Contextual 360° Visualization for Part Presence Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for verifying the presence of parts during construction, maintenance, or inspection of assemblies lack efficient and accurate visualization techniques, particularly in complex environments like aircraft interiors, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method utilizing 360-degree spherical imaging and context visualization, where images are captured from a common three-point coordinate, translated into spherical coordinates, and displayed with specific data superimposed to verify the presence of parts relative to their designated locations, enabling accurate and efficient inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual inspection methods are used to verify part presence, then inspection accuracy can be maintained through human expertise, but inspection time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin (virtual model) of the assembly that mirrors the physical structure. This virtual model is populated with part information from multiple data sources, enabling automated verification without manual inspection. The digital copy allows rapid comparison between designed and actual assembly states, dramatically reducing inspection time while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection processes with an automated computer-implemented system. The system uses software algorithms to automatically compare the physical assembly state against the virtual model, substituting human labor with computational processes that can rapidly verify part presence without the time constraints of manual methods.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive part verification is performed across the entire assembly, then inspection accuracy improves, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex assembly verification task into manageable segments by creating a hierarchical virtual model structure. The assembly is broken down into subassemblies and individual components, each represented in the virtual model. This segmentation allows the system to process and verify parts in organized units, reducing the computational complexity of handling the entire assembly at once while maintaining comprehensive verification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual model as an intermediary between the physical assembly and the verification process. This virtual model serves as a mediator that simplifies the comparison process by providing a structured digital representation that can be easily queried and analyzed. The intermediary layer reduces the complexity of directly processing raw physical assembly data while enabling precise verification through structured data comparison.
3Reliability
If multiple data sources are integrated to create a comprehensive virtual model, then verification completeness improves, but data processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-populating the virtual model with part information from multiple data sources before the actual verification process. The virtual model is prepared in advance with all relevant part data, relationships, and specifications loaded and organized. This preliminary data integration reduces the processing time during actual verification operations, as the system only needs to compare against the pre-prepared virtual model rather than querying multiple sources in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges data from multiple sources (Bill of Materials, manufacturing data, maintenance records, etc.) into a single integrated virtual model. By combining these disparate data sources into one unified digital representation, the system achieves comprehensive verification coverage without the need to query multiple separate systems during inspection. This merging consolidates data processing into a single operation, reducing overall processing time while maintaining verification completeness.
Data Source
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AI summary
Visualization within a spherical space is provided. The method comprises capturing a number of images from a common three-point coordinate capture location and creating a sphere of projected coordinates based on the capture location. Three-point coordinates of reference locations corresponding to the images are translated into spherical coordinates on the sphere. The spherical coordinates of the reference locations are translated into tour scene coordinates. The tour scene coordinates of the reference locations are then translated into equirectangular Cartesian coordinates. The images are displayed in a user interface according to the reference locations from the perspective of the capture location.