US 12,221,229 B2
System and method for measuring localized characteristics of a transparency
James W. Brown, Jr., Wentzville, MO (US); John Joseph Haake, St. Charles, MO (US); Xue Liu, Maryland Heights, MO (US); Anthony Carl Roberts, St. Paul, MO (US); Nathaniel Philip Roman, Ballwin, MO (US); Matthew Mark Thomas, Maryland Heights, MO (US); and Lucian Woods, Florissant, MO (US)
Assigned to The Boenig Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/672,363.
Prior Publication US 2021/0129971 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. G06T 7/00 (2017.01); B25J 19/02 (2006.01); B64F 5/60 (2017.01); G01N 21/958 (2006.01)
CPC B64F 5/60 (2017.01) [B25J 19/021 (2013.01); G01N 21/958 (2013.01); G06T 7/0004 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a robotic arm of a robotic device;
an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm and configured to record images of a complexly-curved transparency;
an imaging background positionable on a side of the complexly-curved transparency opposite the imaging device and contoured complementary to a contour of the complexly-curved transparency, and the imaging background is uniformly dark colored;
a light source mountable on the imaging device and configured to homogenously frontlight the complexly-curved transparency; and
a processor configured to control movement of the robotic arm to move the imaging device along a preprogrammed measurement path of the complexly-curved transparency while continuously maintaining the imaging device at a specific locally non-perpendicular angle relative to a transparency surface of the complexly-curved transparency to thereby simulate a specific locally non-perpendicular angle at which radiation impinges on the transparency in its in-service environment, while prompting the imaging device to record images of localized portions of the complexly-curved transparency,
the processor configured to determine one or more light-colored defects based on an analysis of the images of the localized portions.