With Signal Analyzing Or Mathematical Processing Patents (Class 73/602)
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Patent number: 11543325Abstract: A method can include receiving time-dependent vibration data characterizing a vibration of a machine. The method can also include generating first conditioned vibration data by at least identification of one or more vibrational peaks of intermediate data representative of the received vibration data, temporal interpolation of one or more portions of the intermediate data including the identified one or more vibrational peaks, and widening the one or more vibrational peaks. The method can further include generating a frequency spectrum based on the first conditioned vibration data. The method can also include providing the frequency spectrum to a user.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2018Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Inventor: Nigel Trevor Leigh
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Patent number: 11464487Abstract: A sensor system includes a sensor module that is embedded in a target environment and a signal system. The sensor module includes an active sensor of a first type that detects a target element in the target environment and a reference sensor of the first type that prevents detection of target elements by the reference sensor. The active sensor and the reference sensor receive an ultrasonic signal and respectively generate a first response signal and a second response signal. The first response signal is at least partially as a function of the detected target element. The signal system includes an ultrasonic transducer that generates the ultrasonic signal and receives the first and second response signals, and a controller communicatively coupled to the ultrasonic transducer. The controller identifies the detected target element based at least partially on the first and second response signals.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2018Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Washington UniversityInventors: Shantanu Chakrabartty, Yarub Alazzawi, Srikanth Signamaneni, Keng-Ku Liu, Mingquan Yuan
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Patent number: 11455445Abstract: A method is provided for non-intrusively determining cross-sectional variation of a fluidic channel. The method includes creating a pressure pulse in a fluidic channel using a hammer to strike an external surface of a fluidic channel. The method also includes sensing, by one or more sensors, reflections of the pressure pulse; and obtaining, from the one or more sensors, a measured pressure profile based on the sensed reflections of the pressure pulse. A forward model of cross-sectional variation of the fluidic channel is generated based on a baseline simulation. Using the forward model, a simulated pressure profile is generated. Using the measured pressure profile and the simulated pressure profile, an error is determined. When the error is outside a predetermined threshold, the forward model is updated based on the error. An estimate of cross-sectional variation of the fluidic channel based on the forward model is displayed.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2018Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.Inventors: Srinivasan Jagannathan, Oluwatosin Ogundare, Terry Bickley
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Patent number: 11435321Abstract: An ultrasonic wave inspection device includes: a transmitter that outputs ultrasonic waves toward an inspection object; a receiver that receives at least first ultrasonic waves passed through the inspection object, among the ultrasonic waves output from the transmitter; a member that regulates a second propagation path, the second propagation path being a portion of propagation paths through which the output ultrasonic waves reach the receiver, and the second propagation path being different from a first propagation path through which the first ultrasonic waves reach the receiver; and a signal controller that extracts ultrasonic waves of a predetermined time segment from at least the first ultrasonic waves, the predetermined time segment starting from a time when the first ultrasonic waves is received.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: YAMAHA FINE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.Inventor: Akihiro Nara
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Patent number: 11435323Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for non-destructively a substrate using ultrasound waves, and enhancing resolution of imaging created from ultrasound signals that are back reflected from a substrate surface second, or back surface by maintaining the incident angles of the ultrasonic beams at the substrate second surface such that the ultrasonic beams strike the substrate second surface at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to the complex geometric profile of the substrate second surface by supplying known spatial coordinates to the system to maintain the incident angles of the ultrasonic beams at a predetermined angle relative to the substrate second surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Gary E. Georgeson, William J. Tapia, Barry A. Fetzer
