William J Smart

US Patent:

7899236, Mar 1, 2011

Filed:

Nov 9, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/558406

Inventors:

Philip L. Freeman - Maryland Heights MO, US
Michael P. Gleason - Edwardsville IL, US
Matthew M. Thomas - Florissant MO, US
Michael S. Dixon - Saint Louis MO, US
Robert B. Pless - Saint Louis MO, US
William D. Smart - Clayton MO, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382141

Abstract:

A system for evaluating optical distortion in an aircraft transparency, such as a windshield, is disclosed. The system utilizes high resolution digital images (a reference image and a test image) of a test grid structure having a pattern of visible index locations. In one embodiment, the test image is taken through the transparency under test, and the reference image is taken without the transparency. The two images are processed and analyzed by a computing device to determine displacement of each index location, relative to the reference image. The displacement data is further processed to obtain vector divergence field data that represents a quantitative measurement of the optical distortion. The optical distortion measurement data is then rendered in a suitable format that allows the transparency to be rated against certain quality criteria.

US Patent:

8358830, Jan 22, 2013

Filed:

Mar 26, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/732798

Inventors:

Ronald L. Bookout - Florissant MO, US
Michael P. Gleason - Edwardsville IL, US
Matthew M. Thomas - Maryland Heights MO, US
Michael S. Dixon - Brentwood MO, US
Robert Pless - Saint Louis MO, US
William D. Smart - Clayton MO, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382141, 3562371, 3562376

Abstract:

A method of detecting optical defects in a transparency may comprise the steps of providing a digital image of the transparency having a plurality of image pixels and detecting at least one candidate defect. The candidate defect may be detected by determining a grayscale intensity of each one of the image pixels and calculating an intensity gradient across adjacent pairs of the image pixels. Each image pixel may be assigned a gradient value comprising a maximum of the absolute value of the intensity gradients associated with the image pixel. A gradient image may be constructed comprising the gradient values assigned to corresponding ones of the image pixels. Image pixels may be identified as candidate pixels if such image pixels have a gradient value exceeding a gradient threshold. The candidate pixels may comprise the optical defect.