| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 073100820 | Apparatus for measuring by use of vibration or apparatus for measuring vibration (e.g., acoustic or ultrasonic) | 37 |
| 20100107725 | CALIBRATION METHOD OF ULTRASONIC FLAW DETECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL METHOD AND PRODUCTION METHOD OF TUBULAR BODY - An ultrasonic flaw detection is performed to a welded portion | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100132434 | INTERCHANGEABLE MEASUREMENT HOUSINGS - Apparatus, methods for forming the apparatus, and methods for operating the apparatus provide a modular unit of hardware to make measurements in a well. The modular unit may include a housing arranged for placement in a drill-string element, where the housing includes a sensor and is structured such that the housing is transferable to another drill-string element without a calibration of the sensor during or after the transfer. The drill-string elements associated with the transfer may be of different sizes. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20130055788 | CALIBRATION OF INSTRUMENT RELATIVE TO ULTRASONIC PROBE - A method of calibration including placing an instrument on an arbitrary point and at an arbitrary rotational orientation on an ultrasonic probe, obtaining spatial coordinates of the instrument, obtaining spatial coordinates of three points on an external surface of the ultrasonic probe, and using the three points to define an ultrasonic image plane, obtaining spatial coordinates of a set of landmarks which have a known spatial relationship to the ultrasonic image plane, these landmarks defining a direction in which the ultrasonic probe is directed within the ultrasonic image plane, and obtaining spatial coordinates of a front point on a front facing surface of the ultrasonic probe, the front facing surface having a known relation with a reference axis of a scanning plane of the ultrasonic probe that defines where an ultrasonic image starts within the ultrasonic image plane. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20090013756 | Mail piece stiffness detector - An apparatus for determining the stiffness of mail pieces includes a bar or similar deflector for contacting a mail piece conveyed past the bar by a conveyor system, and vibrates when in contact with a passing mail piece, either due to the impact of the mail piece or by the action of a device which causes the deflector to vibrate before the mail piece hits it. A sensor measures a parameter indicative of change in the vibrations of the deflector and generates a signal indicative of the measured parameter. A processor, e.g. programmable controller or circuit, receives the signal from the sensor and determines a stiffness value for the mail piece based on decay in vibrations of the deflector caused by contact with the mail piece. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20110283768 | SELF-CALIBRATING VIBRATION SENSOR - An antenna in a radar sensor is vibrated at a known frequency and velocity in a direction generally normal to the antenna surface. A response received by the antenna is used to scale or calibrate sensor responses at frequencies of interest. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110283767 | Sonic resonator system for testing the adhesive bond strength of composite materials - Disclosed herein is a sonic resonator system for use in testing the adhesive bond strength of composite materials. Also disclosed herein are a method of calibrating the sonic resonator system to work with a particular composite bond joint, and a method of non-destructive testing the “pass-fail” of the bonded composite bond strength, based on a required bond strength. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20100083732 | Disk Drive Emulator And Method Of Use Thereof - A disk drive emulator for testing a test slot of a disk drive testing system includes an emulator body, an interface connecter disposed on the emulator body, and at least one vibration sensor disposed on the emulator body. The emulator body comprises a material having a tensile modulus of at least 40×10̂6 Psi. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20090282895 | Calibration for a Nondestructive Material Testing System - Calibration for a nondestructive ultrasonic material testing system is provided, the system having a multiplicity of ultrasound transducers which are linearly movable as a whole but are arranged fixed with respect to one another, for example mounted fixed in a single sensor holder. In order to achieve optimal alignment of the sensors with a specimen, the mechanical tolerance-induced offset between the beam direction of the ultrasound transducers and the ideal beam directions is found, for example with the aid of a mean straight line. It is then minimized by using the available degrees of freedom of the sensor holder, for example possible tilting of the sensor holder. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090288471 | Calibration for a Nondestructive Material Testing System - Calibration for an ultrasonic nondestructive materials testing system is specified, the system having an array of ultrasonic transducers which can be linearly moved and pivoted. In order to compensate for the offset between the beam direction of the ultrasonic transducers and the rotation point of the pivoting system or another desired point of the transducers, this offset is determined using a calibrating body which is, for example, spherical. