Sound Energy (e.g., Ultrasonic) Patents (Class 702/39)
  • Patent number: 11939956
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting concealed emerging defects in a structure of a wind turbine blade, and a wind turbine blade comprising a first acoustical transducer fastened to a first area of a surface of a structure of the wind turbine blade, and wherein the first acoustical transducer is configured to, while the wind turbine blade being attached to a hub of a wind turbine and the wind turbine is operating: emit a first primary acoustic signal through the surface of the structure and into the structure; and receive a first secondary acoustic signal indicative of an echo of the first primary acoustic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventor: Isaac Alejandro Martinez Tovar
  • Patent number: 11927501
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for monitoring a gear system (1) comprising at least two wheels, each wheel having a characteristic frequency (f1, f2), a vibratory or acoustic signal representative of these vibrations having been acquired by a sensor (21), a vibratory or acoustic digital signal x(t) having been obtained, the method comprising, for each characteristic frequency of the system (1), the steps of filtering (E1) the digital signal by means of a filter in such a way as to obtain an image monitoring signal of at least one vibratory component of at least one defect; determining (E3) the square envelope of said monitoring signal, defined by the square absolute value of the Hilbert transform of the monitoring signal so as to extract an image of the modulating signals associated with the rotation of the wheels from the monitoring signal; determining (E4) the synchronous average of said square envelope relative to the period of rotation of a wheel of interest chosen from the wheels of the gear, said avera
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN
    Inventors: Dany Abboud, Mohamed El Badaoui, Yosra Marnissi
  • Patent number: 11921085
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein utilize Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) scan data obtained during a process performed on a surface of a structure to update a location of an NDI scanner on the surface. A subsurface feature within the structure is detected based on the NDI scan data, which are correlated with pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature. A measured location of the NDI scanner on the surface is corrected based on the pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter, Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy
  • Patent number: 11869052
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium may include executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to provide for a non-destructive testing (NDT) ecosystem. The NDT ecosystem includes a repository of digital content, and a store configured to sell the digital content to a customer, wherein the digital content is executable by a NDT device and wherein the digital content is created by a plurality of entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Sekhar Soorianarayanan, Robert Carroll Ward, Michael Christopher Domke, Scott Leo Sbihli, Francois Xavier De Fromont, Jason Howard Messinger
  • Patent number: 11847772
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for calculating, during imaging, a quality of a sequence of images collected during the imaging. Calculating the quality of the sequence of images may include calculating a probability that a medical professional would use a given image for clinical evaluation and a confidence that an automated analysis segmentation performed on the given image is correct. Techniques described herein also include receiving a trigger to perform an automatic measurement on a sequence of images, calculating a quality of the sequence of images, determining whether the quality of the sequence of images exceeds a threshold quality, and performing the automatic measurement on the sequence of images based on determining that the quality of the sequence of images exceeds the threshold quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: BFLY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alex Rothberg, Igor Lovchinsky, Jimmy Jia, Tomer Gafner, Matthew de Jonge, Jonathan M. Rothberg
  • Patent number: 11669206
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting imperfections on a surface of a touchscreen of an electrical device, comprising: swiping a test object, such as a fingertip, a fingernail or a pin, along at least a portion of the touchscreen; producing, by the touchscreen, an electric signal indicative of the test object's contact with the touchscreen; receiving an acoustic signal by an acoustic sensor, during the swipe of the test object along the touchscreen; analyzing, by a processor, at least one of the electric signal and received acoustic signal; and determining existence of imperfections on the touchscreen's surface based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ESW Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Gross, Oded Rozenberg, Moshe Lipsker
  • Patent number: 11644383
    Abstract: The invention provides an adaptive manifold probability distribution-based bearing fault diagnosis method, including constructing transferable domains and transfer tasks; converting a data sample in each transfer task into frequency domain data via Fourier transform, inputting the frequency domain data into a GFK algorithm model, and calculating a manifold feature representation matrix related to a bearing fault in each transfer task by using the GFK algorithm model; calculating a cosine distance between centers of a target domain and a source domain in each transfer task according to a manifold feature representation, and defining a target function of in-domain classifier learning; then solving the target function, to obtain a probability distribution matrix of the target domain; and selecting a label corresponding to the largest probability value corresponding to each data sample in the target domain from the probability distribution matrix as a predicted label of the data sample in the target domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Changqing Shen, Yu Xia, Lin Kong, Liang Chen, Piao Lei, Yongjun Shen, Dong Wang, Hongbo Que, Aiwen Zhang, Minjie Chen, Chuancang Ding, Xingxing Jiang, Jun Wang, Juanjuan Shi, Weiguo Huang, Zhongkui Zhu
  • Patent number: 11638570
