Patent US4329564A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3774162A
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US
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Laser scan testing system having pattern recognition means
Assignee: Magnaflux Corp
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Filing: 1972-03-01
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Granted: 1973-11-20
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Expires: 1992-03-01
Abstract
Abstract Non-destructive testing system in which a laser beam is impinged on an oscillating mirror to produce on a surface of a part a scanning spot moved in forward and reverse scan directions while the part is moved in a transverse direction. Photocell means respond to light from the surface of the part to develop defectindicating information signals which are applied through bandpass filter and analog gate means to a main memory comprising a plurality of serially connected LSI shift-register units, the outputs of which are applied to shift-register sections of an auxiliary memory, each section comprising a plurality of stages. The stages of the auxiliary memory are connected to decoder circuitry including parallel to serial converters and presettable counters, to develop output signals in response to predetermined patterns. Clock signals for the memory are also applied to a sweep generator which generates a staircase signal applied to a drive system for the oscillating mirror.
Inventors
- 👤 J Flaherty
- 👤 E Strauts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:20
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/89; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
318 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part in first and second directions generally transverse to each other to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, said scanning being performed in successive generally parallel scans in said first direction with each scan in said first direction being displaced in said second direction from the preceding scan in said first direction, memory means for receiving said information signals and including a plurality of multistage shift-register sections coupled in cascade, said shift register sections including an initial section and a final section and a plurality of intermediate sections with interconnections between sections for transfer of information from said initial section through said intermediate sections toward said final section, each of said shift register sections being in the form of a large scale integrated circuit including a predetermined number of stages starting with an input stage and ending with an output stage with interconnections between stages for transfer of information from said input stage toward said output stage, means coupling said scanning means to said input stage of said initial shift register section to apply information signals from said scanning means to said input stage of said initial shift register section, a clock signal source, means coupling said clock signal source to said shift register sections to apply a certain number of shift signals to all stages of all said shift register sections during each scan in each first direction to enter information from said scanning means into the stages of said initial shift register section with information stored in said initial and intermediate sections in previous scans in said first direction being shifted into corresponding stages of succeeding sections, and pattern recognition means coupled to said memory means for detecting coincidence of storage of information in relation to predetermined stages of said shift register sections.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
318 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part in first and second directions generally transverse to each other to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, said scanning being performed in successive generally parallel scans in said first direction with each scan in said first direction being displaced in said second direction from the preceding scan in said first direction, memory means for receiving said information signals and including a plurality of multistage shift-register sections coupled in cascade, said shift register sections including an initial section and a final section and a plurality of intermediate sections with interconnections between sections for transfer of information from said initial section through said intermediate sections toward said final section, each of said shift register sections being in the form of a large scale integrated circuit including a predetermined number of stages starting with an input stage and ending with an output stage with interconnections between stages for transfer of information from said input stage toward said output stage, means coupling said scanning means to said input stage of said initial shift register section to apply information signals from said scanning means to said input stage of said initial shift register section, a clock signal source, means coupling said clock signal source to said shift register sections to apply a certain number of shift signals to all stages of all said shift register sections during each scan in each first direction to enter information from said scanning means into the stages of said initial shift register section with information stored in said initial and intermediate sections in previous scans in said first direction being shifted into corresponding stages of succeeding sections, and pattern recognition means coupled to said memory means for detecting coincidence of storage of information in relation to predetermined stages of said shift register sections.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
162 words
In a system as defined in claim 1, said memory means including a main memory formed by said plurality of multi-stage shift register sections and an auxiliary memory including a plurality of additional multi-stage shift register sections, each of said additional shift register sections including a plurality of stages starting with an input stage and ending with an output stage with interconnections between stages for transfer of information from said input stage toward said output stage, means connecting output stages of said shift register sections of said main memory to input stages of said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory, means coupling said clock signal source to said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory to apply said certain number of shift signals to all stages of said additional shift register sections during each scan in said first direction, and means connecting said pattern recognition means to predetermined stages of said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
In a system as defined in claim 2, the output stage of all except the final one of said shift register sections of said main memory being directly coupled to the input stage of the succeeding shift register section of said main memory, and said certain number of shift signals being equal to said predetermined number of stages in each of said shift register sections of said main memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