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Patent number: 11407057Abstract: A bonding system is used for bonding a cover sheet to a core to form or repair a dual wall structure. The bonding system includes a plurality of bonding probes and controller circuitry. The bonding probes include a three dimensional (3D) contoured tip configured to align with a predetermined area of a 3D contoured cover sheet of a dual wall structure. The controller circuitry comprises processor circuitry and sensor circuitry. The sensor circuitry provides a location of an area of the 3D contoured cover sheet for bonding. The processor circuitry identifies a bonding probe having a contacting area that aligns with the 3D contour of the cover sheet in the location provided by the sensor circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph P. Henderkott, Timothy Fuesting, Raymond Xu
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Patent number: 11380452Abstract: NDE probes provide unique data signals from a remote object such that can be used to accurately and precisely locate a position. With a computer processor, the data signals are converted into a positional fingerprint that is compact and easily analyzed as a file or information of probe position. The positional fingerprint is stored in association with the position or object to verify a same position at another time. Another probe detects other data signals for the object at another time. Under a similar transformation into a positional fingerprint, the position of the other probe can be matched to the first by comparing positional fingerprints. The comparison may use a probabilistic comparison and/or compare several different fingerprints from several different locations and times to ensure a best match. Position verification between probes may ensure a repair has been completed in the proper location, verify system integrity or investigate potential problems.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2017Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLCInventor: Mark A. Sapia
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Patent number: 11366082Abstract: The invention discloses a non-linear Lamb wave mixing method for measuring stress distribution in thin metal plates. The method is suitable for stress distribution detection and stress concentration area positioning in a plate structure and belongs to the field of nondestructive detection.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2021Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Jingpin Jiao, Li Li, Xiang Gao, Quan Cheng, Cunfu He, Bin Wu
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Patent number: 11353430Abstract: A phased array probe system and method for testing a spot-weld on a structure. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducers and may include a flexible delay line. The phased array probe is positioned at a first position on the structure relative to the spot-weld. First ultrasonic signals are generated to and received from the spot-weld using at least one first transducer of the phased array probe. The first received ultrasonic signals are processed to determine a second optimized position on the structure relative to the spot-weld. Second ultrasonic signals are generated at the second optimized position to and received from the spot-weld using second transducers of the phased array probe. The second received ultrasonic signals are processed to determine a feature dimension of the spot-weld.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLCInventor: Tobias Bruch
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Patent number: 11346819Abstract: In a first aspect, the present description relates to a system for non-invasively characterizing a heterogeneous medium using ultrasound, comprising at least one first array (10) of transducers configured to generate a series of incident ultrasound waves in a region of said heterogeneous medium and record the ultrasound waves which are backscattered by said region as a function of time, as well as a computing unit (42) which is coupled to said at least one first array of transducers and configured to: record an experimental reflection matrix defined between an emission basis at the input and the basis of the transducers at the output; determine, from said experimental reflection matrix, at least one first wideband reflection matrix defined in a focused base at the input and output; determine a first distortion matrix defined between said focused basis and an observation basis, said first distortion matrix resulting, directly or after a change of basis, from the term-by-term matrix product of said first widebaType: GrantFiled: July 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, ECOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DE PARISInventors: Alexandre Aubry, Amaury Badon, Victor Barolle, Claude Boccara, Laura Cobus, Mathias Fink, William Lambert
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Patent number: 11333635Abstract: A rolling search unit for ultrasonic inspection of railroad rails employs a wheel assembly including a fluid-filled tire that rolls along a rail with ultrasonic transducers that propagate ultrasonic beams through the fluid and tire into an underlying rail during an inspection operation. The beams reflected from defects in the rail return to the transducers and are detected and analyzed for subsequent care. The wheel assembly also includes an anti-rotation baffle to reduce rotation of the fluid with the tire and a pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of the fluid within the tire at various speeds.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Sperry Rail, Inc.Inventors: Jan Kocur, Anthony Iorfino, John James O'Neill
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Patent number: 11307177Abstract: An ultrasonic flaw detector for a composite material constituted by a plurality of materials which are different in physical properties from one another includes: a section specifier configured to specify first and second sections of an RF signal of a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave with which the composite material is irradiated, a material reflected wave being possibly generated in the first section, an interface reflected wave being possibly generated in the second section; a material flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not a value of the RF signal exceeds a positive first threshold in the first section; and an interface flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not the value of the RF signal falls below a negative second threshold in the second section.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takehiro Nishimura, Mitsuhiro Kamioka, Mamoru Nishio, Daisuke Watanabe, Yousuke Tsumura
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Patent number: 11249187Abstract: A method for detecting movements of a plurality of points (P) of a surface (21), comprising a measuring step during which an incident ultrasonic wave is emitted into the air towards the surface and an ultrasonic wave reflected into the air by the surface (21) is detected. During the measuring step, each measuring point is illuminated by the incident ultrasonic wave at a multiplicity of angles of incidence, and the reflected ultrasonic wave is detected by a network of receiving transducers (3) comprising a plurality of ultrasonic receiving transducers (3a). The movements of the surface are determined at a measuring point by determining a delay and/or a phase shift between two beam-forming signals for said measuring point.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIEN TIFIQUE (CNRS), ECOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DE PARIS, SORBONNE UNIVERSITE, INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE), UNIVERSITÉ PARIS DIDEROT—PARIS 7Inventors: Ros Kiri Ing, Nathan Jeger-Madiot, Mathias Fink, Thomas Similowski
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Patent number: 11243860Abstract: A computerized apparatus for presenting vibration data that is read under different conditions as a single trend line on a chart. A sensor measures vibration and produces vibration data. A memory stores the vibration data, an indicator of the condition under which the vibration data was produced, and a type associated with the vibration data. A processor reads the vibration data, the condition, and the type from the memory, and selectively plots the vibration data on the trend line when the type of the vibration data matches a given value, even though the condition might be different from data point to data point on the trend line. The processor selectively creates a flag indicating a condition change, and an interface presents a plot of the trend line, and the flag when a condition change occurs between data points.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.Inventors: Anthony J. Hayzen, Christopher G. Hilemon
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Patent number: 11226246Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of non-destructive detecting of residual stress, and in particular to a non-destructive detecting device for component residual stress gradient.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Chunguang Xu, Peng Yin, Zhixiang Li, Yuren Lu, Jianfeng Song, Wenyuan Song, Ruili Jia, Shuangyi Li
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Patent number: 11163046Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing a transient glitch in ultrasound applications are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a transducer to (A) output a signal during a transmit phase and (B) receive a reflected signal corresponding to the signal during a receive phase; a receiver switch coupled to the transducer at a first node, the receiver switch to (A) open during the transmit phase and (B) close during the receive phase; and a clamp coupled to the transducer at the first node, the clamp to provide a high impedance during the transmit phase and the receive phase and provide a low impedance during a transient phase.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Ravikumar Pattipaka, Raja Sekhar Kanakamedala, Aravind Miriyala, Vajeed Nimran P A, Sandeep Kesrimal Oswal
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Patent number: 11154277Abstract: For viscoelastic estimation with ultrasound, shear wave speed is measured for different locations in a region of interest. For each location, the shear wave speed is estimated without frequency band division. A distribution of shear wave speeds in the region of interest is matched a modeled distribution corresponding to a particular value of the viscoelastic property.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventor: Stephen J. Rosenzweig
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Patent number: 11143625Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for ultrasonic inspection of parts are disclosed. A method for inspection of a part comprises transmitting, by a source, an initial signal towards the part. The method further comprises reflecting, off of a surface of the part, the initial signal to generate a surface reflection signal. Also, the method comprises receiving, by a receiver, the surface reflection signal. In addition, the method comprises determining, by a processor(s), a shape of the surface of the part by using a magnitude of the surface reflection signal and an echo travel time of the initial signal with respect to the surface reflection signal. Additionally, the method comprises determining, by a processor(s), a surface inspection signal commensurate with the shape of the surface of the part. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the source, the surface inspection signal towards the part for inspection of the surface of the part.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: James C. Kennedy