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20120291520 | CALIBRATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACOUSTIC PROBES - An acoustic probe calibration system includes a waveguide and a moveable piston. The waveguide extends from a front end to an opposite back end along a longitudinal axis and defines a cavity extending from the front end to the back end. The piston is disposed within the cavity of the waveguide and is configured to move within the cavity of the waveguide along the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. An acoustic probe is inserted into the waveguide to define an interior chamber between the acoustic probe and the piston. The acoustic probe determines pressure responses to acoustic stimuli inside the interior chamber. The piston is moveable to a plurality of different positions within the waveguide to change a size of the interior chamber such that the acoustic probe can determine the pressure responses within the interior chambers. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20080264144 | Electrical connection of energy harvesting devices - An energy harvesting system and method. An array of cantilevers with PZT films is electrically connected to an energy harvesting device that converts vibration energy to electrical energy. An AC output signal provided by the cantilevers can be rectified to a DC output, thereby avoiding impairment in total electrical output. The DC output terminals can be connected in parallel and/or in series in order to achieve a higher voltage and/or a higher current that prevents the output from different cantilevers from counteracting one another. The connection circuitry includes one or more rectifying components integrated with one or more micro-cantilevers into a single integrated circuit chip. An oscillograph can be utilized to monitor the DC output voltage signal from an associated testing circuit. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20120067107 | WIRELESS INTERFACE FOR AUDIOMETERS - An interface adapted for use with an audiometer, including a digital wireless interface supported by a base unit and a remote unit wherein the base unit receives signals from the audiometer and provides the signals to the remote unit via the digital wireless interface. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20100218591 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RELATIVE COAL FLOW IN PIPES FROM A PULVERIZER - Pulverizer coal flow pipes feed a mixture of air and coal to burners in electric utility coal fire facilities. A method and apparatus for sensing relative coal flow in the pipes uses acoustic emission (AE) sensors to detect flow in each pipe. Sensed relative flow in the pipes is used to balance flow in the pipes and to further adjust pipe coal flow. Sensed flow is used with control parameters of a furnace to maximize power plant efficiency and to ensure compliance with emissions requirements. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100218589 | Method for Configuring an Array of Transducers in an Ultrasonic Test Apparatus - A method for configuring an array of transducers in an ultrasonic test apparatus for detecting flaws in welds connecting the edges of metal bodies such as plates or pipelines. The method comprising: providing geometrical data of the bevelled edges of the bodies before being welded; identifying different facets of the geometry of the edges; providing geometrical data of a reference plate including a reflector; selecting the angles; and the positions of the transducers in accordance with the geometry of the edges; mounting the transducers to a scanning mechanism in accordance with the selections made; connecting the transducers to at least one control unit for transmitting ultrasound and receiving echo signals by means of the transducers and subsequently calibrating by means of the reference plate the positions of the transducers relative to the scanning mechanism and calibrating gain and gate settings by means of the reference plate. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100218590 | AUTOMATED THICKNESS MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A transducer apparatus may include a slide housing, an inner housing, a member attached to the inner housing, a free-floating transducer housing, a transducer, and transducer springs. The inner housing may be moveably disposed within the slide housing. The member attached to the inner housing may be for moving the inner housing relative to the slide housing. The free-floating transducer housing may in at least one position be freely moveably disposed relative to the inner housing. The transducer may be attached to the free-floating transducer housing and may freely change orientations relative to a surface being measured when the free-floating transducer housing is in the at least one position. The transducer springs may attach the free-floating transducer housing to the inner housing. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100139362 | Calibration Method for SAW Sensors - A calibration process for an SAW sensor of the differential resonator type incorporated in an assembly, the sensor having two resonance frequencies (f1, f2) which vary differently as a function of the value of a physical magnitude (G) of the assembly. The process comprises the steps of: establishing an averaged calibration function (F | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100058831 | METHOD FOR CALIBRATING A SCALE FACTOR IN AN AXISYMMETRICAL VIBRATING GYROMETER - The method of calibrating a scale factor of an axially-symmetrical vibrating rate gyro operating by applying an amplitude control signal (CA) and a precession control signal (CP) to a vibrator member ( | 03-11-2010 |
