Augmented binary code symbol

1. An object for which at least one of strain and fatigue damage is to be measured and having a target associated therewith on a surface thereof or embedded therein, the target incorporating an augmented binary code symbol for non-linear strain measurement and perimeter-based deformation and strain analysis, the augmented binary code symbol emitting a detectable physical quantity and including:

a solid, continuous, rectangular outer perimeter;

first and second data regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter, each data region comprising at least one row of a plurality of data cells, each data cell representing a single bit of binary data;

first and second utility regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter opposite the first and second data regions, each utility region comprising at least one row of a plurality of utility cells of alternating appearance, wherein the utility cells encode data in the first and second utility regions;

first and second finder cells at opposite corners of the rectangle; and

inner and outer quiet regions distinguishing the first and second data regions, the first and second utility regions, and the first and second finder cells from their background;

wherein the data cells and the utility cells have edges that are well-defined to enable reduction of the size of the data cells and preservation of the quality of edges of the data cells of reduced size when an image of the augmented binary code symbol is magnified; and

wherein the data encoded in the utility cells identifies the augmented binary code symbol.

2. The object of claim 1 , wherein the data cells and the utility cells are marked using a short wave length laser.

3. The object of claim 1 , wherein the first and second utility regions assist in symbol location, orientation, and analysis.

4. The object of claim 1 , wherein the augmented binary code symbol is symmetric about a diagonal of the rectangular outer perimeter and the first and second data regions are mirror images of one another to provide redundancy of the data encoded therein.

5. An object for which at least one of strain and fatigue damage is to be measured and having a target associated therewith on a surface thereof or embedded therein, the target incorporating an augmented binary code symbol for non-linear strain measurement and perimeter-based deformation and strain analysis, the augmented binary code symbol emitting a detectable physical quantity and including:

a solid, continuous, rectangular outer perimeter;

first and second data regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter, each data region comprising at least one row of a plurality of data cells, each data cell representing a single bit of binary data;

first and second utility regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter opposite the first and second data regions, each utility region comprising at least one row of a plurality of utility cells of alternating appearance, wherein the utility cells encode data in the first and second utility regions;

first and second finder cells at opposite corners of the rectangle; and

inner and outer quiet regions distinguishing the first and second data regions, the first and second utility regions, and the first and second finder cells from their background;

wherein the data cells and the utility cells have edges that are well-defined to enable reduction of the size of the data cells and preservation of the quality of edges of the data cells of reduced size when an image of the augmented binary code symbol is magnified;

wherein data in the first and second data regions of the augmented binary code symbol are encoded by breaking an un-encoded value of the data into 4-bit words, and encoding each of the 4-bit words into a 7-bit word containing the original value and three check bits, using a Hamming 7-4 technique, and

wherein the data encoded in the utility regions includes information for resolving disagreement between a de-coded value of the data encoded in the first data region and a de-coded value of the data encoded in the second data region.

6. The object of claim 5 , wherein the data cells and the utility cells are marked using a short wave length laser.

7. The object of claim 5 , wherein the first and second utility regions assist in symbol location, orientation, and analysis.

8. The object of claim 5 , wherein the augmented binary code symbol is symmetric about a diagonal of the rectangular outer perimeter and the first and second data regions are mirror images of one another to provide redundancy of the data encoded therein.

9. A non-linear strain gage for measuring the strain on an object, comprising:

a target associated with an object for which at least one of strain and fatigue damage is to be measured, the target incorporating an augmented binary code symbol for non-linear strain measurement and perimeter-based deformation and strain analysis, the augmented binary code symbol emitting a detectable physical quantity and including:

a solid, continuous, rectangular outer perimeter;

first and second data regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter, each data region comprising at least one row of a plurality of data cells, each data cell representing a single bit of binary data;

first and second utility regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter opposite the first and second data regions, each utility region comprising at least one row of a plurality of utility cells of alternating appearance, wherein the utility cells encode data in the first and second utility regions;

first and second finder cells at opposite corners of the rectangle; and

inner and outer quiet regions distinguishing the first and second data regions, the first and second utility regions, and the first and second finder cells from their background;

wherein the data cells and the utility cells have edges that are well-defined to enable reduction of the size of the data cells and preservation of the quality of edges of the data cells of reduced size when an image of the augmented binary code symbol is magnified; and

wherein the data encoded in the utility cells identifies the augmented binary code symbol;

sensor means for pre-processing the detectable physical quantity emitted by the target and output data representing the physical quantity, the sensor means being compatible with the detectable physical quantity emitted by the augmented binary code symbol,

means for analyzing the data output by the sensor means to define the augmented binary code symbol, and

means for measuring the strain on the object directly based on the pre-processed and analyzed data.

10. A method of measuring strain on an object directly using the non-linear strain gage in accordance with claim 9 , comprising the steps of:

associating the augmented binary code symbol associated with an object in such a way that deformation of the nested binary code symbols and deformation under load of the object bear a one-to-one relationship;

identifying the changes in the augmented binary code symbol as a function of time and change in the load applied to the object; and

converting the changes in the augmented binary code symbol into a direct measurement of strain.

11. A non-linear strain gage for measuring the strain on an object, comprising:

a target associated with an object for which at least one of strain and fatigue damage is to be measured, a target associated therewith on a surface thereof or embedded therein, the target incorporating an augmented binary code symbol for non-linear strain measurement and perimeter-based deformation and strain analysis, the augmented binary code symbol emitting a detectable physical quantity and including:

a solid, continuous, rectangular outer perimeter;

first and second data regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter, each data region comprising at least one row of a plurality of data cells, each data cell representing a single bit of binary data;

first and second utility regions along adjacent sides of the outer perimeter opposite the first and second data regions, each utility region comprising at least one row of a plurality of utility cells of alternating appearance, wherein the utility cells encode data in the first and second utility regions;

first and second finder cells at opposite corners of the rectangle; and

inner and outer quiet regions distinguishing the first and second data regions, the first and second utility regions, and the first and second finder cells from their background;

wherein the data cells and the utility cells have edges that are well-defined to enable reduction of the size of the data cells and preservation of the quality of edges of the data cells of reduced size when an image of the augmented binary code symbol is magnified;

wherein data in the first and second data regions of the augmented binary code symbol are encoded by breaking an un-encoded value of the data into 4-bit words, and encoding each of the 4-bit words into a 7-bit word containing the original value and three check bits, using a Hamming 7-4 technique, and

wherein the data encoded in the utility regions includes information for resolving disagreement between a de-coded value of the data encoded in the first data region and a de-coded value of the data encoded in the second data region;

sensor means for pre-processing the detectable physical quantity emitted by the target and output data representing the physical quantity, the sensor means being compatible with the detectable physical quantity emitted by the augmented binary code symbol,

means for analyzing the data output by the sensor means to define the augmented binary code symbol, and

means for measuring the strain on the object directly based on the pre-processed and analyzed data.

12. A method of measuring strain on an object directly using the non-linear strain gage in accordance with claim 11 , comprising the steps of:

associating the augmented binary code symbol associated with an object in such a way that deformation of the nested binary code symbols and deformation under load of the object bear a one-to-one relationship;

identifying the changes in the augmented binary code symbol as a function of time and change in the load applied to the object; and

converting the changes in the augmented binary code symbol into a direct measurement of strain.