Vehicle damage detection system

• US 8,788,220 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Soles, Alexander M., Walsh, Matthew R., Scott, Eric B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Haihui
• Application Number:
  US13/161,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 702/38, 702/41, 324/693, 89/410.5, 89/360.2, 404/71, 342/52
• US Class Current: 702/38
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/56 Arrangements for adjusting the gun platform in the vertical or horizontal position F41A17/10, F41A17/12 take precedence ; ground engaging vehicle fittings for lifting or supporting it B60S9/04; supports for mobile cranes B66C23/78
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/24 for stationary use, e.g. fortifications ; Shelters; Guard Booths air-raid shelters E04H9/04
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/02 Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D ; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/04 Electric hit-indicating systems; Detecting hits by actuation of electric contacts or switches
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/041 Targets comprising two sets of electric contacts forming a coordinate system grid
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0066 by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration vibration testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0091 by using electromagnetic excitation or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/20 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/04 Analysing solids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An impact detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine impact criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the impact criteria to determine a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.

Claims

1. A vehicle impact detection system comprising:

a first layer adapted to sense ballistic impacts, the first layer adapted to conduct an electromagnetic signal and having a plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions oriented in a first orientation;

a coupler securing the first layer to an exterior of the vehicle;

at least one input coupling point in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said first layer, said at least one input coupling adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal input;

an electromagnetic signal generator coupled to said at least one input coupling point to provide the electromagnetic signal input;

at least one output coupling point in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said first layer, said at least one output coupling point adapted to provide an electromagnetic signal output;

an electromagnetic signal measuring device coupled to said at least one output coupling point; and

a processing system adapted to control said electromagnetic signal generator and said electromagnetic signal measuring device, wherein said processing system is adapted to determine data on a damage event based on changes between said electromagnetic signal input at the at least one input coupling point and said electromagnetic signal output at the at least one output coupling point;

wherein said damage event is further determined based on a comparison of changes of said electromagnetic signal outputs between a first electromagnetic signal measuring portion and second electromagnetic signal measuring portion;

wherein said electromagnetic signal changes of said first electromagnetic signal measuring portion includes a baseline measurement data determination based on a predetermined data value associated with a first state of said first layer by taking an electromagnetic signal measurement of said first layer before at least one said damage event.

2. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic signal output of said second electromagnetic signal measuring portion is processed by said processing system after said electromagnetic signal is applied to said at least one coupling point and an electromagnetic signal output change is sensed from said first electromagnetic signal measuring portion due to a damage or transformation of said first layer.

3. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 1, wherein said data on said damage event comprises at least one of a location of said damage event, a size data for said damage event, time data of said damage event, and a category of said damage event.

4. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 3, wherein said category of damage event comprises plurality of causes of said damage event which are correlated with at least one damage event characteristics.

5. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 1, further comprising an output device adapted to produce said data on said damage event including a representation of a damage alert, a damage event location, and a damage event origination axis.

6. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 5, wherein said output device comprises a graphical /visual user interface which depicts an orientation of said damage event on a structure coupled to said first layer.

7. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 5, wherein said output device produces an audible damage event warning describing a location of said damage event which depicts an orientation of said damage event on a structure coupled to said first layer.

8. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 5, wherein said output device produces a tactile damage event warning which is sent to a human which depicts an orientation of said damage event on a structure coupled to said first layer.

9. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 5, wherein said output device produces a command to control weapon which depicts an orientation of said damage event on a structure coupled to said first layer.

10. The vehicle impact detection system of claim 9, wherein the output device includes a first actuator to rotate a turret about a vertical axis, and a second actuator to pivot a weapon mount about a horizontal axis.

11. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 5, wherein said output device produces a damage event notification signal that is transmitted by a communication device which depicts an orientation of said damage event on a structure coupled to said first layer.

12. A vehicle impact detection system comprising:

a first layer adapted to sense one or more ballistic impacts, the first layer adapted to conduct at least one of a first plurality of electromagnetic signals and having a first plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions oriented in a first orientation;

a coupler securing the first layer to an exterior of the vehicle;

at least one first input coupling point in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said first layer, said at least one first input coupling adapted to receive at least one first electromagnetic signal input;

an electromagnetic signal generator coupled to said at least one input coupling point to provide the at least one first electromagnetic signal input;

at least one first output coupling point in electrical communication with at least one of the first plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said first layer, said at least one output coupling point adapted to provide at least one first electromagnetic signal output;

an electromagnetic signal measuring device coupled to said at least one output coupling point;

a processing system adapted to control said electromagnetic signal generator and said electromagnetic signal measuring device, wherein said processing system is adapted to determine data on a damage event based on changes between said first electromagnetic signal input at the at least one first input coupling point and said at least one first electromagnetic signal output at the at least one first output coupling point;

an output device adapted to produce damage data user outputs including a user output representation of a damage alert, a damage event location, and a damage event origination axis;

a second layer adapted to sense said ballistic impacts, the second layer adapted to conduct at least one second electromagnetic signal and having a second plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions oriented in a second orientation different from the first orientation, wherein said second layer is adapted to conduct the at least one second electromagnetic signal in a different direction than said first layer;

at least one second input coupling point in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of second electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said second layer, said at least one second input coupling adapted to receive said second electromagnetic signal input, wherein said electromagnetic signal generator is coupled to said at least one second input coupling point to provide the said at least one second electromagnetic signal input;

at least one second output coupling point in electrical communication with said at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic signal measuring portions of said second layer, said at least one output coupling adapted to provide at least one second electromagnetic signal output;

wherein the electromagnetic signal measuring device portions are coupled to said at least one output coupling point;

wherein the processing system is adapted to control said electromagnetic signal generator and said electromagnetic signal measuring device, wherein said processing system is adapted to determine said damage data user output on said damage event based on changes between said first electromagnetic signal input at the at least one first input coupling point and said first electromagnetic signal output at the at least one first output coupling point as well as based on changes between said second electromagnetic signal input at the at least one second input coupling point and said second electromagnetic signal output at the at least one second output coupling point.

13. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 12, wherein the processing system determines the location of the damage event along a first axis based upon measurement data from the first layer, and determines the location of the damage event along a second axis based upon measurement data from the second layer.

14. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 13, further comprising at least one additional layer in third or additional orientations adapted to each conduct at least one third electromagnetic signal in a different direction than any other said first or second layer.

15. The vehicle impact detection system as in claim 12, wherein said damage data comprises at least one of a location of said damage event, a size data for said damage event, time data of said damage event, and a category of said damage event.