US3622968A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Elastic-wave holography using reflections
Assignee: BP America Production Co
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Filing: 1969-05-15
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Granted: 1971-11-23
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Expires: 1989-05-15
Abstract
Abstract The shape of a reflecting surface within an elastic-wave transmitting medium is determined by an adaptation of holography, by propagating through the medium from a source or source pattern coherent elastic waves that are scattered and reflected by the surface to an areal detector array, the outputs of which combined with a reference wave are recorded as an optical hologram. Reconstructions from the hologram show not only the reflecting surface but a virtual source or source pattern image due to reflections of the real source or pattern by the surface. Virtual source directions or pattern distortions are interpreted in terms of the shape or curvature of the reflecting surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Silverman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:13
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/28; G01V1/34; G01V1/003; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
A wavefront reconstruction method of determining the shape of an elastic-wave reflecting and scattering interface within an elastic-wave transmitting medium comprising the steps of transmitting through said medium to said surface coherent elastic-wave energy from at least one small area source in elastic wave-transmitting contact with said medium, receiving at an areal array of detectors spaced from said source a part of said coherent elastic-wave energy redirected to said array by said surface and including waves reflected to said array from at least two spaced reflection points on said surface, utilizing said received energy and a reference signal in combination to record a hologram corresponding to the coherent wave motions at said detector array, reconstructing from said hologram at least two virtual source images each corresponding to reflection at one of said at least two reflection points, and determining apparent relations between said detector array and said virtual source images, from which relations the attitude of said surface in the vicinity of each of said reflection points can be deduced, said relations-determining step comprising measuring the apparent directions from said array to said source-point images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
A wavefront reconstruction method of determining the shape of an elastic-wave reflecting and scattering interface within an elastic-wave transmitting medium comprising the steps of transmitting through said medium to said surface coherent elastic-wave energy from at least one small area source in elastic wave-transmitting contact with said medium, receiving at an areal array of detectors spaced from said source a part of said coherent elastic-wave energy redirected to said array by said surface and including waves reflected to said array from at least two spaced reflection points on said surface, utilizing said received energy and a reference signal in combination to record a hologram corresponding to the coherent wave motions at said detector array, reconstructing from said hologram at least two virtual source images each corresponding to reflection at one of said at least two reflection points, and determining apparent relations between said detector array and said virtual source images, from which relations the attitude of said surface in the vicinity of each of said reflection points can be deduced, said relations-determining step comprising measuring the apparent directions from said array to said source-point images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 1 in which said relations-determining step includes the step of measuring the angle between an optical telescope and said hologram when said telescope is aligned with one of said virtual source images.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 1 in which said transmitting step comprises transmitting said coherent wave energy from a plurality of space sources arranged in a known pattern and said relations-determining step comprises measuring the apparent angle between two virtual source positions in said pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 3, in which said two positions are radially spaced with respect to said detector array.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-22 | 1975-05-24 | 1975-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-22 | 1979-05-24 | 1979-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-22 | 1983-05-24 | 1983-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |