Patents by Inventor Roman Heinrich Koch
Roman Heinrich Koch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10877004Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of a test object by ultrasound is provided, the method including generating a pulsed ultrasonic field in the test object by means of an array of individually drivable ultrasonic transmitting transducers acoustically coupled to the test object. The ultrasonic transmitting transducers are each driven with a specific analog transient excitation signal, wherein each analog transient excitation signal is generated based on an ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific stored digital transient excitation function. The method further includes receiving resulting echo signals from the test object by means of an array of individually drivable ultrasonic receiving transducers, with each ultrasonic receiving transducer providing an analog time-resolved echo signal, temporarily storing the time-resolved, transducer-specific, digitized echo signals in the form of an echo signal set, and applying a plurality of different reception processing rules to the echo signal set.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2015Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES GMBHInventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Stephan Falter, Reinhard Prause, Helmut Breidenbach, Christof Breidenbach, Thomas Weise
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Patent number: 10768147Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2019Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20190212305Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoefer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 10175207Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20170219536Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of a test object by ultrasound is provided, the method including generating a pulsed ultrasonic field in the test object by means of an array of individually drivable ultrasonic transmitting transducers acoustically coupled to the test object. The ultrasonic transmitting transducers are each driven with a specific analog transient excitation signal, wherein each analog transient excitation signal is generated based on an ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific stored digital transient excitation function. The method further includes receiving resulting echo signals from the test object by means of an array of individually drivable ultrasonic receiving transducers, with each ultrasonic receiving transducer providing an analog time-resolved echo signal, temporarily storing the time-resolved, transducer-specific, digitized echo signals in the form of an echo signal set, and applying a plurality of different reception processing rules to the echo signal set.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2015Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Roman Heinrich KOCH, Stephan FALTER, Reinhard PRAUSE, Helmut BREIDENBACH, Christof BREIDENBACH, Thomas WEISE
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Publication number: 20170219529Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 9664651Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleineret
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Publication number: 20160231290Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleineret
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Patent number: 9335302Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic. A method of detecting a characteristic in the test object with the ultrasonic detection assembly is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 9032801Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a thickness of an object using ultrasonic signals are disclosed. The method includes the steps of transmitting ultrasonic signals toward the object, digitizing a reflected echo sequence of the ultrasonic signals, including interpolating the echo sequence, and processing the echo sequence by detecting maximum amplitude peaks in the echo sequence and determining the object thickness based on a time duration between the maximum amplitude peaks.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Gerhard Finger, Heiko Martin Franz Sackenreuther
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Publication number: 20140236500Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing an ultrasonic analog signal (10) representing a reflected ultrasonic wave, wherein the ultrasonic analog signal (10) is fed in a parallel manner into at least two signal paths (A;B) and the ultrasonic analog signal is supplied in each signal path (A;B) to respective amplifiers (20A;20B) whose gains are different from one another. The ultrasonic analog signals (11;11?) which have thus been amplified differently are supplied in each signal path (A;B) to a respective A/D converter (30A;30B) which converts the amplified ultrasonic analog signals (11; 11?) into digital ultrasonic data (12;12?), from which a combined digital ultrasonic signal (15) is reconstructed after further processing steps. According to the invention, a decomposition of the digital ultrasonic data (12; 12?) is carried out in each signal path (A;B) by the first level of a wavelet filter algorithm, and the wavelet coefficients are altered by a threshold analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2012Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES GMBHInventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Gerhard Finger, Klaus-Peter Busch
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Publication number: 20140157903Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic. A method of detecting a characteristic in the test object with the ultrasonic detection assembly is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20140109677Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a thickness of an object using ultrasonic signals are disclosed. The method includes the steps of transmitting ultrasonic signals toward the object, digitizing a reflected echo sequence of the ultrasonic signals, including interpolating the echo sequence, and processing the echo sequence by detecting maximum amplitude peaks in the echo sequence and determining the object thickness based on a time duration between the maximum amplitude peaks.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2012Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Gerhard Finger, Heiko Martin, Franz Sackenreuther
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Patent number: 8650959Abstract: A planar probe for the coupling of ultrasonic signals to a planar component to be tested by means of water-free jet technology is provided. The planar probe includes: at least one preflow chamber; a flow chamber located downstream of at least one preflow chamber, wherein the flow chamber extends through a slot-shaped water outlet opening to a lower surface of the planar probe; a probe, wherein a lateral surface of the probe comprises emitting/receiving elements and forms an inner wall section of the flow chamber; a base body for the reception of the probe; and a sliding plate comprising the slot-shaped water outlet opening, whose planar extension along the component is larger than the planar extension of the base body along the component, wherein the planar probe is connected to the sliding plate.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection TechnologiesInventors: Walter Franz De Odorico, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolfgang Haase
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Publication number: 20110283799Abstract: A planar probe for the coupling of ultrasonic signals to a planar component to be tested by means of water-free jet technology is provided. The planar probe includes: at least one preflow chamber; a flow chamber located downstream of at least one preflow chamber, wherein the flow chamber extends through a slot-shaped water outlet opening to a lower surface of the planar probe; a probe, wherein a lateral surface of the probe comprises emitting/receiving elements and forms an inner wall section of the flow chamber; a base body for the reception of the probe; and a sliding plate comprising the slot-shaped water outlet opening, whose planar extension along the component is larger than the planar extension of the base body along the component, wherein the planar probe is connected to the sliding plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2009Publication date: November 24, 2011Inventors: Walter Franz De Odorico, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolfgang Haase
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Publication number: 20110126626Abstract: The invention relates to a device (68) and a method for the non-destructive testing of planar objects (70) such as thick or thin metal sheets using ultrasound in different focal zones, said device comprising one or more independently controllable probes (PK1-PKn), and to the use of matrix phased array probes. To achieve uniform sensitivity over a wide thickness range, the probes (PK1-PKn) are designed as 2-dimensional phased array probes (PK2-PKn) and are located in rows offset in relation to one another. The sum of the number and length of the individual probes (PK1, PKn) corresponds to the width of the material to be tested.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2009Publication date: June 2, 2011Inventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Albrecht Maurer, Walter Franz De Odorico, Ioana Francisca Waedt
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Patent number: 7426867Abstract: An ultrasound system for inspecting an object is provided. The ultrasound system includes an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) and a pulser-receiver system. The EMAT is configured to generate acoustic signals representative of the area being inspected and comprises a flux concentrating non-conductive pole piece separating a radio frequency (RF) coil and a magnet. The pulser-receiver system is coupled to the EMAT and configured to receive the acoustic signals and convert the acoustic signal to electrical signals.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Inspection Technologies, GmbHInventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Andrew May, Jian Li