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, a memory, and processing circuitry. The ultrasonic probe includes ultrasonic transducers. The processing circuitry measures first reflected wave signals generated by the ultrasonic probe at a first time point. The processing circuitry stores information concerning the first reflected wave signals in the memory. The processing circuitry measures second reflected wave signals generated by the ultrasonic probe at a second time point. The processing circuitry performs correction to suppress variations between the second reflected wave signals respectively generated by the ultrasonic transducers based on the information concerning the first and second reflected wave signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Okada, Fuminori Fujita
  • Patent number: 11614205
    Abstract: A piping diagnostic device according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes: criteria distribution generating means for generating a criteria distribution that is statistical data of criteria data of piping based on construction information about the piping, design information about the piping, and material information about the piping; changed-state distribution generating means for generating a changed-state distribution that is statistical data of changed-state data of the piping that have changed due to aging based on at least either vibration or dynamic pressure of the piping that have changed due to aging; measurement means for measuring at least either vibration or dynamic pressure of the piping; and determining means for determining deterioration of the piping based on the criteria distribution, the changed-state distribution, and at least either vibration or dynamic pressure of the piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichiro Takata, Takahiro Kumura, Kanta Miyake, Shin Tominaga, Hirofumi Inoue, Shigeki Shinoda
  • Patent number: 11519881
    Abstract: A method and system for ultrasonic testing of adhesion within a sample, which provides ultrasonic bursts of different frequencies to the sample and maintains a predetermined phase difference between echoes returned from the sample and representative reference signals of the bursts supplied to the sample until a spectrum of the phase differences versus frequency is obtained and from which properties of the adhesion at an interface reflecting the echoes are derivable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Harold A. Haldren, Daniel F. Perey, William T. Yost, K. Elliott Cramer, Mool C. Gupta
  • Patent number: 11480548
    Abstract: An acoustic inspection device and an associated method for inspecting a component are provided. The acoustic inspection device is portable and includes an acoustic transmitter and receiver that may be placed on opposite sides of an inspection region on the surface of the component. The acoustic transmitter has an array of acoustic transducers for generating an acoustic wave that travels along a surface of the component and the acoustic receiver has an array of acoustic transducers for receiving that acoustic wave. A controller determines at least one surface characteristic of the component from the measured acoustic wave, such as its crystalline structure or grain size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Eugene Klaassen, Mark Partika
  • Patent number: 11460412
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting a composite material structure for defects includes a) an inspection apparatus having a heating device for heating a surface of the structure, an infrared camera for receiving radiation from the surface in response to heating, a controller configured to generate thermal images from the infrared radiation, b) a training system includes an arrangement for obtaining thermal images from a known composite material sample including a plurality of heating elements positioned to apply heat to an entire surface of the sample, an infrared camera for capturing thermal images of the sample, and a processing system for recording the thermal images in a training database, and c) a computer system coupled to the training system and the inspection apparatus adapted to receive thermal images from the inspection apparatus and detect parameters of defects in the structure using the training database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Ahmed S. Al-Omari
  • Patent number: 11391701
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods for creating an analysis data set for an evaluation of an ultrasonic test of an object comprising: providing a first and second measurement data set, each based on an ultrasonic measurement of a region of the object and a SAFT analysis thereof; associating a first equivalent defect size with a volume element of the first measurement data set associated with at least a portion of the region; associating a second equivalent defect size with a volume element of the second measurement data set associated with at least the portion of the region; creating the analysis data set having at least one volume element which is associated with at least the portion of the region; and associating a third equivalent defect size with the volume element of the analysis data set, wherein the third is formed from the maximum of the first and second sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Johannes Vrana, Hubert Mooshofer
  • Patent number: 11366179
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device includes the following steps. A substrate is provided, and the substrate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a side surface between the first surface and the second surface. A first circuit is formed on the first surface. A second circuit is formed on the second surface. The first circuit is made to electrically connect with the second circuit. A testing signal is applied to the first circuit and received from the second circuit to verify the electrical connection between the first circuit and the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Jia-Yuan Chen, Tsung-Han Tsai, Kuan-Feng Lee
  • Patent number: 11254336
    Abstract: A rail flaw detector is configured for locating flaws in rails of a railroad track and for use with a vehicle travelling on the railroad track. The detector includes at least one signal applicator configured for applying ultrasonic signals to the rail and for receiving return signals; a mechanical subsystem connected to the applicator and to the vehicle and configured for maintaining the at least one signal applicator in operational position on the track. A human-machine interface is connected to the at least one signal applicator, is configured to control the detector and to monitor sensed rail condition. In one embodiment, the human-machine interface includes a schematic display of the rail being monitored and at least one touch screen control for controlling the mechanical subsystem and the at least one signal applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NORDCO INC.
    Inventors: Paul Sanders Underwood, David William Giragosian, Ian Wallace McGrath Gage, Phillip Edwards, II, John E. Leonard, Jacob Eisler, Ronald M. Keenan, Joseph Setaro
  • Patent number: 11210777
    Abstract: There is presented a system and method for detecting mobile device fault conditions, including detecting fault conditions by software operating on the mobile device. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for systems and methods for using a neural network to detect, from an image of the device, that the mobile device has a defect, for instance a cracked or scratched screen. Systems and methods also provide for, reporting the defect status of the device, working or not, so that appropriate action may be taken by a third party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BLANCCO TECHNOLOGY GROUP IP OY
    Inventors: William Fitzgerald, Donal O'Shaughnessy, Donie Kelly, Paul O'Sullivan, Liam O'Callaghan, James Donovan, Shane Hallinan, Charlie McGrory, Wayne Morgan, Uday Chitturi, Patrick Conway, John Mollaghan, Kevin Sutton
  • Patent number: 11209339
    Abstract: A method for detecting performance of a roll-to-roll device for processing flexible material comprises: obtaining a first fuzzy prototype and a second fuzzy prototype according to vibration data of all rollers working in a normal state; collecting the vibration data of all the rollers at a target time period, and extracting a second root mean square value and a second kurtosis value of the actual vibration data; and calculating membership degree functions of the second root mean square value, the second kurtosis value, the first fuzzy prototype and the second fuzzy prototype, and determining a performance state of a roll-to-roll device for processing flexible material within the target time period according to the membership degree functions. The method can accurately assess the performance of the roll-to-roll device for processing flexible material, so as to prevent the roll-to-roll device for processing flexible material from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Yaohua Deng
  • Patent number: 11176287
    Abstract: A method and system for structural analysis of an object detects deviations between a physical object model and a predetermined three-dimensional model of the object. The physical object model is generated from scanned surface data of an object produced by a three-dimensional sensor. The physical object model is aligned with the predetermined three-dimensional model of the object to identify an interference between a location of the aligned physical object model and the predetermined three-dimensional model of the object that corresponds with any elastic deformation of an internal component within the predetermined three-dimensional model. An indicator of expected damage to the internal component arising from the elastic deformation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Wilsher
  • Patent number: 11151401
    Abstract: A method for consistently mounting a removable sensor to a machine is provided. The method includes recording, by camera, an image including a sensor placed on a target. The sensor includes a first plane marked with a first color that is perpendicular to a first sensor axis representing a positive axis direction. The method also includes determining, by accelerometer, an image orientation concurrently with the recording. The method further includes identifying the sensor within the image. The method additionally includes determining, using the identified first color, a sensor orientation within the image relative to the image orientation. The sensor orientation includes the positive axis direction. The method also includes comparing the sensor orientation to a reference orientation. The method further includes determining the sensor orientation matches the reference orientation and recording a target measurement in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventor: Aaron R. Hampton
  • Patent number: 11125725
    Abstract: Systems and methods for inspection of pipelines are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) transceiver (TRX) for inspecting a pipe includes a multichannel EMAT transmitter (TX) having multiple collocated transmitter coils. The EMAT TX can generate forward-propagating ultrasound waves and backward-propagating ultrasound waves. The forward-propagating ultrasound waves have higher amplitude than the backward-propagating ultrasound waves. The EMAT TRX also includes a multichannel EMAT receiver (RX) having multiple receiver coils that can receive the ultrasound waves transmitted by the EMAT TX through the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: QUEST INTEGRATED, LLC
    Inventors: Haraprasad Kannajosyula, Philip Dewayne Bondurant, Anthony Mactutis
  • Patent number: 11086040
    Abstract: A pulsed sinusoidal acoustic signal transmitted through a subsurface volume of a wellbore may be detected. A time-reversed acoustic signal of the pulsed sinusoidal acoustic signal may be transmitted through the subsurface volume of the wellbore. Transmission of the time-reversed acoustic signal through the subsurface volume of the wellbore may result in generation of focused acoustic signal in the subsurface volume of the wellbore. The focused acoustic signal in the subsurface volume of the wellbore may be detected, and the integrity of the wellbore may be determined based on the focused acoustic signal in the subsurface volume of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC, CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Timothy James Ulrich, II, Harvey Edwin Goodman
  • Patent number: 11078631