| 20110056267 | METHOD OF CALIBRATING A CONSTANT VOLTAGE SUPPLY FOR AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER OF A WIRE BONDING MACHINE - A method of calibrating a voltage for use with an ultrasonic transducer of a wire bonding machine in a constant voltage mode is provided. The method includes: (1) determining an impedance value associated with operation of the ultrasonic transducer; and (2) establishing an adjusted voltage level for use with the ultrasonic transducer in the constant voltage mode based on the determined impedance value. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110232360 | AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION ERROR DETECTION FOR ULTRASONIC INSPECTION DEVICES - Disclosed is a method and an NDT/NDI calibration process that automatically detects erroneous TOF readings by providing a predetermined time acceptance window. During the calibration process, TOF readings acquired by a UT device are validated to determine whether the TOF reading for the thin test block falls within the range of the predetermined time acceptance window. If the TOF reading for the thin block (T | 09-29-2011 |
| 20100313628 | SYSTEM FOR TESTING PERFORMANCE OF ARRAY ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER - A performance inspection system for an array ultrasound transducer includes: a driver for selectively applying an electric signal to all or some parts of constituent channels of the array ultrasound transducer; an acoustic power measurement unit for measuring an ultrasound acoustic power emitted from individual channels receiving the same voltage from the driver; a radiation conductance conversion unit for measuring a voltage signal applied to each channel although the driver applies different voltages to the individual channels, and converting the measured voltage into an ultrasound acoustic power acquired when the same voltage is applied to the channels; and a channel uniformity estimation unit for estimating uniformity of the acoustic power value acquired by the radiation conductance conversion unit or uniformity of acoustic power values of the individual channels measured under the same voltage. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20110030448 | ACOUSTIC SYSTEM QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TESTING - Embodiments of the invention provide for testing acoustic systems. According to one embodiment, testing an acoustic system can comprise receiving a signal from the acoustic system at a testing device via one of a plurality of channels between the acoustic system and the testing device. At least one pulse from a pattern pulses of the signal can be detected with the testing device by matching the pattern of pulses to an expected pulse pattern for the acoustic system. For example, matching the pattern of pulses to an expected pulse pattern can comprise determining whether the pulse pattern includes a first pulse type. If the pulse pattern includes the first pulse type, a determination can be made whether the pulse pattern further includes a second pulse type. If the pulse pattern further includes the second pulse type, a subsequent pulse of the second pulse type can be identified and detected. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110239730 | CALIBRATION DEVICE FOR MASS FLOW METERS - A calibration device for mass flow meters including a test piece measuring section into which the mass flow meter test piece to be calibrated can be inserted, a device for creating a flow of a medium through the test piece measuring section and a temperature-measuring device positioned in the test piece measuring section for detecting the temperature of the medium. The temperature-measuring device is position in the flow such that the flow is disturbed as little as possible, while at the same time being capable of highly-accurate detection of the temperature of the flowing medium. In particular, the temperature-measuring device is an ultrasonic temperature-measuring device that is configured to emit an ultrasonic signal into the medium and determine the temperature of the medium by measuring a speed of the emitted ultrasonic signal. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110100089 | DETECTION OF CHANNEL SATURATION IN PHASE-ARRAY ULTRASONIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING - The present invention relates to a method of detecting non-linear operation of a measuring device comprising an array of transducers and at least one receiver channel portion. The method comprises receiving measured signals through transducers of the array, processing the measured signals from the transducers through the receiver channel portion, combining the processed measured signals to produce a combined measurement signal, and detecting non-linearity of the combined measurement signal and non-linear operation of the measuring device by detecting saturation of the receiver channel portion. In one embodiment, the receiver channel portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter, a threshold is assigned to a digital output of the analog-to-digital converter, and saturation of the receiver channel portion is detected when the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter oversteps the assigned threshold. In one application of the invention, the measuring device is a non-destructive testing device. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20100122566 | Testing An Acoustic Property Of An Ultrasound Probe - Embodiments for testing an acoustic property of an ultrasound probe including a plurality of transducer elements are disclosed. A Shlieren image of an ultrasound probe and a visualized acoustic field of an ultrasound signal generated when one of the transducer elements is excited are acquired. A preprocessing including noise removal and position calibration upon the Shlieren image is then carried out. An acoustic property of the ultrasound probe is tested based on the preprocessed Shlieren image. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20110132067 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DERIVATION AND REAL-TIME APPLICATION OF ACOUSTIC V-PATH CORRECTION DATA - A system and method for carrying out non-destructive testing and inspection of test objects to assess their structural integrity uses a calibration module configured to provide V-Path time of flight (TOF) correction data over a plurality of object thickness points, obtained from an object or objects having known thicknesses using the same physical probe as is used for the inspection measurements. When a probe launches acoustical waves into a test object and an instrument and a control system compute a time of flight value of the acoustical waves launched by the probe, the pre-obtained V-Path TOF correction data is used to correct the measured time of flight computed by the instrument. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20090090165 | AUDIOMETER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE TRANSDUCER - An audiometer including a processor controlled test signal generator is adjustable so as to produce a uniform output signal when coupled with a transducer load. Each transducer set to be used with the test signal generator includes recordable indicia in written or electronic form, upon which correction values for adjusting the electronic signal output of the audiometer module to produce a desired sound output from the each transducer in the transducer set. When the transducer set is connected to the audiometer module, the correction values are either retrieved automatically from the electronic indicia, which may be an EEPROM, or are input to the processor manually by a user through an interface such as a keyboard. These correction values are then used by the processor to dynamically adjust the output of the audiometer to correct for sound output response deviation of each transducer in the transducer set. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20120060585 | Assessment and Calibration of a Crimp Tool Equipped with Ultrasonic Analysis Features - A method is provided for calibrating ultrasonic signals passed through a crimp formed with respect to a deformable body via an ultrasonically-equipped crimp tool (UECT). The UECT verifies a crimp quality using the ultrasonic signals. The method includes forming the crimp, transmitting a first signal, e.g., a pulse, to a first transducer of the UECT, and converting the first signal, using the first transducer, into a second signal which defines an ultrasonic pulse. This pulse is transmitted through the UECT into the crimp. A second transducer converts the second signal into a third signal, which may be further conditioned, and the ultrasonic signals are calibrated using the third signal or its conditioned variant. An apparatus for calibrating the ultrasonic signals includes a pulse module (PM) electrically connected to the first and second transducers, and an oscilloscope or display electrically connected to the PM for analyzing an electrical output signal therefrom. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20110094288 | MAPPING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS - Ultrasound transducers may be mapped by varying a focus-affecting parameter and adjusting the parameter so as to improve focus quality. In some embodiments, mapping involves successively varying the phase of one transducer element, or group of elements, with respect to a constant phase of the other transducer elements, and determining the phase at which a tissue displacement in the ultrasound focus is maximized. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20120125078 | SONIC WAVE PINCH DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MOVABLE PANEL - A pinch detector for a movable panel is provided having a deformable and resilient channel; a sonic wave transmitter at one end of the channel having a predetermined output; a sonic wave receiver at a second end of the channel; and a controller connected to the transmitter and receiver; wherein the controller selectively activates the transmitter and generates a command in response to a predetermined attenuation of sonic wave input from the sonic wave receiver. The predetermined output of the sonic wave transmitter is in the range of about 30 to 50 kHz at a range of about 3 to 24 volts, but is preferably about 40 kHz at about 5 volts. The deformable and resilient channel can be disposed within a sealing element of a movable panel. Optionally, the sonic wave can be modulated. Compositions for the sonic tube can include latex, rubber, EPDM, foam, combinations thereof, and the like. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20110120209 | Detector and Methods of Detecting - An ultrasonic detector ( | 05-26-2011 |
