Patents by Inventor Ralph Gerald Isaacs

Ralph Gerald Isaacs 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).

  • Patent number: 8045181
    Abstract: An inspection system is provided. The inspection system comprises a light source, a grating, a phase shifting unit, an imager, and a processor. The light source is configured to generate light. The grating is in a path of the generated light and is configured to produce a grating image after the light passes through the grating. The phase shifting unit is configured to form and reflect a plurality of phase shifted patterns of the grating image onto an object surface to form a plurality of projected phase shifting patterns. The imager is configured to obtain image data of the projected phase shifted patterns. The processor is configured to reconstruct the object surface from the image data. An inspection method and a phase shifting projector are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gil Abramovich, Kevin George Harding, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Guiju Song, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Jianming Zheng
  • Patent number: 7925075
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a feature of a part is provided. The method includes obtaining a profile corresponding to the feature using a sensor and projecting the profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature for generating an updated profile. The method also includes using the updated profile for reducing a measurement error caused by an orientation of the sensor. An inspection system is also provided. The inspection system includes a sensor configured to capture a fringe image of a feature on a part. The inspection system further includes a processor configured to process the fringe image to obtain an initial profile of the feature and to project the initial profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Jia, Guiju Song, Jianming Zheng, Yu Ning, Kevin George Harding, Gil Abramovich, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Patent number: 7888932
    Abstract: A method of assembling an eddy current array probe to facilitate nondestructive testing of a sample is provided. The method includes positioning a plurality of differential side mount coils at least partially within a flexible material. The method also includes coupling the flexible material within a tip portion of the eddy current array probe, such that the flexible material has a contour that substantially conforms to a portion of a surface of the sample to be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Stewart McKnight, Ui Suh, Yuri Plotnikov, Changting Wang, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Publication number: 20100296104
    Abstract: An inspection system is provided. The inspection system comprises a light source, a grating, a phase shifting unit, an imager, and a processor. The light source is configured to generate light. The grating is in a path of the generated light and is configured to produce a grating image after the light passes through the grating. The phase shifting unit is configured to form and reflect a plurality of phase shifted patterns of the grating image onto an object surface to form a plurality of projected phase shifting patterns. The imager is configured to obtain image data of the projected phase shifted patterns. The processor is configured to reconstruct the object surface from the image data. An inspection method and a phase shifting projector are also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gil Abramovich, Kevin George Harding, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Guiju Song, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Jianming Zheng
  • Publication number: 20090115410
    Abstract: A method of assembling an eddy current array probe to facilitate nondestructive testing of a sample is provided. The method includes positioning a plurality of differential side mount coils at least partially within a flexible material. The method also includes coupling the flexible material within a tip portion of the eddy current array probe, such that the flexible material has a contour that substantially conforms to a portion of a surface of the sample to be tested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: William Stewart McKnight, Ui Suh, Yuri Plotnikov, Changting Wang, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Patent number: 7499830
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program code are provided for characterizing an edge break, e.g., part features and/or geometric discontinuities that could give rise to edge sharpness, as may be encountered in a chamfer, bevel, fillet and other part features. The methodology enables to accurately and consistently determine in a manufacturing setting, for example, any applicable geometric parameter for characterizing the edge break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin George Harding, Jianming Zheng, Yongqing Li, Ming Jia, Guiju Song, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Publication number: 20080281543
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a feature of a part is provided. The method includes obtaining a profile corresponding to the feature using a sensor and projecting the profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature for generating an updated profile. The method also includes using the updated profile for reducing a measurement error caused by an orientation of the sensor. An inspection system is also provided. The inspection system includes a sensor configured to capture a fringe image of a feature on a part. The inspection system further includes a processor configured to process the fringe image to obtain an initial profile of the feature and to project the initial profile onto a compensation plane normal to the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ming Jia, Guiju Song, Jianming Zheng, Yu Ning, Kevin George Harding, Gil Abramovich, Joseph Benjamin Ross, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