    Abstract: An aspect includes a vehicle that includes rail inspection sensors configured for capturing transducer data describing the rail, and a processor configured for receiving and processing the transducer data in near-real time to determine whether the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. The processing includes inputting the captured transducer data to a machine learning system that has been trained to identify patterns in transducer data that indicate rail flaws. The processing also includes receiving an output from the machine learning system, the output indicating whether the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. An alert is transmitted to an operator of the vehicle based at least in part on the output indicating that the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. The alert includes a location of the suspected rail flaw and instructs the operator to stop the vehicle and to perform a repair action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SPERRY RAIL HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: David Henry Gilbert
  • Patent number: 11080628
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for managing waste services performed by a service vehicle. The system may have at least one sensor disposed onboard the service vehicle and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a waste service being completed by the service vehicle. The system may also have a computing device in communication with the at least one sensor. The computing device may be configured to determine, based on the second signal, that the waste service has been performed. The computing device may also be configured to selectively generate an electronic response based on performance of the waste service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Rubicon Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Rodoni
  • Patent number: 11029289
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for TFM post-processing of a FMC or HMC matrix acquired with an ultrasonic array probe. Post-processing is performed by calculating TFM beam forming amplitudes using round-trip delays to a focal point lying at depth d on a line at angle ? within the test object. Based on the beam forming amplitudes over a range of values of d within the imaging volume, a calculated A-scan is derived, which is equivalent to the response A-scan produced in conventional phased array imaging, but has the advantage of being focused at all points along the line. By post-calculation of calculated A-scans over a range of angles ? within the imaging volume, an imaging method is derived which is readily adapted to existing codes based on conventional A-scan imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Olympus America Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Habermehl, Benoit Lepage
  • Patent number: 11016002
    Abstract: In situ vibration-based verification of vehicle doors may be performed to identify defects in the doors. An example vehicle includes a vibration exciter affixed to a door and a vibration sensor affixed to a window of the door. The example vehicle also includes a processor coupled to memory storing expected vibration data. The processor performs, via the vibration exciter, a sine sweep on the door and measures, via the vibration sensor, a vibration response of the door to the sine sweep. Based on the vibration response and the expected vibration data, the processor determines whether the door is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Wheeler, Scott Andrew Amman, Michael James Whitens
  • Patent number: 10986825
    Abstract: A casting evaluation device includes a frequency derivator and a casting evaluator. Thee frequency derivator derives a frequency of sound or vibration based on an output of a sensor that detects the vibration or the sound that accompanies the release of a fishing line from a spool of a fishing reel. The casting evaluator evaluates prescribed evaluation items related to casting based on the frequency derived by the frequency derivator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Satoshi Ikebukuro
  • Patent number: 10955458
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection apparatus is an apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor device which is an object to be inspected based on a result signal which is output in accordance with input of a test pattern signal to the semiconductor device, the apparatus including: an ultrasonic transducer, disposed to face the semiconductor device, which generates ultrasonic waves; a stage for moving a relative position of the semiconductor device and the ultrasonic transducer; a stimulation condition control unit for controlling a condition of stimulation by the ultrasonic waves applied to the semiconductor device; and an analysis unit for generating a measurement image based on the result signal which is output from the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Toru Matsumoto, Akira Shimase
  • Patent number: 10950655
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a transducer includes first structure sections and second structure sections. The first structure sections are spaced from each other in a first direction. Part of each of the first structure sections is fixed. The each of the first structure sections includes a first membrane part, a first piezoelectric part, a first conductive part, and a first electrode. The second structure sections are spaced from each other in the first direction. Part of each of the second structure sections is fixed. The each of the second structure sections includes a second membrane part, a second piezoelectric part, a second conductive part, and a second electrode. The second structure sections are spaced from the first structure sections in the first direction. Pitch along the first direction of the second structure sections is shorter than pitch along the first direction of the first structure sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Itsumi, Tomio Ono
  • Patent number: 10706520