| 20120318038 | ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER TEST APPARATUS AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In one aspect, testing apparatus for ultrasound transducers comprising arrays of transducing elements are described herein. In some embodiments, a test apparatus for an ultrasound transducer having a curved transducing element array comprises a block of material permitting propagation of an acoustic signal generated by the transducer, the block of material comprising a transducer receiving surface and a second surface in facing opposition to the receiving surface and forming an acoustically reflective interface with a medium, the second surface comprising a curvature having a center similar to or substantially similar to the center of curvature of the transducer element array when the transducer is coupled to the receiving surface. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20130008226 | VIBRATING MICRO-SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL LOOP, WITH INTEGRATED CONTROL OF THE QUALITY FACTOR - A micro-system, for example a micro-sensor, comprises a resonator | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130098138 | Sonic resonator system which applies a rarefaction wave to a composite structure at a specific location to test bond strength - Disclosed herein is a sonic resonator system for use in testing the adhesive bond strength of composite materials. Also disclosed herein are a method of calibrating the sonic resonator system to work with a particular composite bond joint, and a method of non-destructive testing the “pass-fail” of the bonded composite bond strength, based on a required bond strength. | 04-25-2013 |
| 073100830 | Liquid | 1 |
| 20120096922 | SAND DETECTOR CALIBRATION - A method of operating an acoustic sand detector deployed at a flowline within a flow system, the detector comprising an acoustic sensor and functioning to produce electrical output signals in dependence on acoustic signals detected by the acoustic sensor, the acoustic signals being at least partially produced by the impact of sand particles within the flow on an object is provided. The method comprises estimating the location of particle impacts on the flowline; and weighting the output signals according to the distance between the estimated location and the detector location. | 04-26-2012 |
| 073100840 | Rotary or rotor unbalance | 1 |
| 20110277535 | METHOD OF MATCHING SENSORS IN A MULTI-PROBE TURBINE BLADE VIBRATION MONITOR - A method of matching sensors in a multi-probe blade vibration monitor for a turbine. The method includes providing at least two probes mounted in a casing of the turbine adjacent to a rotating blade structure of the turbine. Targets are provided on radially outer portions of the blade structure. Each of the probes includes a sensor generating signals corresponding to target passing events, and a set of synchronous harmonics of the rotational speed of the rotor are produced for each sensor. The position of the sensors is adjusted such that the sets of harmonics of the sensors are substantially matched, indicating that the positions of the sensors are matched. | 11-17-2011 |
| 073100860 | Reference standard detail | 2 |
| 20080196475 | POROSITY REFERENCE STANDARD UTILIZING ONE OR MORE HOLLOW, NON-CYLINDRICAL SHAFTS - The invention relates to pseudo porosity standards, and methods for their manufacture and use, which may substantially mimic the effect porosity has on ultrasonic sound as it passes through a composite laminate. An ultrasonic inspection reference standard for composite materials having porosity may include a member having at least one thickness. The member may be defined by at least one hollow, non-spherical shaft. The member may be manufactured from a fiber-free polymer resin using a stereo lithography process. The non-spherical shaft may scatter and attenuate ultrasonic energy. The reference standard may replace more costly, porous, fiber-reinforced, composite reference standards in the aircraft industry and in other non-aircraft applications. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20130139567 | ULTRASOUND PHANTOM HAVING A CURVED SURFACE - A phantom used in quality assurance and performance tests and/or in pre-purchase testing of ultrasound scanners is provided. The phantom includes a container, a boundary formed within the container, and a curved scanning surface. The container includes a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a wall mounted between the top surface and the bottom surface to form the container. The boundary is configured to hold a tissue mimicking material. The curved scanning surface is formed in the top surface in a direction towards an interior of the container. The curved scanning surface is shaped to support translation perpendicular to an image plane of an application end of an ultrasound transducer along at least a portion of an axis extending between a first location on the curved scanning surface and a second location on the curved scanning surface. | 06-06-2013 |
