Patent ID: 8245578
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: G01B,G01L,G01M,G06K

Abstract:
1. A method of measuring differential, non-linear strain in a material with an anomaly using a differential, non-linear strain gage comprising a target, a sensor for observing the target, and a computer for receiving and processing data from the sensor, wherein the target is associated with the material, and incorporates a binary code symbol having a geometric shape that can be broken into component elements, the method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying the binary code symbol using the computer, based on data provided by the sensor; (b) breaking the binary code symbol into its component elements using the computer; (c) using the component elements to define a region less than the entire region of the binary symbol using the computer; (d) identifying differential deformation in the defined region as a function of time and change in the load using the computer; and (e) translating the identified differential deformation into strain readings over the defined region using the computer.