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for calculating, during imaging, a quality of a sequence of images collected during the imaging. Calculating the quality of the sequence of images may include calculating a probability that a medical professional would use a given image for clinical evaluation and a confidence that an automated analysis segmentation performed on the given image is correct. Techniques described herein also include receiving a trigger to perform an automatic measurement on a sequence of images, calculating a quality of the sequence of images, determining whether the quality of the sequence of images exceeds a threshold quality, and performing the automatic measurement on the sequence of images based on determining that the quality of the sequence of images exceeds the threshold quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Rothberg, Igor Lovchinsky, Jimmy Jia, Tomer Gafner, Matthew de Jonge, Jonathan M. Rothberg
  • Patent number: 10697861
    Abstract: A structure abnormality detection device that detects an abnormality of a structure includes means for storing a model that predicts, from a first inspection value acquired at a first inspection position, a second inspection value acquired at a second inspection position that is a position where a vibration intensity in vibration of a predetermined vibration mode at a natural frequency of the structure is substantially the same as at the first inspection position; and means for detecting an abnormality of the structure by evaluating fidelity of the first inspection value and the second inspection value acquired at a particular time to the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryota Mase, Shinji Kasahara, Katsuhiro Ochiai
  • Patent number: 10628932
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to techniques for calculating, during imaging, a quality of a sequence of images collected during the imaging. Calculating the quality of the sequence of images may include calculating a probability that a medical professional would use a given image for clinical evaluation and a confidence that an automated analysis segmentation performed on the given image is correct. Techniques described herein also include receiving a trigger to perform an automatic measurement on a sequence of images, calculating a quality of the sequence of images, determining whether the quality of the sequence of images exceeds a threshold quality, and performing the automatic measurement on the sequence of images based on determining that the quality of the sequence of images exceeds the threshold quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Rothberg, Igor Lovchinsky, Jimmy Jia, Tomer Gafner, Matthew de Jonge, Jonathan M. Rothberg
  • Patent number: 10610194
    Abstract: A hand-held system for ultrasound monitoring of internal organs of humans and animals and providing therapy combined with ultrasound is presented. The system comprises a base that functions as a docking station for the smart device. The base comprises ultrasound transducer elements, which are essentially integral with additional electronics, located on its bottom side and a socket into which the smart device can be inserted on its top side. The socket is provided with connecting elements suitable to mechanically and electrically connect the smart device to the base and to allow the base and the smart device to be moved as a single unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Pulsenmore Ltd.
    Inventor: Lazar Sonnenschein
  • Patent number: 10573113
    Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for checking value documents, involves at least one first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or transmitted by a value document and to convert the radiation into corresponding first sensor signals. At least one second sensor is configured to detect sound waves reflected and/or transmitted by the value document and to convert the sound waves into corresponding second sensor signals, and an evaluation device configured to determine a first area value which characterizes a first area of the value document on the basis of the first sensor signals, to determine a second area value which characterizes a second area of the value document on the basis of the second sensor signals, and to infer a possible identification marking of the value document with a marking ink on the basis of the first and second area value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Hendrik Derks, Jan Domke, Johannes Feulner, Norbert Holl, Steffen Schmalz, Dieter Stein, Stefan Kokrhoun
  • Patent number: 10551970
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting imperfections on a surface of a touchscreen of an electrical device, comprising: swiping a test object, such as a fingertip, a fingernail or a pin, along at least a portion of the touchscreen; producing, by the touchscreen, an electric signal indicative of the test object's contact with the touchscreen; receiving an acoustic signal by an acoustic sensor, during the swipe of the test object along the touchscreen; analyzing, by a processor, at least one of the electric signal and received acoustic signal; and determining existence of imperfections on the touchscreen's surface based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: ESW Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Gross, Oded Rozenberg, Moshe Lipsker
  • Patent number: 10502718
    Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for determining an optimum drive signal for an acoustic transducer. A pulse signal is employed as a wideband reference signal Vr(t); and, in a pulse-echo measurement a corresponding wideband echo signal Ve(t) is obtained. A normalized loop frequency response {circumflex over (X)}(f) for the acoustic transducer is defined as a ratio of a Fourier Transform of the Ve(t) to a Fourier Transform of the Vr(t), and a normalized loop time response X(t) is defined as an Inverse Fourier Transform of the {circumflex over (X)}(f). An optimum drive signal B(t) for the acoustic transducer is defined as B(t)?*G(t), wherein a coefficient ? is determined to multiply a function G(t), in which the function G(t) is derived from one of the normalized loop time response X(t) and the normalized loop frequency response {circumflex over (X)}(f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BROADSOUND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ying-Wei Yuan, Jen-Chih Yao, Fu-Chieh Yang, Yi-Hsun Lin