In a system as defined in claim 2, the number of stages in said auxiliary memory shift register sections being a small fraction of the number of stages in said main memory shift register sections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a system as defined in claim 4, each stage of each of said auxiliary memory shift register sections having an output terminal for connection to said pattern recognition means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a system as defined in claim 1, said paTtern recognition means arranged for detecting a plurality of patterns of storage of information and including decoder means for each pattern having parallel connections to said memory means and being operative to develop corresponding serial trains of pulses, and counter means responsive to said trains of pulses to develop an outer signal in response to application of a certain number of pulses thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a system as defined in claim 6, said counter means being adjustable to permit adjustment of said certain member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a system as defined in claim 6, said memory means including a main memory formed by said plurality of multi-stage shift register sections and an auxiliary memory including a plurality of additioanl multi-stage shift register sections, each of said additional shift register sections including a plurality of stages starting with an input stage and ending with an output stage with interconnections between stages for transfer information from said input stage toward said output stage, means connecting output stages of said shift register sections of said main memory to input stages of said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory, means coupling said clock signal source to said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory to apply said certain number of shift signals to all stages of said additional shift register sections during each scan in said first direction, and means connecting said pattern recognition means to predetermined stages of said additional shift register sections of said auxiliary memory, said decoder means being connected to stages of said auxiliary memory shift register sections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a system as defined in claim 1, said scanning means comprising laser means for producing a narrow beam of coherent light, movable mirror means for impinging said beam in a movable spot for scanning a surface of the part, and information signal generating means including photoelectric means responsive to light reflected from said surface for generating said information signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a system as defined in claim 9, sweep generator means responsive to clock signals from said clock signal source for generating a periodic sawtooth signal including forward and reverse direction portions with each forward portion being a staircase function corresponding to application of a predetermined number of clock signals, said mirror means including an oscillatable mirror, and electromechanical drive means responsive to said sawtooth signal and arranged to oscillate said mirror and to move said spot in forward and reverse scan directions in response to said forward and reverse direction portions of said sawtooth signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a system as defined in claim 9, said information signal generating means including analog gate means responsive to signals from said photoelectric means having an amplitude higher than a certain threshold value to generate information signals having a certain substantially fixed amplitude for application to said memory means, and means for adjusting said threshold value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
In a system as defined in claim 11, indicating means, and means responsive to any output signal from said analog gate means for applying a drive signal of substantial duration directly to said indicating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
In a system as defined in claim 9, said information signal generating means including adjustable band-pass filter means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
167 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, clock means for generating clock signals, memory means including a multiplicity of shift-register stages each arranged to store one bit of information, said memory means being responsive to said clock and information signals to store said information signals in said shift-register stages in patterns corresponding to the position and configuration of inhomogeneities in the part, the location of said patterns in said shift-register stages being progressively shifted in response to said clock signals, and pattern recognition means for responding to predetermined patterns, said pattern recognition means including for each pattern a decoder means having a parallel connection to predetermined shift-register stages and operative to develop a corresponding serial trains of pulses, and counter mean responsive to said trains of pulses to develop an output signal in response to application of a certain number of pulses thereto.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
167 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, clock means for generating clock signals, memory means including a multiplicity of shift-register stages each arranged to store one bit of information, said memory means being responsive to said clock and information signals to store said information signals in said shift-register stages in patterns corresponding to the position and configuration of inhomogeneities in the part, the location of said patterns in said shift-register stages being progressively shifted in response to said clock signals, and pattern recognition means for responding to predetermined patterns, said pattern recognition means including for each pattern a decoder means having a parallel connection to predetermined shift-register stages and operative to develop a corresponding serial trains of pulses, and counter mean responsive to said trains of pulses to develop an output signal in response to application of a certain number of pulses thereto.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a system as defined in claim 14, said counter means being adjustable to permit adjustment of said certain number.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
75 words
