Real-time surface shape sensing for flexible structures
US11662228B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 2019 |
| Grant date | May 30, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 12, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06N20/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surface shape determination system includes a surface shape sensor in the form of a flexible and stretchable elastomeric substrate with strain/displacement sensing elements embedded in it. The sensor may be a single-core optical fiber with a series of fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) located at predetermined positions along its length. A light source provides an incident light spectrum at one end of the fiber. Each grating of the fiber has index modulation which causes particular wavelengths of the light spectrum that do not satisfy the Bragg condition to be reflected back in the fiber. The refractive index of each grating changes with strain on the substrate due to deflection of it. An interrogator captures the reflected wavelengths and retrieves signal information therefrom. A processor receives the output of the interrogator and performs non-linear regression analysis on the information using a neural network to reconstruct the surface morphology in real-time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.