  • Patent number: 10495454
    Abstract: An inspection system, in an embodiment, can be operable with a probe and a position tracker to inspect an object. The system can be operable to display at least one probe travel axis, receive first and second inspection values from the probe, associate the first inspection value with a first position point, and associate the second inspection value with a second position point. The system displays an inspection path based on the associations. The inspection path extends relative to the probe travel axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Scott Groninger
  • Patent number: 10365250
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a detection device is used for a structure. The structure includes: a first member; a second member provided on an opposite side of the first member; and a welded portion that is provided along an end of the second member facing the first member and fixes the first member and the second member. The detection device include: a plurality of acoustic emission sensors that are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a direction in which the welded portion extends and are configured to detect an elastic wave transmitted to the second member, each acoustic emission sensor being attached to the second member; and an outputter that outputs information, obtained from outputs of the plurality of the acoustic emission sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi Usui, Kazuo Watabe, Takahiro Omori, Hidefumi Takamine, Akihiro Kasahara
  • Patent number: 10362180
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus includes a first acquiring unit that acquires sound information, a second acquiring unit that acquires operation information indicating a component in operation among a plurality of components of an analysis target apparatus, and a display unit that, when the acquired sound information is reproduced, displays operating states of the plurality of components at the time point when the reproduced sound is acquired, using the operation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Miyamori, Tsutomu Udaka, Fumihiko Ogasawara, Katsuyuki Kouno, Atsushi Ito, Tomoyuki Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 10352505
    Abstract: A real time method and dynamic logic-based system for enhancing the operation of a pipeline network is disclosed. The system and method perform monitoring of the operation of a pipeline network, generate alarms in response to differing levels of destabilized pipeline operations, manage the generation of alarms based upon known operating events and operating conditions, diagnose potential source of the detected destabilized events and manage the operation of the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Keith C. McDowell, Jacques A. Cibils
  • Patent number: 10241614
    Abstract: A method may include performing a first low-power scan to detect an input object in a sensing region of an input device. The method may further include determining, using the first low-power scan, whether the input object is an object of interest. The method may further include performing a high-power scan of the sensing region when the input object is an object of interest. The method may further include performing a second low-power scan of the sensing region when the input object is an object of no interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tanemura, Guanhua Cao
  • Patent number: 10187504
    Abstract: A device and a corresponding method are provided to tune parameters of an echo control process without re-initializing the echo control process and without interrupting a playback process. A state of the device and environment around the device is computed during use of the device given information from sensors. Such sensors can give information on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, the presence of a proximate object, or handling of the device resulting in occlusion of microphones and loudspeakers, among other things. The computed state of the device is mapped to an associated device state code from among a plurality of device state codes. The parameters of the echo control process are tuned either according to the associated device state code, or a change in such a code, during use of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sean A. Ramprashad, Aram M. Lindahl, Joseph M. Williams
  • Patent number: 10183166
    Abstract: Methods, medical devices, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems are provided. A patient implanted with a medical device is exposed to a time-varying magnetic field having a signature, thereby inducing mechanical vibrations in at least one component of the medical device. A vibrational characteristic of the mechanical vibrations induced in the component(s) is detected. The vibrational characteristic is analyzed, and the signature of the magnetic field is identified based on the analyzed vibrational characteristic. The medical device is automatically switched from a first operational mode to a second operational mode when the signature is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC NEUROMODULATION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiran K. Gururaj, Ross D. Venook, Matthew Lee McDonald, Joseph M. Bocek
  • Patent number: 10055903
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described for autonomously monitoring health of a vehicle, such as a car, a truck and so on. An example computer-implemented method includes receiving sensor data of the vehicle. For example, the sensor data includes vibration data and microphone data. The vibration data measures vibration experienced by an occupant of the vehicle. The microphone data measures noises experienced by the occupant, including noises emanated by the vehicle. The method further includes accessing a predetermined performance data of the vehicle and determining a difference in the received sensor data and the predetermined performance data. The method further includes transmitting a notification of condition of the vehicle in response to the difference surpassing a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Douglas R. Koons, Joshua R. Auden