  • Publication number: 20080159477
    Abstract: A method of radiographic inspection of an object includes the steps of: providing a radiation source and a radiation detector located on opposite sides of the object; positioning the radiation detector to receive radiation transmitted through the object from the radiation source; radiographically imaging an region of interest of the object with the radiation source and the radiation detector, using an set of initial imaging parameters, to produce a test image; obtaining at least one quality measurement of the test image; comparing the quality measurement to predetermined image quality limits; and in response to the quality measurement exceeding the predetermined image quality limits, changing at least one of the initial imaging parameters to generate a new set of image parameters. The process may be repeated iteratively until a final set of imaging parameters is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas William Birdwell, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Joseph M. Portaz, Ronald Cecil McFarland
  • Patent number: 6985238
    Abstract: A non-contact measurement system employing a non-contact optical sensor and an edge detection sensor with a positioning system for moving the sensors over the surface and edges of a part (A) held in a predetermined, fixed position. The part is aligned in a co-ordinate system for obtaining accurate measurements of the part's surface (S) and edges (E). For parts smaller than the optical sensor's field of view, the part is rotated about an axis so both sides of the part are viewed by the sensor. If required, the part can also be shifted linearly along a horizontal axis (X) parallel to the sensor. For parts larger in size than the sensor's field of view, the part is moved along a vertical axis (Y) in predetermined segments so all of the part is exposed to viewing by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ralph Gerald Isaacs, John Charles Janning, Francis Howard Little, James Robert Reinhardt, Joseph Benjamin Ross
  • Publication number: 20040057057
    Abstract: A non-contact measurement system employing a non-contact optical sensor and an edge detection sensor with a positioning system for moving the sensors over the surface and edges of a part (A) held in a predetermined, fixed position. The part is aligned in a co-ordinate system for obtaining accurate measurements of the part's surface (S) and edges (E). For parts smaller than the optical sensor's field of view, the part is rotated about an axis so both sides of the part are viewed by the sensor. If required, the part can also be shifted linearly along a horizontal axis (X) parallel to the sensor. For parts larger in size than the sensor's field of view, the part is moved along a vertical axis (Y) in predetermined segments so all of the part is exposed to viewing by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ralph Gerald Isaacs, John Charles Janning, Francis Howard Little, James Robert Reinhardt, Joseph Benjamin Ross
  • Patent number: 6711235
    Abstract: An X-ray inspection system is provided having an X-ray source and first and second collimators. The first and second collimators are arranged in relation to the source and the target such that the portion of the target actually illuminated by The X-ray beam is substantially equal to the size of a selected inspection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Cormpany
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Galish, Thomas William Birdwell, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Francis Howard Little
  • Publication number: 20030223547
    Abstract: An X-ray inspection system is provided having an X-ray source and first and second collimators. The first and second collimators are arranged in relation to the source and the target such that the portion of the target actually illuminated by The X-ray beam is substantially equal to the size of a selected inspection zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Galish, Thomas William Birdwell, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Francis Howard Little
  • Patent number: 6167110
    Abstract: A detector (20) for high voltage x-rays includes a plurality of sensor elements (22) with each sensor element being aligned along a respective focal axis (25) with respect to a high voltage x-ray source (24). A fiber optic scintillator (34) is optically coupled to each of said sensor elements and is disposed to receive incident x-ray radiation passing from the object to be imaged. Optical fibers of the scintillator are positioned such that their optical axes are perpendicular to incident x-rays. Each sensor element has a length along the focal axis sufficiently long for the fibers to absorb substantially all incident x-rays. Each sensor element comprises an array of amorphous silicon photosensors disposed to detect light generated by the scintillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gerorge Edward Possin, Andrew Joseph Galish, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Douglas Albagli, Ching-Yeu Wei, Thomas William Birdwell, Francis Howard Little, Sung Su Han