IP Library Granted Patent US 12,613,152
Granted Patent B2
US 12,613,152 · App. 18/028,459 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation

Inventors: William F. Ranson (Columbia, SC); Gregory L. Hovis (Augusta, GA); Lex T. Pavlo (West Chester, PA)
Assignee: 3D STRAIN LLC
G01L1/24B33Y50/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,613,152
App. No.
18/028,459
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation includes receiving a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface, utilizing the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first and second digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol and determining spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication, and comparing the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol.

Claims (44)

1 . A method for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface;

utilizing the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol;

receiving a second set of digitized spatial data of a second measurement volume and the target symbol comprising the plurality of surface features present on the object surface;

utilizing the second set of digitized spatial data to generate a second digital replication of the second measurement volume and the target symbol;

determining a first spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication;

determining a second spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the second digital replication and subsequently establishing a second set of position vectors contained within the second digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the second digital replication; and

comparing the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol, wherein the relative displacements are used to determine tri-axial strain components exhibited in a small area of the object surface.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first digitized spatial data and the second digitized spatial data is obtained by a three-dimensional (3D) scanning device.

3 . The method of claim 1 where the plurality of surface features comprise concave paraboloids and/or convex paraboloids.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the surface features are naturally occurring in the object surface.

5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the surface features are formed during casting or machining of the object surface, created by additive or subtractive methods, formed by imbedding in a coating, and/or formed by ablating a thermal barrier coating.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first set of position vectors and the second set of position vectors includes at least six position vectors.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the digital coordinate system includes a digital Cartesian coordinate system, a digital polar coordinate system, or a digital NTB coordinate system.

8 . A system for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory element; and

a volumetric deformation analysis engine (VDAE) that is stored in the memory element and when executed by the at least one processor is configured to:

receive a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface, utilize the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol;

receive a second set of digitized spatial data of a second measurement volume and the target symbol comprising the plurality of surface features present on the object surface,

utilize the second set of digitized spatial data to generate a second digital replication of the second measurement volume and the target symbol;

determine a first spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication;

determine a second spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the second digital replication and subsequently establishing a second set of position vectors contained within the second digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the second digital replication; and

compare the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol, wherein the relative displacements are used to determine tri-axial strain components exhibited in a small area of the object surface.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein each of the first digitized spatial data and the second digitized spatial data is obtained by a three-dimensional (3D) scanning device.

10 . The system of claim 8 where the plurality of surface features comprise concave paraboloids and/or convex paraboloids.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the surface features are naturally occurring in the object surface.

12 . The system of claim 10 wherein the surface features are formed during casting or machining of the object surface, created by additive or subtractive methods, formed by imbedding in a coating, and/or formed by ablating a thermal barrier coating.

13 . The system of claim 8 wherein each of the first set of position vectors and the second set of position vectors includes at least six position vectors.

14 . The system of claim 8 wherein the digital coordinate system includes a digital Cartesian coordinate system, a digital polar coordinate system, or a digital NTB coordinate system.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface;

utilizing the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol;

receiving a second set of digitized spatial data of a second measurement volume and the target symbol comprising the plurality of surface features present on the object surface;

utilizing the second set of digitized spatial data to generate a second digital replication of the second measurement volume and the target symbol;

determining a first spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication;

determining a second spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the second digital replication and subsequently establishing a second set of position vectors contained within the second digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the second digital replication; and

comparing the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol, wherein the relative displacements are used to determine tri-axial strain components exhibited in a small area of the object surface.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein each of the first digitized spatial data and the second digitized spatial data is obtained by a three-dimensional (3D) scanning device.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 where the plurality of surface features comprise concave paraboloids and/or convex paraboloids.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the surface features are naturally occurring in the object surface.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the surface features are formed during casting or machining of the object surface, created by additive or subtractive methods, formed by imbedding in a coating, and/or formed by ablating a thermal barrier coating.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein each of the first set of position vectors and the second set of position vectors includes at least six position vectors.

21 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the digital coordinate system includes a digital Cartesian coordinate system, a digital polar coordinate system, or a digital NTB coordinate system.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2023
From: RANSON, WILLIAM F.; HOVIS, GREGORY L.; PAVLO, LEX T.
To: 3D STRAIN LLC
Reel/Frame 065694/0683 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63084465 · Sep 28, 2020
Related Publication 20230366758A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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