| 20080202244 | Digital log amplifier for ultrasonic testing - The apparatus and method of the present invention provides an ultrasonic object inspection system for measuring the physical properties of a test object comprising a pulse generator for generating and transmitting an electrical pulse signal to a transducer. The transducer receives and converts the electrical pulse signal to an ultrasonic signal, applies the ultrasonic signal to the test object, receives an ultrasonic echo signal from the test object, and converts the ultrasonic echo signal to an electrical echo signal, and transmits the electrical echo signal to a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit receives and processes the electrical echo signal and comprises a plurality of signal processing paths. Each of the signal processing paths scales the electrical echo signal to a different degree and comprises a respective analog to digital converter for converting the electrical echo signal to a digital electrical echo signal. The signal processing circuit further comprises a logic circuit for selecting the output of the respective analog to digital converter that provides the digital electrical echo signal having the greatest amplitude without exceeding a predetermined saturation threshold. | 08-28-2008 |
