US4803638A — Ultrasonic signal processing system including a f…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 75 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, and storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 75 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, and storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 106 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications, storing a transit time offset curve including a ranging offset and adjusting the start of the threshold waveform comparison before comparison by the ranging offset that is a function of transducer position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 106 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications, storing a transit time offset curve including a ranging offset and adjusting the start of the threshold waveform comparison before comparison by the ranging offset that is a function of transducer position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 200 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals, indicating transducer position, and producing a window indicator designating a window during which said flaw indication processing means is to be activated; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, and storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications, said flaw indication processing means comprising: waveform window detection means for detecting the window indicator; a waveform memory unit operatively connected to said transducer control and signal digitizing means and said waveform window detection means, and storing the digitized reflection signals during the window; a position latch operatively connected to said transducer control and signal digitizing means and storing the transducer position; a storage memory storing the threshold waveform, the flaw indications and the position; a processor, operatively connected to said waveform detection means, said waveform memory unit, said position latch and said storage memory, performing the comparison and storing the flaw indications in said storage memory.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 200 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals, indicating transducer position, and producing a window indicator designating a window during which said flaw indication processing means is to be activated; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform, and storing the transducer position in association with the flaw indications, said flaw indication processing means comprising: waveform window detection means for detecting the window indicator; a waveform memory unit operatively connected to said transducer control and signal digitizing means and said waveform window detection means, and storing the digitized reflection signals during the window; a position latch operatively connected to said transducer control and signal digitizing means and storing the transducer position; a storage memory storing the threshold waveform, the flaw indications and the position; a processor, operatively connected to said waveform detection means, said waveform memory unit, said position latch and said storage memory, performing the comparison and storing the flaw indications in said storage memory.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said window is a time/depth window.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 67 words

A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said waveform window detection means comprises: a channel latch, operatively connected to said processor and loaded with a channel code by said processor; and a comparator operatively connected to said channel latch and to said transducer control and signal digitizing means, and comparing the window indicator to the channel code and activating said waveform memory unit when coincidence occurs.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 105 words

A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said transducer control and signal digitizing means produces a write signal when a reflection signal sample is available for storage and said waveform memory unit comprises: a waveform memory operatively connected to said transducer control and signal digitizing means and storing the reflection signal sample when the write signal is received; and an address counter operatively connected to said waveform memory, said comparator and said transducer control and signal digitizing means, designating the location at which the reflection signal sample is stored and being incremented by the write signal in accordance with the activation by said comparator.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system as recited in claim 3, further comprising: data access means, operatively connected to said processor and said storage memory, for disabling said processor and retrieving the reflector indications and the position from said storage memory.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 211 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system, comprising: a control processor; a timing control unit connected to said control processor and producing timing control signals including window signals; a pulse control unit connected to and controlled by said timing control unit; an inspection transducer connected to and controlled by said pulse control unit and producing a received signal; a resolver coupled to said inspection transducer and producing a position of said inspection transducer; an analog multiplexer connected to said timing control unit and said inspection transducer, and attenuating the received signal in dependence on the window signals; a digitizer connected to said analog multiplexer and digitizing the attenuated received signal; and plural flaw gates, connected to said digitizer, said timing control unit and said resolver, each storing and processing, in dependence on one of the window signals, the digitized attenuated received signals by shifting a threshold waveform in dependence on a ranging offset and comparing the stored digitized attenuated received signals to the shifted threshold waveform and producing flaw indications when the digitized received signals exceed the threshold waveform, and storing the position, said control processor retrieving the flaw indications and corresponding position at the end of a scan by said inspection transducer and determining flaw locations from the positions and flaw indications.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 211 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system, comprising: a control processor; a timing control unit connected to said control processor and producing timing control signals including window signals; a pulse control unit connected to and controlled by said timing control unit; an inspection transducer connected to and controlled by said pulse control unit and producing a received signal; a resolver coupled to said inspection transducer and producing a position of said inspection transducer; an analog multiplexer connected to said timing control unit and said inspection transducer, and attenuating the received signal in dependence on the window signals; a digitizer connected to said analog multiplexer and digitizing the attenuated received signal; and plural flaw gates, connected to said digitizer, said timing control unit and said resolver, each storing and processing, in dependence on one of the window signals, the digitized attenuated received signals by shifting a threshold waveform in dependence on a ranging offset and comparing the stored digitized attenuated received signals to the shifted threshold waveform and producing flaw indications when the digitized received signals exceed the threshold waveform, and storing the position, said control processor retrieving the flaw indications and corresponding position at the end of a scan by said inspection transducer and determining flaw locations from the positions and flaw indications.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 65 words

A method of processing transducer signals to determine flaw indications, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing the transducer signals as a sample waveform; (b) shifting a threshold waveform in dependence on a ranging offset; and (c) comparing the threshold and sample waveforms and storing peak amplitude and peak amplitude time of excursions of the sample waveform above the threshold waveform as flaw indications.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 65 words

A method of processing transducer signals to determine flaw indications, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing the transducer signals as a sample waveform; (b) shifting a threshold waveform in dependence on a ranging offset; and (c) comparing the threshold and sample waveforms and storing peak amplitude and peak amplitude time of excursions of the sample waveform above the threshold waveform as flaw indications.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as recited in claim 9, wherein step (a) is performed during a time window corresponding to the depth of the indications.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as recited in claim 9, wherein step (c) includes storing a rising crossing time of the excursion and a falling crossing time of the excursion.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 137 words

A method of determining flaw indications in a material being inspected using an inspection transducer and a ranging transducer, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a ranging offset of the material from the ranging transducer at a position; (b) activating the inspection transducer to produce an inspection signal at the position; (c) sampling the returned inspection signal during a sample window to produce a digital return signal sample waveform; (d) shifting a digital return signal sample waveform using the ranging offset; (e) comparing a threshold waveform to the shifted return signal sample waveform; (f) storing the peak amplitude and peak time of excursions of the shifted return signal sample waveform above the threshold waveform; (g) repeating steps (b)-(f) at different positions; and (h) transferring the peak amplitudes, peak times and positions to a flaw location determination device.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 137 words

A method of determining flaw indications in a material being inspected using an inspection transducer and a ranging transducer, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a ranging offset of the material from the ranging transducer at a position; (b) activating the inspection transducer to produce an inspection signal at the position; (c) sampling the returned inspection signal during a sample window to produce a digital return signal sample waveform; (d) shifting a digital return signal sample waveform using the ranging offset; (e) comparing a threshold waveform to the shifted return signal sample waveform; (f) storing the peak amplitude and peak time of excursions of the shifted return signal sample waveform above the threshold waveform; (g) repeating steps (b)-(f) at different positions; and (h) transferring the peak amplitudes, peak times and positions to a flaw location determination device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 65 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, and producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 65 words

An ultrasonic signal processing system for an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: transducer control and signal digitizing means for controlling transmit signal production, digitizing reflection signals and indicating transducer position; and flaw indication processing means for storing the digitized reflection signals as a reflection waveform, comparing the reflection waveform to a threshold waveform, and producing and storing flaw indications when the reflection waveform exceeds the threshold waveform.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-02-07	1992-08-08	1993-02-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-02-07	1996-08-08	1997-02-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-02-07	2000-08-08	2001-02-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ultrasonic signal processing system including a flaw gate

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