Patents by Inventor Ralf Ratering

Ralf Ratering 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).

  • Publication number: 20240111368
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing non-destructive testing is provided. The apparatus includes a housing having a front face for displaying a user interface and a rear face. A plurality of first buttons is disposed on the rear face of the housing adjacent to a side face, and receives a first set of user inputs from a user. One or more second buttons are disposed on the housing and receive a second set of user inputs from the user. The first set of user inputs and the second set of user inputs are received via a forefinger and a thumb, respectively, of the user. The plurality of first buttons and the one or more second buttons are together configured to select a precise value of an operating parameter of the apparatus. Related methods of use are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Daide Li, Ralf Ratering, Jiamin Lei
  • Patent number: 11740207
    Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection system includes an ultrasonic probe and an analyzer. The probe includes a flexible delay line and an ultrasonic transducer array at a first delay line end. A second delay line end can contact a target. The analyzer can receive ultrasonic echoes from the ultrasonic transducers representing amplitude of ultrasonic signals reflected from the target as a function of time from transmission. The analyzer determines a maximum amplitude of the echoes received by each transducer, scale the maximum amplitudes based upon a greatest maximum amplitude, and bin the scaled maximum amplitudes. The analyzer assigns each bin a color and generate a C-scan based upon the scaled amplitudes. Each C-scan pixel can correspond to at least one transducer, and the relative position of each C-scan pixel can correspond to the relative position of the ultrasonic transducer represented by the pixel. Each pixel can be displayed with its assigned color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Tobias Bruch, Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20220374129
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received by an ultrasonic inspection device can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured for performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing device can be provided and can include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control can also include an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs, a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be displayed as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Daide Li, Lei Jiamin, Ralf Ratering
  • Patent number: 11435868
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received by an ultrasonic inspection device can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured for performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing device can be provided and can include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control can also include an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs, a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be displayed as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Daide Li, Lei Jiamin, Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20220178882
    Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection system includes an ultrasonic probe and an analyzer. The probe includes a flexible delay line and an ultrasonic transducer array at a first delay line end. A second delay line end can contact a target. The analyzer can receive ultrasonic echoes from the ultrasonic transducers representing amplitude of ultrasonic signals reflected from the target as a function of time from transmission. The analyzer determines a maximum amplitude of the echoes received by each transducer, scale the maximum amplitudes based upon a greatest maximum amplitude, and bin the scaled maximum amplitudes. The analyzer assigns each bin a color and generate a C-scan based upon the scaled amplitudes. Each C-scan pixel can correspond to at least one transducer, and the relative position of each C-scan pixel can correspond to the relative position of the ultrasonic transducer represented by the pixel. Each pixel can be displayed with its assigned color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias Bruch, Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20210109642
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received by an ultrasonic inspection device can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured for performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing device can be provided and can include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control can also include an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs, a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be displayed as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Daide Li, Lei Jiamin, Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20210103378
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received from an ultrasonic testing environment can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured for performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing environment can be provided and include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control also includes an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be output as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Patent number: 10838573
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received from an ultrasonic testing environment can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured for performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing environment can be provided and include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control also includes an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be output as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES, GMBH
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20200174643
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums are provided for selecting a precise value within a large value range. Data received from an ultrasonic testing environment can include a range of values associated with one or more parameters to be configured tor performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object. A control in a user interface of the ultrasonic testing environment can be provided and include a display portion displaying one or more parameters and one or more values within the range of values associated with the one or more parameters. The control also includes an interactive portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs. Based on the inputs a selected value associated with a first parameter can be determined. The selected value associated with the first parameter can be output as a static display within the display portion of the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Patent number: 10241087
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a device for the non-destructive ultrasound testing of workpieces. The device comprises an ultrasonic test probe with an ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic test probe being configured for generating and coupling ultrasonic signals into a workpiece or/and for receiving ultrasonic signals from the workpiece. Furthermore, an electronic control unit is provided. The ease of operation is improved as a whole by a special configuration of the test probe and the control unit. Furthermore, the embodiments relate to a method for the non-destructive ultrasound testing of workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20170115254
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a device for the non-destructive ultrasound testing of workpieces. The device comprises an ultrasonic test probe with an ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic test probe being configured for generating and coupling ultrasonic signals into a workpiece or/and for receiving ultrasonic signals from the workpiece. Furthermore, an electronic control unit is provided. The ease of operation is improved as a whole by a special configuration of the test probe and the control unit. Furthermore, the embodiments relate to a method for the non-destructive ultrasound testing of workpieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventor: Ralf RATERING
  • Patent number: 9207639
    Abstract: Various approaches are described for visualizing one-dimensional A-scan data samples in a three-dimensional space. Each of the data samples represents ultrasonic signals received from a test material. The data samples are transformed into the three-dimensional space as a geometric shape corresponding to a relative amount of ultrasonic energy reflected back from the test material. The data samples as transformed into the three-dimensional space with the geometric shapes rendered therein can be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20140204702
    Abstract: Various approaches are described for visualizing one-dimensional A-scan data samples in a three-dimensional space. Each of the data samples represents ultrasonic signals received from a test material. The data samples are transformed into the three-dimensional space as a geometric shape corresponding to a relative amount of ultrasonic energy reflected back from the test material. The data samples as transformed into the three-dimensional space with the geometric shapes rendered therein can be displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Ralf Ratering
  • Publication number: 20110161495
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accelerating OpenCL (Open Computing Language) applications by utilizing a virtual OpenCL device as interface to compute clouds are described. In one embodiment, one or more computing operations may be offloaded from a local processor to a virtual device that represents available resources of a cloud. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Ralf Ratering, Hans-Christian Hoppe
  • Patent number: 6771263
    Abstract: Texture-based volume rendering is a technique to efficiently visualize volumetric data using texture mapping hardware. A method is presented that extends this approach to render shadows for the volume. Although the method does not perform lighting calculations, the resulting image has a shaded appearance. As calculating the shadows is independent of the visualization process, the method can be applied to any form of volume visualization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: GMD-Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Behrens, Ralf Ratering
  • Patent number: D1034255
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wenda Zhu, Appu Gopakumar, Ralf Ratering, Johannes Buechler, Jiamin Lei