual model displayed on the visualisation device is dependent on at least one of the position and orientation of the first position determination element.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein, as a result of the operation in the real model and the imaged operation in the virtual model being logically or functionally assigned to one another, the real operation can be verified by using the imaged operation.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one of the position and orientation of the real tool element can be imaged in the virtual model, by using a virtual tool element which is arranged in the virtual model.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one operation is an operation from the group consisting of determining position, orientation, manufacturing precision, colour value, brightness value, motion tracking, monitoring an operating sequence, triggering an action, and information on a component in the real model.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the tool element comprises a second position determination element, and the second position determination element establishes a relationship of the real coordinate system with at least one of the first position determination element and the visualisation device.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the visualisation device further comprises at least one element from the group consisting of a memory element and a processor element, the at least one element provides at least part of the virtual model for display.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the visualisation device further comprises a communication element, and data on the position, orientation and part to be displayed of the virtual model is received using the communication element.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the visualisation device displays at least part of the virtual model in such a way that it can be superposed on at least part of the recorded real model.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position determination device,

wherein the position determination device is arranged so as to determine the position of the first position determination element in the real model, and to provide the position of the first position determination element in the virtual model.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1,

wherein the visualisation device displays a result of an operation in the virtual model and the result of the operation in the real model, to enable verification of the operation in the real model by using the virtual model.

11. A method for verifying a real model by using a virtual model, comprising:

providing a referenced real model of an aircraft structure and a real tool element, the real model of the aircraft structure including a first position determination element, which is coupled to the real model in a defined manner such that the position of the first position determination element relative to the real model is known;

providing a referenced virtual model;

assigning an operation of the real tool element to an operation in the virtual model;

producing a relationship between the real model and the virtual model;

determining a parameter of the real model by using the real tool element;

comparing the parameter of the real model with a parameter of the operation in the virtual model;

performing the operation with the real tool element;

updating the virtual model to include the operation performed by the real tool element;

recording at least part of information associated with the real model with a camera of a visualisation device, the visualisation device arranged to determine at least one of a position and an orientation of the visualisation device in relation to the first position determination element; and

displaying at least part of the virtual model on the visualisation device,

wherein the part of the virtual model displayed on the visualisation device is dependent on at least one of the position and orientation of the first position determination element.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

displaying an overall model of at least one part of the real model and at least one part of the virtual model.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the virtual model with reference to the real model; and

displaying the at least one part of the real model superimposed on the at east one part of the virtual model at least in part.

14. A method of constructing an aircraft comprising:

providing an aircraft including a real model and a real tool element, the real model including a first position determination element, which is coupled to the real model in a defined manner such that the position of the first position determination element relative to the real model is known;

providing a virtual model;

assigning an operation of the real tool element relative to the aircraft to an operation in the virtual model;

producing a relationship between the real model and the virtual model;

determining a parameter of the real model by using the real tool element;

comparing the parameter of the real model with a parameter of the operation in the virtual model to aid in aircraft construction;

performing the operation with the real tool element on the aircraft;

altering the virtual model to include the operation performed by the real tool element on the aircraft;

recording at least part of information associated with the real model with a camera of a visualisation device, the visualisation device arranged to determine at least one of a position and an orientation of the visualisation device in relation to the first position determination element; and

displaying at least part of the virtual model on the visualisation device,

wherein the part of the virtual model displayed on the visualisation device is dependent on at least one of the position and orientation of the first position determination element.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the at least one part of the real model superimposed on the at east one part of the virtual model.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the operation performed by the real tool element is drilling a hole in the aircraft and altering the virtual model to include the operation comprises:

altering the virtual model to include the hole drilled by the real tool element in the aircraft.