We Claim:
1. A device for identifying an end of a fiber tape rolling over a
composite structure, the device comprising:
a light source disposed proximate to the composite structure and configured to project a line of light at a first angle on the fiber tape rolling over the composite structure;
an image capturing unit disposed proximate to the composite structure and configured to capture an image of the line of light on the fiber tape at a second angle; and
a controller coupled to the image capturing unit and configured to:
process the captured image to detect a discontinuity in the line of light on the fiber tape; and
identify the end of the fiber tape based on the detected discontinuity in the line of light on the fiber tape.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect the discontinuity in the line of light when the line of light fits to a line of a predetermined orientation of the fiber tape.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a layup head operatively coupled to the image capturing unit and configured to roll the fiber tape over the composite structure, wherein the layup head is configured to send a first signal to the image capturing unit to indicate the end of the fiber tape.
4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image capturing unit is configured to capture the image of the line of light on the fiber tape when the first signal is received from the layup head.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is
configured to:
determine that the end of the fiber tape is displaced from a predetermined position on the composite structure; and
send a second signal to the layup head to cease the layup head from rolling the fiber tape over the composite structure.
6. A method for identifying an end of a fiber tape rolling over a
composite structure, the method comprising:
projecting, by a light source, a line of light at a first angle on the fiber tape rolling over the composite structure;
capturing, by an image capturing unit, an image of the line of light on the fiber tape at a second angle;
processing, by the controller, the captured image to detect a discontinuity in the line of light on the fiber tape; and
identifying the end of the fiber tape based on the detected discontinuity in the line of light on the fiber tape.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein processing the captured
image comprises:
monitoring the intensity of pixel values along the line of light on the fiber tape; and
detect the discontinuity in the line of light based on a substantive change in the intensity of pixel values associated with the line of light on the fiber tape.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein identifying the end of
the fiber tape comprises:

determining a location on the fiber tape having the detected discontinuity in the line of light; and
identifying the end of the fiber tape at the determined location.
9. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:
rolling, by a layup head, the fiber tape over the composite structure;
sending a first signal to the image capturing unit to indicate the end of the fiber tape; and
capturing, by the image capturing unit, the image of the line of light on the fiber tape when the first signal is received from the layup head.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
determining, by the controller, that the end of the fiber tape is deviated from a predetermined position on the composite structure; and
sending, by the controller, a second signal to the layup head to cease the layup head from rolling the fiber tape over the composite structure.
11. The method as claimed in claim 6, the first angle of the line of light on the fiber tape is orthogonal to the second angle of the captured image.
12. The method as claimed in claim 6, identifying the end of the fiber tape comprises determining the end of the fiber tape in a real time.
13. A device for identifying an end of a fiber tape rolling over a composite structure, the device comprising:
a light source disposed proximate to the composite structure and configured to project at least two lines of light at a first angle on the fiber tape rolling over the composite structure;

an image capturing unit disposed proximate to the composite structure and configured to capture an image of the at least two lines of light on the fiber tape at a second angle; and
a controller coupled to the image capturing unit and configured to:
process the captured image to select a pair of points among a plurality of pairs of points associated with a discontinuity in the two lines of light in the captured image;
determine an angle of a line connecting the selected pair of points in the captured image; and
detect the end of the fiber tape when the determined angle of the line is collinear to a predetermined orientation of the fiber tape laying over the composite structure.
14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the end of the fiber tape is detected when the selected pair of points is at a first position in the captured image.
15. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the selected pair of points comprises a first point and a second point, wherein the first point is associated with one of the two lines of light and the second point is associated with other of the two lines of light.
16. The device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a layup head operatively coupled to the image capturing unit and the light source and configured to lay the fiber tape at the predetermined orientation over the composite structure.
17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the layup head is configured to send a first signal to the image capturing unit to indicate the end of the fiber tape.

18. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the image capturing unit is configured to capture the image of the two lines of light on the fiber tape when the first signal is received from the layup head.
19. A method for identifying an end of a fiber tape rolling over a composite structure, the method comprising:
projecting, by a light source, at least two lines of light at a first angle on the fiber tape rolling over the composite structure;
capturing, by an image capturing unit, an image of the at least two lines of light on the fiber tape at a second angle;
processing, by the controller, the captured image to select a pair of points among a plurality of pairs of points associated with a discontinuity in the two lines of light in the captured image;
determining an angle of a line connecting the selected pair of points in the captured image;
detecting the end of the fiber tape when the determined angle of the line is collinear to a predetermined orientation of the fiber tape laying over the composite structure.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising detecting the end of the fiber tape when the selected pair of points is at a first position in the captured image.
21. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:
determining, by the controller, that the end of the fiber tape is deviated from a predetermined position on the composite structure; and
sending, by the controller, a second signal to a layup head to cease the layup head from rolling the fiber tape over the composite structure.