	US 12,257,590 B2
	System for detecting thickness of a coating autonomously applied to a structure
Tom Jose, Hendersonville, TN (US); Matthew Grant Lopez, Frisco, TX (US); and Nick Hegeman, Hendersonville, TN (US)
Assigned to Foreman Technologies Inc., Hendersonville, TN (US)
Filed by Foreman Technologies Inc., Hendersonville, TN (US)
Filed on May 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/202,203.
Application 18/202,203 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/137,374, filed on Apr. 20, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/345,748, filed on May 25, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/333,093, filed on Apr. 20, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/333,100, filed on Apr. 20, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0372957 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B05B 12/08 (2006.01); G01B 11/06 (2006.01)

CPC B05B 12/084 (2013.01) [G01B 11/0658 (2013.01)]

11 Claims

1. A method comprising:

during a first coating period:

navigating a spray nozzle across a first region of a structure; and

applying a coating to the first region of the structure via the spray nozzle;

deactivating an optical emitter arranged adjacent the spray nozzle at a first time;

accessing a baseline image of the first region captured by an optical sensor at the first time;

oat approximately the first time:

activating the optical emitter to illuminate the first region of the structure behind the spray nozzle; and

accessing a first image of the first region captured by an optical sensor;

generating a normalized image of the first region of the structure, representing fluorescent intensity of the coating corrected for incident ambient light, by subtracting the baseline image from the first image;

calculating an average color intensity of pixels within the normalized image;

converting the average color intensity of pixels into average a first coating thickness of the coating applied to the first region of the structure;

in response to the first coating thickness exceeding a maximum coating thickness, storing a first flag for inspection of a paint sag within the first region of the structure;

during a second coating period:

navigating the spray nozzle across a second region of a structure;

applying the coating to the second region of the structure via the spray nozzle;

illuminating the coating applied to the second region of the structure;

detecting an intensity of light at the second region of the structure;

converting the intensity of light into a second coating thickness of the coating applied to the second region of the structure; and

in response to the second coating thickness falling below a minimum thickness, storing a second flag for recoating the second region of the structure.