In a system as defined in claim 14, said pattern recognition means including sample pulse generating means operative between clock signals for generating a train of sample pulses, said decoder means comprising a plurality of gates each having first and second inputs and having outputs connected to said counter, interconnecting means coupling said first inputs to predetermined shift-register stages, and means for applying said sample pulses sequentially to second inputs of said plurality of gates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a system as defined in claim 16, wherein at least two of the patterns detected by said pattern recognition means are such that a plurality of said shift-register stages, of said means are used in common for both of said patterns, said decoder means for said two of said patterns including a plurality of said gates in common, and counters having connections to the outputs of said common gates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a system as defined in claim 16, said interconnecting means including at least one OR gate means to couple one of said inputs to a plurality of said shift-register stages.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, laser means for producing a narrow beam of coherent light, mirror means for impinging said beam in a spot on a surface of the part, clock means for generating clock signals, sweep generator means responsive to said clock signals for generating a periodic sawtooth signal including forward and reverse direction portions with each forward portion being a staircase function corresponding to application of a predetermined number of clock signals, said mirror means including an oscillatable mirror, electro-mechanical drive means responsive to said sawtooth signal and arranged to oscillate said mirror and to move said spot in forward and reverse scan directions in response to said forward and reverse direction portions of said sawtooth signal, means including photoelectric means responsive to light reflected from said surface for generating information signals indicating inhomogeneities in the part, memory means responsive to said clock and information signals, and pattern recognition means connected to said memory means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, laser means for producing a narrow beam of coherent light, mirror means for impinging said beam in a spot on a surface of the part, clock means for generating clock signals, sweep generator means responsive to said clock signals for generating a periodic sawtooth signal including forward and reverse direction portions with each forward portion being a staircase function corresponding to application of a predetermined number of clock signals, said mirror means including an oscillatable mirror, electro-mechanical drive means responsive to said sawtooth signal and arranged to oscillate said mirror and to move said spot in forward and reverse scan directions in response to said forward and reverse direction portions of said sawtooth signal, means including photoelectric means responsive to light reflected from said surface for generating information signals indicating inhomogeneities in the part, memory means responsive to said clock and information signals, and pattern recognition means connected to said memory means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a system as defined in claim 19, forward gate means for applying information signals to said memory means only during time periods corresponding to the application of said forward direction portions of said sawtooth signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a system as defined in claim 20, delay means associated with said forward gate means for introducing a certain delay between the time of generation of said forward direction portions of said sawtooth signal and the application of said information signals to said memory means, said certain delay being substantially equal to a time lag between the generation of said forward direction portions and the corresponding movements of said oscillatable mirror.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a system as defined in claim 19, said sweep generator means being reversible upon each application of said predetermined number of clock signals thereto with each of said reverse direction portions being a staircase function corresponding to application of said predetermined number of clock signals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a system as defined in claim 22, delay shift register means having a storage capacity equal to said predetermined numbeR, reversible shift-register means having a storage capacity equal to said predetermined number, means operative during forward direction scan movements for entering said information signals into said delay shift-register means, means operative during said reverse direction scan movements for entering said information signals into said reversible shift-register means, said reversible shift-register means being operative during scan movements for feeding out said information signals in reverse order, and means for feeding the combine outputs of said delay and reversible shift-register means to said memory means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part in first and second directions generally transverse to each other to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, said scanning being performed in successive generally parallel scans in said first direction with each scan in said first direction being displaced in said second direction from the preceding scan in said first direction, said scanning means including means for producing a beam of light, mirror means for impinging said beam in a spot moved over the surface of a part and information signal generating means including photoelectric means responsive to reflected light, memory means including shift-register means, means operable in timed relation to each scan in said first direction to apply clock signals to said memory means, and pattern recognition means coupled to said memory means for detecting coincidence of storage of information in relation to predetermined points in said memory means, said information signal generation means including analog gate means responsive to signals from said photoelectric means having an amplitude higher than a certain threshhold value to generate information signals having a certain substantially fixed amplitude for application to said memory means, and means for adjusting said threshold value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a system for non-destructive testing of a part for inhomogeneities therein, scanning means arranged to effect scanning of a region of the part in first and second directions generally transverse to each other to develop information signals indicating inhomogeneities therein, said scanning being performed in successive generally parallel scans in said first direction with each scan in said first direction being displaced in said second direction from the preceding scan in said first direction, said scanning means including means for producing a beam of light, mirror means for impinging said beam in a spot moved over the surface of a part and information signal generating means including photoelectric means responsive to reflected light, memory means including shift-register means, means operable in timed relation to each scan in said first direction to apply clock signals to said memory means, and pattern recognition means coupled to said memory means for detecting coincidence of storage of information in relation to predetermined points in said memory means, said information signal generation means including analog gate means responsive to signals from said photoelectric means having an amplitude higher than a certain threshhold value to generate information signals having a certain substantially fixed amplitude for application to said memory means, and means for adjusting said threshold value.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a system as defined in claim 24, indicating means, and means responsive to any output signal from said analog gate means for applying a drive signal of substantial duration to said indicating means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
In a system as defined in claim 24, said information signal generating means further including adjustable band-pass filter means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |