System and method for determining dimensions of structures/systems for designing modifications to the structures/systems

• US 20070189454A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Safai, Morteza, Georgeson, Gary, Edwards, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/203 Measuring back scattering

Abstract

A method and system of determining the physical dimensions and configuration of a structure and/or system as a precursor to the design of modifications of the structure and/or system by analyzing hidden objects within the structure and/or system is provided. The method includes accessing the structure and/or system prior to the modification for preparation of the modification; scanning the structure and/or system with an x-ray backscatter unit; collecting data from the x-ray backscatter unit and combining and reconstructing the data into a 2-D, 2-D panoramic and/or 3-D data set; producing surfaces and structures of the hidden objects from the data set; and tying the surfaces and structures of the hidden objects into a pre-existing coordinate system of the structure and/or system creating a 3-D model.

Claims

1. A method of determining the physical dimensions and con-figuration of a structure and/or system comprising:

scanning a structure and/or system with an x-ray backscatter unit;

collecting data from x-ray photons scattered by the structure and/or system;

combining and reconstructing the collected data into a 2-D, 2-D panoramic and/or 3-D data set;

generating 3-D surfaces and structures representing hidden objects from the data set;

mapping the 3-D surfaces and structures of the hidden objects into a structure and/or system reference coordinate system;

combining the 3-D surfaces and structures mapped into the reference coordinate system with models to form a 3-D CAD model of the structure and/or system; and

designing modifications to the structure and/or system using the 3-D CAD model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is an aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is an automobile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is a building.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is a ship or a helicopter

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is taken from the group consisting of a launch platform, a power plant, an oil rig, and an oil refinery.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the structure and/or system prior to a modification, wherein the modification is fully designed prior to the structure and/or system being available for modification.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the modification comprises the routing and installation of hardware.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set comprises 2-D, 2-D panoramic and/or 3-D geometric information data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is scanned from the inside.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure and/or system is scanned from the outside.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is taken from at least one position along the structure and/or system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is taken from at least one orientation relative to the structure and/or system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein fiducials of known dimensions and/or depth are optionally placed in the structure and/or system in order to supplement accurate dimensional and depth information.

7. (canceled)

16. An inspection system for analyzing hidden objects within a structure and/or system for a modification, comprising:

an X-ray backscatter system for collecting data about hidden objects; and

a computing system for combining and reconstructing the data into a 2-D, 2-D panoramic and/or 3-D data set, generating 3-D surfaces and structures from the data set, mapping the 3-D surfaces and structures of the hidden objects into a structure and/or system reference coordinate system, combining the 3-D surfaces and structures tied into the reference coordinate system with models to form a 3-D CAD model of the structure and/or system and designing modifications to the structure and/or system using the 3-D CAD model.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data collected by the X-ray backscattering unit is 2-D, 2-D panoramic and 3-D geometric information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein pre-existing drawings of the structure and/or system are used as parameters for creating a 2-D, 2-D panoramic and/or 3-D model from the collected data sets.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a database connected to the computing system for storing the collected data for future use.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the modification includes routing and installation of hardware.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein fiducials of known dimensions and depth are optionally placed in the structure and/or system in order to supplement accurate dimensional and depth information.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a display connected to the computing system for displaying the surfaces of the objects and/or systems of the structure and/or system.