The Boeing Company
Method and apparatus for detecting surface features

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for detecting a feature on a surface. A mesh comprising a plurality of mesh elements is generated using surface data generated for a surface region. The plurality of normal vectors is computed for the plurality of mesh elements. A distribution for the plurality of normal vectors is generated. A dominant subset of the plurality of mesh elements is identified in which a Z component of a corresponding normal vector for each mesh element of the dominant subset is in substantially a first direction. Z components of a portion of the plurality of normal vectors corresponding to a remaining subset of the plurality of mesh elements are analyzed to determine whether the feature is present within the surface region.