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Patent number: 11119199Abstract: An acoustic wave image generation apparatus for generating a photoacoustic image and a Doppler image is provided with a setting unit that sets a region of interest in the Doppler image, and a receiving-aperture controlling unit that sets receiving apertures of an acoustic wave detection probe for detecting photoacoustic waves to apertures smaller than all receiving apertures that the acoustic wave detection probe has, on the basis of a size of the region of interest, and for setting positions of the receiving apertures on the basis of a position of the set region of interest.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC.Inventors: Atsushi Hashimoto, Kaku Irisawa, Yukiya Miyachi
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Patent number: 11076834Abstract: An ultrasound processing system includes an ultrasound interface and processing electronics. The ultrasound interface receives imaging information. The processing electronics are coupled to the ultrasound interface and are configured to perform processing across a plurality of ultrasound channels by combining channel data for adaptively reducing the common mode noise prior to beamforming for a transmit event. The combination of the channel data may be computing an arithmetic mean, which is then multiplied to a weighting coefficient. This value may then be removed from the individual channel data. The modified channel data is then transmitted to a beamformer, which processes the channel data for directional signal transmission and reception.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: EDAN INSTRUMENTS, INC.Inventors: Seshadri Srinivasan, Yang Peng, Yonggang Dong, Sean Murphy, Jianhua Mo
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Patent number: 11054399Abstract: A method for inspecting a test object for defects by using an ultrasonic probe including a transmitter, a wedge, and a receiver, the method comprising: placing the ultrasonic probe on the test object; transmitting ultrasound from the transmitter into the wedge such that surface waves propagate along a surface area of the test object; and determining that there is a defect in a part of the test object overlapped with the wedge when the receiver receives an ultrasonic echo, after the transmission of the ultrasound by the transmitter, in a time shorter than a time required to receive a front end-reflected ultrasonic echo produced by reflection of the surface waves at a front end of the wedge.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2017Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.Inventors: Kota Nomura, Yasuhiro Wasa, Toshihide Fukui
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Patent number: 11029290Abstract: A method for the automatic calculation of a distance-amplitude correction curve for a non-destructive ultrasonic testing system, the system comprising an ultrasound sensor and a reference part. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a large number of measuring points uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the reference part and classifying, unsupervised, the acquisition points.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: AIRBUS SASInventor: Frank Guibert
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Patent number: 11002641Abstract: A statistical method is used to separate periodic from non-periodic vibration peaks in autocorrelation spectra. Generally, an autocorrelation spectrum is not normally distributed because the amplitudes of periodic peaks are significantly large and random relative to the generally Gaussian noise. In a normally distributed signal, the statistical parameter kurtosis has a value of 3. The method sequentially removes each largest amplitude peak from the peaks in the spectrum until the kurtosis is 3 or less. The removed peaks, which are all considered to be periodic, are placed into a set. The total energy of the peaks in the set is considered to be the total periodic energy of the spectrum. As the process of building the peak set proceeds, if its total energy becomes greater than or equal to a predefined energy threshold before its kurtosis reaches 3 or less, the process stops and the periodic peak set is defined.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stewart V. Bowers, III, Anthony J. Hayzen
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Patent number: 10962359Abstract: A measuring assembly for detecting the wall thickness of a pipe, including an ultrasonic probe and a testing head with a main element which receives an ultrasonic probe and the lower face of which defines a main element support surface is provided. The testing head has two wing elements, the lower face of each of which defines a wing element support surface and which are held on the main element in a pivotal manner about pivot axes extending substantially parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction such that the wing element support surfaces can be moved towards each other and away from each other. The wing elements are connected via synchronizing means such that the pivotal movements of the wing elements about the corresponding pivot axes are carried out in a synchronous manner. An associated method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Michael Clossen-von Lanken Schulz, Stefan Frank, Philipp Kahlert, Stefan Nendel, Stefan Obermayr
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Patent number: 10928515Abstract: An ultrasound image is generated by recording data packages while moving an ultrasound transducer along an investigation surface. A plurality of recording locations separated by a recording spacing is determined. A data package is recorded by placing the ultrasound transducer in a recording location on the investigation surface, and assigning the data package to an image column of the ultrasound image corresponding to the recording location.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Dermus Kft.Inventors: Miklós Gyöngy, Gergely Csány
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Patent number: 10918355Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers transmitting ultrasound waves to an object and receiving ultrasound waves reflected from the object to output an ultrasound detection signal, a region-of-interest setting device setting a region of interest within the object, a transmission focus instructing device making the ultrasound probe transmit the ultrasound waves by focusing on the region of interest, a device setting at least one or more points of interest in the region of interest, a device finding a change in sound velocity or attenuation at the point of interest, and a device finding an index indicating a sonic variation or an attenuation variation based on the change in sound velocity or attenuation.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Kimito Katsuyama
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Patent number: 10874375Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound diagnostic device including an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers transmitting ultrasound waves to an object and receiving ultrasound waves reflected from the specimen to output an ultrasound detection signal, a region-of-interest setting unit setting a region of interest within the specimen, and a variation measuring unit measuring a sonic variation or an attenuation variation of ultrasound waves in the region of interest.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Kimito Katsuyama
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Patent number: 10845343Abstract: A process is disclosed in which a computing device reads electronic data from an ultrasonic scanning probe and processes that data in real time to determine if any potential weld defects are encountered as the probe head moves along scanning the weld. The method receives weld scan data in the form of scanning slices and determines if any of the encountered indications match a predetermined criterion. The process utilizes a moving scan data window of scan slices and processes each window for indications of weld defects. The processing of the data window is optimized using a rule-based, indications counting set so that any found defect indications triggers the issuance of a signal to an operator, in various forms, such as activating a marking module, issuing an alert signal, or printing a report.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: VeriPhase, Inc.Inventors: John Mark Davis, Archibald Leach Cobbs, Charles Allan Hansen, Nicholas James Bublitz, Samuel Matthew Davis
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Patent number: 10673101Abstract: A monitoring device for a battery pack, which includes a plurality of battery cells, has at least one ultrasound source and at least one ultrasound sensor. The ultrasound source can be configured to generate and direct ultrasound at one or more battery cells of the battery pack. The ultrasound sensor can be configured to detect ultrasound reflected from or transmitted through one or more cells of the battery pack. A battery management unit receives one or more signals from the ultrasound sensor responsive to the detected ultrasound. The battery management unit can be configured to determine a state of the battery pack based at least in part on the detected ultrasound.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Bhanu Sood, Michael G. Pecht, Michael D. Osterman
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Patent number: 10641745Abstract: A method is disclosed to extract meta-data held in a weld scan data file and from such data determine whether the testing data is acceptable for review. A series of configuration parameters held in the scan data file are analyzed for inconsistencies and a select set of parameters are reviewed for codes and industry accepted standards compliance with recorded scan data. Additional qualitative tests may be implemented on the scan test file and unacceptable results may also provide guidance to the weld inspector as to whether continued review of the scan data file is worthwhile. Such consistency testing avoids wasteful activities reviewing a flawed weld scan data file and provides signals to operators to avoid the processing of such a file by weld scan analysis software when such processing will not result in successful assistance to a weld inspector.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2019Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: VeriPhase, Inc.Inventors: John Mark Davis, Archibald Leach Cobbs, Charles Allan Hansen, Nicholas James Bublitz, Samuel Matthew Davis
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Patent number: 10624610Abstract: An existing ultrasonic diagnostic device is used to obtain a color flow image of a target object whose stiffness is to be measured. At this time, a vibration exciter applies a micro vibration with a frequency of n/4 (n represents an odd number equal to or larger than 1) to the target object with respect to a burst frequency of an ultrasonic pulse to generate a shear elastic wave. As a result, a striped pattern corresponding to the stiffness of the target object caused by the shear elastic wave appears on a display of the ultrasonic diagnostic device as a shear elastic wave detection image.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: National University Corporation Gunma UniversityInventor: Yoshiki Yamakoshi
