Abstract: The present invention discloses an acoustic composite material for an ultrasonic phased array and a method for making. The acoustic composite material is formed from a microcapillary array having a plurality of holes of a constant cross-section and volume fraction. In each of the plurality of holes of the microcapillary array, a polymer fill is deposited therein. The polymer filled microcapillary array is cut at an axis perpendicular to the microcapillary array into a plurality of sections. Each of the plurality of sections are then ground into a predetermined thickness and bonded to a phased array of piezoelectric elements and backfill material.

Abstract: A PASS ultrasonic system includes a separate receive channel for each respective element in an ultrasonic transducer array which imparts a delay to the echo signal produced by each respective element. The delayed echo signals are summed to form a steered, dynamically focused and dynamically windowed receive beam which can be readily interpreted even when the transmit beam does not emanate from the center of the array.

Abstract: A method for dynamic focus of received energy, in a vibratory energy imaging system, into a beam in which contribution from transducers in an array of N such transducers, are progressively enabled to contribute to beam focussing dependent upon distance between a particular j-th transducer (where 1.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.N) is responsive to the depth, or range R, of the focal point at any instant of time; the initial steering angle .theta., with respect to the array normal, is used in conjunction with a range clock, to determine the time when each off-normal transducer channel is enabled to add to the beam (dynamic apodization) and to finely adjust the channel time delay to properly focus the beam after the enablement of the channel.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing data conversion/transfer functions in each of a plurality N of channels of a vibratory energy imaging system includes a multiplexer for providing, to an addressable memory having a plurality of L=2.sup.M locations in each of which a data word of B bits can be stored, a selected one of an input data word and a test data word, each of which can address one of the L locations of the memory means. The address multiplexer facilitates retrieval from memory of a B-bit data word having a value selected to implement a selected function for that channel, so that comparision of data from the selected test address with the data which has been sent to that location for storage, will indicate if proper data is stored for carrying out the designated function.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a desired output signal as a function of a single-valued input signal in an electronic system, includes: an addressable memory, having a plurality L locations, each for storage of a data word of B bits; a circuit for storing in each of the L locations of the memory means a B-bit data word having a value selected to provide a particular output value; and circuitry for converting a present single-valued increment of input signal to a unique address, within the range of allowable locations of the memory, to cause each increment of input signal to select the associated one of the L data word locations, from which to output corresponding data.

Abstract: A method for correcting data conversion/transfer errors in each of a plurality N of channels of a vibratory energy imaging system, by: providing an addressable memory having a plurality L=2.sup.M locations, each for storage of a data word of B bits; then storing in each of the L locations of the memory means a B-bit data word having a value selected to cause the output-to-input transfer function for that channel to assume a desired relationship, with respect to a standard transfer measure; and selecting that one of the L data word locations, responsive to that actual one of an M-bit data word output from a channel ADC or from a data bus, responsive to a test signal, in which to place corresponding data.

Abstract: A method for generating a stream of digital data words, each representing an analog signal amplitude from a beam of vibratory energy received by a plurality N of transducers each associated with one of a like number of separate channels of a phased array, uses the steps of: sampling, after a delay of a multiple number of cycles at a fixed frequency F, an analog input signal in each channel at a fixed frequency F for conversion to a digital data word at each sample; then demodulating the digital data word stream in each channel to baseband and reducing the data word rate by a factor D; and phase-rotating the baseband data stream of each channel by a phase difference .DELTA..phi. determined by the focal range R and steering angle .theta. to obtain, along both the sampling delay, a different channel time delay t.sub.d,j, for each j-th channel, where 1.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.N, necessary to steer and focus the beam to a desired angle/range combination.

Abstract: A CMOS programmable logic array includes a logical AND plane receiving a first group of input logic signals for forming a second group of logic minterms, and a logical OR plane receiving the logic minterms for forming a third group of output logic signals. Each type of logical plane contains a plurality of logic gates. Each plane type can be formed from the other plane type by the addition of a logic inverter to each input, and output of, that other-type plane. Interconnections determine the combination of input signals used to define the logic equation of the signal at the output of each logic gate of each plane. Static latches are used to retain the states of input and minterm logic signals. Logic planes and latches can be operated responsive to a two-phase clock signal.