Remote optical sensing of the integrity of a structure using reflected or scattered light
First Claim
1. A method for non-contact sensing of the integrity of a structure, comprising:
- remotely detecting light that has been reflected off of or scattered from the structure; and
analyzing the detected light to determine the structural integrity of the structure, wherein the analyzing step comprises determining the intensity and polarization of detected ambient light, wherein one or more polarization filters are used to filter the reflected light before it is analyzed, and wherein the analyzing step further comprises resolving one or more peaks in a power spectrum of the detected light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for remotely detecting structural integrity using reflections or scattering from windows or other portions of a structure. The long geometrical lever arm of a reflection on a building window, when viewed with suitable instruments, produces detectable modulation in the reflected light from minute vibrational changes upon the glass surface, revealing fundamental resonances and structural changes and failure in the building housing the window. By sensing very small changes in intensity and polarization, information may be obtained on fundamental resonances and structural changes, including failure or imminent failure of the structure.
19 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for non-contact sensing of the integrity of a structure, comprising:
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remotely detecting light that has been reflected off of or scattered from the structure; and analyzing the detected light to determine the structural integrity of the structure, wherein the analyzing step comprises determining the intensity and polarization of detected ambient light, wherein one or more polarization filters are used to filter the reflected light before it is analyzed, and wherein the analyzing step further comprises resolving one or more peaks in a power spectrum of the detected light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for non-contact sensing of the integrity of a structure, comprising:
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remotely detecting light that has been reflected off of or scattered from the structure, wherein the structure is scanned so as to survey different areas of the structure; and analyzing the detected light to determine the structural integrity of the structure, wherein the analyzing step comprises creating a pixel-by-pixel frequency map of the scanned areas.
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19. A method for non-contact sensing of the integrity of a structure, comprising:
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remotely detecting light that has been reflected off of or scattered from the structure; and analyzing the detected light to determine the structural integrity of the structure, wherein the analyzing step comprises determining whether the structure has degraded, and wherein the detected light is analyzed for changes in damping of vibration by the structure.
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Specification