  • Patent number: 10018465
    Abstract: An inspection system, in an embodiment, can be operable with a probe and a position tracker to inspect an object. The system can be operable to display at least one probe travel axis, receive first and second inspection values from the probe, associate the first inspection value with a first position point, and associate the second inspection value with a second position point. The system displays an inspection path based on the associations. The inspection path extends relative to the probe travel axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Inventor: Daniel Scott Groninger
  • Patent number: 10006886
    Abstract: A method of detecting internal defects in composites or other multilayer materials includes generating a wavefield on a surface of the material. Wavefield data is collected from the wavefield on the surface, and the measured wavefield data is processed to provide measured energy data. The method may include generating simulated or predicted energy data for the multilayer material that is compared to the simulated energy data to determine if the multilayer material has internal defects or damage below the surface. The method can be utilized to detect and/or quantify damage or other defects that are “hidden” by damage that is closer to the surface of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Cara A. Campbell Leckey
  • Patent number: 9970905
    Abstract: A defect monitoring system has ultrasound transmitters and receivers on a wall of a structure under test such as a pipeline. The receivers are arranged in an array of locations that substantially encloses an area under test on a wall of a structure under test. The array may comprise two circumferential rings along a pipeline at different axial positions. The array of ultrasound receivers is used to measure signals that result ultrasound that leave the area through the wall for other parts of the wall. From the measured signals backward propagated signals are computed for a location within the enclosed area, compensated for a modelled effect of propagation from the location within the area to the locations of the receivers at the perimeter. The backward propagated signals for the location in the enclosed area are summed over the locations of the receivers to obtain an approximate integral over the perimeter of the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Arno Willem Frederik Volker, Petrus Stephanus van Zyl, Pooria Lotfollah Pahlavan
  • Patent number: 9950715
    Abstract: In some example implementations, there is provided a method. The method may include generating, by an air-coupled transducer, a first ultrasonic guided wave to cause the generated ultrasonic guided wave to propagate into a rail being tested for one or more defects, wherein a frequency of the first ultrasonic guided wave is controlled by at least changing the frequency of a voltage sent to the air-coupled transducer generating the first ultrasonic guided wave; receiving, by a receiver, a second ultrasonic guided wave, wherein the second ultrasonic guided wave is received from the rail; and analyzing a signal representative of the received second ultrasonic guided wave to detect the one or more defects in the rail. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Regents Of The University Of California
    Inventor: Francesco Lanza di Scalea
  • Patent number: 9830411
    Abstract: A method for locating external surface impacts on a body. The steps are: modeling the body in a control unit first database to obtain a virtual body model in a virtual system of reference axes; modeling, in a second database, a plurality of clouds of points in the virtual system, each cloud defining an inspection zone representing an external surface portion; selecting an inspection zone; transferring the coordinates of each point of the first and second databases to a geographic system of reference axes; determining geographic coordinates of an initial position of a range finder equipped flying drone communicating with the processing unit; calculating a drone flight plan to scan the selected inspection zone; creating a 3D meshing of the scanned inspection zone; detecting the impacts by comparing the 3D meshing and the virtual aircraft model and calculating the coordinates of each impact in the geographic and virtual systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventors: Ronie Gnecco, David Martinez, Denis Gattone, Jean-Louis Guittard
  • Patent number: 9739753
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a methods and systems for monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets and for monitoring punch and die surfaces and, more particularly, to methods and systems for in-die and out-of-die monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets based on acoustic and vibrational spectroscopy and for detecting and monitoring stiction and tooling material modifications on punch and die surfaces during compaction based on acoustic/ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Clarkson University
    Inventor: Cetin Cetinkaya
  • Patent number: 9683972
    Abstract: A method is for examining a sheet-shaped or card-shaped value document with a security feature having one or more cavities configured in the value document. The width of the cavity or cavities is in at least one respectively specified direction exceeding 10 ?m. Transmission values are established in a locally resolved manner for the transmission of ultrasound in a specified frequency range. In employing the transmission values, it is checked whether a specified number of transmission values is greater than a specified transmission threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH
    Inventors: Jan Domke, Stefan Kokrhoun, Patrick Renner, Andre Gregarek