Bae Systems, Inc.

Richard M Gooch

John Stewart Anderson

Carol Anne Walker

Richard Alexander

A method of locating an assembly point (P) on a first part (), at which assembly point the first part is to be joined to a second part (), the method comprising the steps of: determining an assembly location () in respect of the second part; measuring a portion () of a surface () of the first part, the surface being spaced away from the second part, so as to define the position and orientation of the surface; and, calculating the assembly point on the surface of the first part, where the surface of the first part is intersected by a vector (N) passing between the determined assembly location and the surface of the first part.

Assembly method

A method for calibrating a first co-ordinate frame of a robot and effector in a second frame of reference of a sensor when the sensor is substantially rigidly attached to the robot and effector, including the steps of measuring first positions of a plurality of first light sources relative to the sensor, with the first positions corresponding to a first absolute position of the robot and effector, moving the robot and effector, measuring second positions of the plurality of first light sources, which second positions correspond to the desired second absolute position of the robot and effector and the sensor, repeating the measurement of and movement from the first to second positions so as to provide at least two sets of measurements of first and second positions corresponding to at least two movements, each of which at least two movements is a known, unique transform, combining the at least two sets of measurements of first and second positions so as to calibrate the first co-ordinate frame in the second frame of reference.

Method and apparatus for calibrating a first co-ordinate frame of an indexing means in a second frame of reference of a sensing means

A method for calibrating position ( ) of each light source in a first set of light sources ( ) on a first part ( ) when the first set ( ) are attached thereto, including the steps of measuring first positions ( ) of each of the light sources in the first set ( ), each of said light sources ( ) being either an active light source or an illuminable reflecting point, generating a first set of light sources to facet mapping ( ), which first set to facet mapping ( ) specifies which facet ( ) of the first part ( ) each of the light sources in the first set ( ) are located on, estimating a transformation ( ) that transforms the first positions ( ) into a co-ordinate frame of the first part ( ), thereby generating estimated positions ( ) of each of the light sources in the first set ( ) on the first part ( ), which estimated positions ( ) are in the co-ordinate frame of the first part ( ), calculating ( ) first distances ( ) from the estimated positions ( ) to respective facets ( ) of the first part ( ), inputting the first distances ( ) into a least mean squares (LMS) error function (10 ) so as to generate a plurality of errors, and optimising said errors so as to locate the positions ( ) of said first set of light sources on the first part.

Method and apparatus for calibrating positions of a plurality of first light sources on a first part

An optical target ( ) including a positioning sub target ( ) for determining position, and a plurality of identifying sub targets ( ) for identifying one optical target ( ) from another, each of which plurality of identifying sub targets ( ) is a different color from the positioning sub target ( ).

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Surbiton, United Kingdom

Richard M Gooch