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Patent number: 10568528Abstract: A blood pressure detection method is used for the sphygmomanometer including an envelope, an air pressure control mechanism, an ultrasonic wave transmission mechanism and an ultrasonic wave reception mechanism. The blood pressure detection method includes: applying a control signal to the air pressure control mechanism and the ultrasonic wave transmission mechanism, to inflate and deflate the envelope, and enable the ultrasonic wave transmission mechanism to transmit an ultrasonic detection signal toward the to-be-detected body part at a predetermined interval; monitoring an ultrasonic reflection signal received by the ultrasonic wave reception mechanism; determining a detection time point for the blood pressure detection in accordance with a frequency of the ultrasonic reflection signal during the deflation of the envelope; and determining a blood pressure value for the blood pressure detection in accordance with a pressure value of air within the envelope at the detection time point.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.Inventor: Yang Han
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Patent number: 10533977Abstract: A method for detecting and characterizing defects in a heterogeneous material via ultrasound. The method includes the following steps: emitting ultrasound waves from an emitting ultrasound transducer placed against the material; acquiring, using a receiving ultrasound transducer in various positions relative to the material, a plurality of time signals, representing the amplitude of the sound propagated in the material as a function of time, for a position of the receiving ultrasound transducer; determining a time function representing a spatially averaged power of the time signals that correspond to different positions of the receiving transducer; and—normalizing the time signals by the time function so as to obtain normalized time signals. The defects in the material are detected from the normalized tune signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: Electricite de FranceInventors: Nicolas Paul, Pierre-Louis Filiot
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Patent number: 10527591Abstract: A system for analyzing fiber reinforced composite including: an ultrasonic transmitter configured to provide ultra-sonic pulses to the fiber reinforced composite; an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signal data related to the ultrasonic pulses; a filter module configured to filter the ultrasonic signal data; a signal processing module configured to process the filtered ultrasonic signal data; an analysis module configured to analyze the processed ultrasonic signal data by: calculating a characteristic value based on the ultrasonic signal data; comparing the characteristic value to a baseline established for the characteristic value; and determining a percentage of design strength based on the comparison; and an output module configured to output the percentage of design strength.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: UT COMP INC.Inventor: Geoffrey E Clarkson
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Patent number: 10528089Abstract: Method and communication device adapted for detecting an opening in a casing a communication device, wherein the device comprises an acoustic speaker and an acoustic sensor. The acoustic speaker is arranged to distribute an acoustic signal within a casing of the communication device and the acoustic sensor is adapted to receive an acoustic signal response constituted of the acoustic signal and an echo of said acoustic signal. The communication device further being adapted to analyze the received acoustic signal response and determining if the casing constitutes a closed space.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Inventor: Robert Holmberg
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Patent number: 10508974Abstract: A “store on alert” vibration data acquisition mechanism uses scalar data produced by a vibration monitoring device as a predicate to capturing and storing analytical vibration data in the vibration monitoring device. The scalar data may consist of scalar process variables generated in the vibration monitoring device that are acquired at a fixed interval, such as PeakVue and Overall Vibration. At each interval, these scalar data values are compared to machine performance threshold levels, such as ADVISE, MAINT and FAIL, to determine whether analytical vibration data is to be stored separately inside the vibration monitoring device. Since the analytical vibration data is captured based on a predicate inside the vibration monitoring device (i.e., comparison of the scalar value to the thresholds), the analytical vibration data includes more relevant diagnostic information about a specific machine performance event.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bradford J. Duncan, Robert D. Skeirik, Stewart V. Bowers, III
