System and method for aligning aircraft coordinate systems

• US 6,317,954 B1
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (Triumph Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (Triumph Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Eric D., Koesters, James P., Cunningham, Clifton D., Leenhouts, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, I Cuda
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/081,721
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 294/070.1, 294/070.4, 294/070.9, 294/071, 294/64, 294/66, 297/09, 297/20, 295/59, 298/972, 332/86, 335/33, 336/13, 336/45, 332/88, 356/375
• US Class Current: 29/407.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49899 by multiple cooperating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53039 with control means energized in response to activator stimulated by condition sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53087 with signal, scale, illuminator, or optical viewer

Abstract

A system and method for aligning aircraft coordinate systems includes determining a first coordinate in the first coordinate system from a first reflector using a first coordinate positioning device, and determining second and third coordinates in the second coordinate system from second and third reflectors, respectively, using a second coordinate positioning device. The second and third reflectors are disposed at predetermined distances from the first reflector. The system aligns the first and second coordinate systems based on the first, second, and third coordinates and the predetermined distances using a processor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aligning a first aircraft coordinate system associated with a first positioning device with a second aircraft coordinate system associated with a second positioning device, comprising:

a control point fitting adapted to be releasably secured to one of a plurality of locations on an aircraft structure, the first and second aircraft coordinate systems corresponding to the aircraft structure;

a first reflector mounted to the control point fitting and oriented to receive a signal from the first positioning device, the first aircraft coordinate system associated with the first positioning device;

a second reflector mounted to the control point fitting and oriented to receive a signal from the second positioning device, the second reflector disposed a first predetermined distance from the first reflector, the second aircraft coordinate system associated with the second positioning device; and

a third reflector mounted to the control point fitting and oriented to receive a signal from the second positioning device, the third reflector disposed a second predetermined distance from the first reflector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined distance is substantially equal to the second predetermined distance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first reflector is disposed along a line between the second and third reflectors.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the first reflector comprises a spherical reflector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control point fitting comprises:

a base; and

a plurality of mounts, each mount associated with a reflector, each mount operable to couple the associated reflector to the base.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mounts and the first, second, and third reflectors are coupled in a manner to allow selective adjustment of the orientation of each of the first, second, and third reflectors in three degrees of freedom.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second positioning devices comprise optical positioning devices; and

each of the first, second, and third reflectors is operable to receive and return an optical signal generated by the first and second positioning devices.

8. A system for aligning aircraft coordinate systems, comprising:

a control point assembly adapted to be releasably secured to one of a plurality of locations on an aircraft, the coordinate systems corresponding to the aircraft, the control point assembly comprising;

a first reflector;

a second reflector disposed a first predetermined distance from the first reflector; and

a third reflector disposed a second predetermined distance from the first reflector;

a first positioning device operable to determine a position of the first reflector in a first aircraft coordinate system;

a second positioning device operable to determine a position of the second and third reflectors in a second aircraft coordinate system; and

a processor coupled to the first and second positioning devices, the processor operable to align the first aircraft coordinate system with the second aircraft coordinate system using the positions of the first, second, and third reflectors and the first and second predetermined distances.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control point assembly further comprises a control point fitting, and wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are coupled to the control point fitting in a manner to allow selective adjustment of an orientation of the first, second, and third reflectors in three degrees of freedom.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control point assembly is releasably secured to the aircraft structure.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first predetermined distance is substantially equal to the second predetermined distance.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the first predetermined distance is substantially equal to the second predetermined distance; and

the first, second, and third reflectors are arranged along a line.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the control point fitting comprises:

a base; and

a plurality of mounts attached to the base, wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are disposed on the plurality of mounts.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are magnetically coupled to the control point fitting.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the first and second positioning devices comprise optical positioning devices; and

each of the first, second, and third reflectors is operable to receive and return an optical signal generated by the first and second positioning devices.

16. A system for aligning coordinate systems, comprising:

a control point assembly adapted to be releasably secured to a structure, the coordinate systems corresponding to the structure, the control point assembly comprising;

a first reflector;

a second reflector disposed a first predetermined distance from the first reflector; and

a third reflector disposed a second predetermined distance from the first reflector;

a first positioning device operable to determine a position of the first reflector in a first coordinate system from a first direction relative to the structure;

a second positioning device operable to determine a position of the second and third reflectors in a second coordinate system from a second direction relative to the structure, the first direction different from the second direction; and

a processor coupled to the first and second positioning devices, the processor operable to align the first coordinate system with the second coordinate system using the positions of the first, second, and third reflectors and the first and second predetermined distances.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control point assembly further comprises a control point fitting, and wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are coupled to the control point fitting in a manner to allow selective adjustment of an orientation of the first, second, and third reflectors corresponding to the first and second respective directions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control point fitting is releasably secured to the structure.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are disposed in substantially linear alignment relative to each other.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second predetermined distances are substantially equal.

21. A system for aligning independent coordinate systems, comprising:

a control point assembly adapted to be releasably secured to a structure, the control point assembly comprising;

a first reflector;

a second reflector disposed a first predetermined distance from the first reflector; and

a third reflector disposed a second predetermined distance from the first reflector;

a first positioning device operable to determine a position of the first reflector in a first coordinate system associated with the structure;

a second positioning device operable to determine a position of the second and third reflectors in a second coordinate system associated with the structure, the first coordinate system independent from the second coordinate system; and

a processor coupled to the first and second positioning devices, the processor operable to align the independent first and second coordinate systems using the positions of the first, second, and third reflectors and the first and second predetermined distances.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control point assembly comprises a control point fitting, the first, second, and third reflectors coupled to the control point fitting.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first, second, and third reflectors are disposed in substantially linear alignment relative to each other.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the control point assembly comprises a portable unit adapted to be releasably secured to a plurality of locations relative to the structure.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second predetermined distances are substantially equal.