Patent ID: 8744133

Claim:
A method for detecting and determining a location of visible areas of change on a target object, said method comprising: determining a first position and orientation of a local positioning system with respect to the target object; determining an offset between the first position and orientation and a second position and orientation of a local positioning system previously utilized to collect a set of reference images of the target object, wherein determining the offset comprises computing an offset transform from the first position and orientation of the local positioning system to the second position and orientation of the local positioning system previously utilized to collect the set of reference images, the second position and orientation in a coordinate system of the target object; repositioning, in position and orientation, the local positioning system with respect to the target object by the determined offset, wherein repositioning, in position and orientation, the local positioning system comprises utilizing the offset transform to reposition the local positioning system to substantially the second position and orientation of the local positioning system previously utilized to collect the set of reference images; utilizing the repositioned local positioning system to acquire a set of images of the target object from the second position and orientation; comparing the set of images to corresponding images within the set of reference images to detect a difference between the acquired set of images and the corresponding images within the set of reference images; and determining a location of the detected difference in the coordinate system of the target object.