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Patent number: 10421151Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring the temperature of a substrate are disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of temperature-indicating radiation, a detector for the temperature-indicating radiation, and a decorrelator disposed in an optical path between the source of temperature-indicating radiation and the detector for the temperature-indicating radiation. The decorrelator may be a broadband amplifier and/or a mode scrambler. A broadband amplifier may be a broadband laser, Bragg grating, a fiber Bragg grating, a Raman amplifier, a Brillouin amplifier, or combinations thereof. The decorrelator is selected to emit radiation that is transmitted, at least in part, by the substrate being monitored. The source is matched to the decorrelator such that the emission spectrum of the source is within the gain bandwidth of the decorrelator, if the decorrelator is a gain-driven device.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jiping Li, Aaron Muir Hunter, Thomas Haw
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Patent number: 10386336Abstract: An apparatus for detecting anchor bolt pullout strength. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to process ultrasonic measurement signals using at least one of a direct, an indirect, and a semi-direct measurement technique. Further, the apparatus comprises a first probe and a second probe connected to the circuitry, and memory for storing data detected by the first and the second probe. The memory is connected to the circuitry and a data connection connected to the circuitry and configured to communicate with an external network. An ultrasonic signal is transmitted by the circuitry through the first probe and rebounded by the second prob. The circuitry detects a time duration to receive the rebounded signal, storing the time duration to the memory, and comparing the time duration to reference measurement data. The reference measurement data may be stored in at least one of the memory and the external network.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal UniversityInventor: Muhammad Saleem
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Patent number: 10309772Abstract: Chirp waves generated in a transmitting/receiving unit is supplied to ultrasonic sensors. Signals output from the ultrasonic sensors are supplied to the transmitting/receiving unit and summed in a signal processing/recording unit. The signal processing/recording unit performs mutual correlation processing between the summed signals and the chirp waves and calculates a peak generation time difference. Necessity of exchanging a pipe is determined by calculating and recording the thickness of a pipe from the calculated time difference and calculating a difference between thicknesses measured in the past and the present.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Sou Kitazawa, Naoyuki Kono, Shinobu Okido
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Patent number: 10303279Abstract: A detection assembly, a touch display device, a touch positioning method and a pressure detection method are provided. The detection assembly includes: a first substrate; an acoustic wave generation device provided on the first substrate; an acoustic wave detection device which is provided on the first substrate and at a side, away from the first substrate, of the acoustic wave generation device and includes a plurality of acoustic wave sensing units spaced apart from each other; and a contact layer covering the acoustic wave detection device.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2016Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Haisheng Wang, Xue Dong, Hailin Xue, Xiaochuan Chen, Yingming Liu, Xiaoliang Ding, Shengji Yang, Weijie Zhao, Changfeng Li, Wei Liu, Pengpeng Wang, Pengcheng Lu
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Patent number: 10261054Abstract: A method for the non-destructive ultrasonic testing of a part by the analysis of echoes returned by the part in response to the emission of an ultrasonic wave via an ultrasonic transducer, includes a step of determining a variable gain curve and a step of correcting the amplitude of the echoes returned by the part according to the variable gain curve and the moments of reception of the echoes. The method further includes steps of: producing a wave function representative of an ultrasonic transducer; producing transfer functions Fm representative of the frequency responses of reference samples Rm of the material forming the part; and calculating reference attenuation values between the wave function and the results of calculations of filtering of the wave function by the respective transfer functions Fm of the reference samples Rm.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2014Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: AIRBUS SASInventors: Nicolas Dominguez, Frank Guibert
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Patent number: 10260678Abstract: A method is provided for producing a pressure vessel from a metal liner, which is reinforced at an outer lateral surface thereof by fiber composite material having a resin matrix. In at least one production step, the resin matrix of the fiber composite material is subjected to an ultrasound treatment.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventor: Timo Christ
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Patent number: 10136821Abstract: An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuhiko Fukutani, Takuji Oishi
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Patent number: 10101256Abstract: An ultrasonic particle size measurement device includes: a transducer for (i) receiving an ultrasonic pulse scattered after being emitted to a fine particle and (ii) generating a first scattering amplitude ?; and a particle size calculating section for calculating a particle size of the fine particle by calculating an amplitude r and a phase ? in accordance with a real part and an imaginary part, respectively, of a second scattering amplitude ? obtained by subjecting the first scattering amplitude ? to a Fourier transform.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION KYOTO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventor: Tomohisa Norisuye
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Patent number: 10073063Abstract: A hollow structure like a pipeline is inspected using an array of ultrasound transmitters located within the hollow structure distributed over different radial directions from a center of the array. Parameters such as ellipticity, defining a shape and/or orientation of an inner surface of a wall of the hollow structure are first determined based on measured delays between transmission of ultrasound pulses from the transmitters to reception of first reflections of those ultrasound pulses. Parameters may be used that define an elliptically shaped cross-section of the inner wall surface for example. Next an ultrasound wavefront composed of joint transmissions from the transmitters along at least a sector of the array is transmitted, using relative time delays between waves transmitted by the respective ones of the transmitters to compensate for estimated differences between travel times from the transmitters to the shape defined by the parameters. Reflections of the joint transmissions are detected.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNOInventors: Paul Louis Maria Joseph van Neer, Gerrit Blacquiere, Arno Willem Frederik Volker, Huibert Blokland
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Patent number: 10061443Abstract: A touch-screen monitor is described. The monitor includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting motion of an object that is placed in contact with the monitor.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: John Keith Schneider, Jack Conway Kitchens, II
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Patent number: 10061434Abstract: A method is described including receiving (S3) a first array of values obtained from measuring an array of touch panel sensor areas (FIG. 4; In,m). The method also includes generating (S4) a second array of values based on subtracting a reference array of values from the first array of values. The method also includes determining (S5) presence of at least one touch event in dependence upon the second array of value and, upon a negative determination (S8) generating a new reference array based on exponential smoothing of the reference array and the first array using a weighting factor, wherein the weighting factor is zero, and storing the new reference matrix and, upon a positive determination (S6) outputting the second array (FIG. 9).Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Cambridge Touch Technologies Ltd.Inventors: Arokia Nathan, Jackson Chi-Sun Lai, Shuo Gao
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Patent number: 10031111Abstract: A method of machining an object, the method comprising: receiving a signal from an ultrasonic transducer; determining at least a first external surface of the object and a second internal surface of the object in the received signal; determining a thickness between the first external surface and the second internal surface of the object, the object comprising a first material between the first external surface and the second internal surface, and a second material between the second internal surface and a third surface, the determination of the thickness using a database including a plurality of materials and a plurality of associated acoustic wave velocities; and controlling machining of the first external surface using the determined thickness.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Daniel Clark, David C. Wright
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Patent number: 9989502Abstract: A system for analyzing fiber reinforced composite including: an ultrasonic transmitter configured to provide ultra-sonic pulses to the fiber reinforced composite; an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signal data related to the ultrasonic pulses; a filter module configured to filter the ultrasonic signal data; a signal processing module configured to process the filtered ultrasonic signal data; an analysis module configured to analyze the processed ultrasonic signal data by: calculating a characteristic value based on the ultrasonic signal data; comparing the characteristic value to a baseline established for the characteristic value; and determining a percentage of design strength based on the comparison; and an output module configured to output the percentage of design strength.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: UT COMP INC.Inventor: Geoffrey E. Clarkson
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Patent number: 9984543Abstract: An acoustic array system for anomaly detection is provided. The acoustic array system (100) performs a scan (or a progressive scan of frequencies) of a given volume by transmitting one or more signals, and receives one or more reflected signals from objects within the volume. The reflected signals are then amplified and converted to a set of digital signals. Features of the set of digital signals are extracted both in time and frequency domains. The acoustic array system (100) further performs a comparison of these set of digital extracted features with the reflected signals via machine learning techniques. Based on the comparison, the acoustic array system detects one or more anomalies.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services LimitedInventors: Parijat Deshpande, Ramu Vempada, Ranjan Dasgupta, Arpan Pal, Dibyendu Roy