472 results about "Ultrasound scan" patented technology

A method and system for detecting weld signatures from an ultrasound scan data obtained from scanning a pipeline is provided. The method includes a step for mapping multiple amplitude responses from the ultrasound scan data, each amplitude response being representative of a respective sensor signal. Continuous amplitude responses are located from the amplitude responses and corresponding signatures are identified for the continuous amplitude responses. The method also includes a step for tagging the corresponding signatures as weld signatures.

A method and apparatus for estimating a depth of a crack from ultrasound scan data are provided. The method includes mapping multiple amplitude responses from the ultrasound scan data, each mapped amplitude response being representative of a signal from one of the sensors. The method further includes locating multiple linear responses among the mapped amplitude responses, each linear response being an indicator of a reflected signal from the crack. One or more sensor that corresponds to the linear responses from a given crack is identified. The depth of the crack is estimated using data from the identified sensors.

A handheld ultrasound instrument is disclosed having enhanced diagnostic modes including pulse / continuous wave Doppler, time-motion analysis, spectral analysis and tissue harmonic imaging. An external electrocardiograph (ECG) recording unit is also disclosed. The ECG unit is adaptable to be used with the handheld ultrasound instrument to provide for ECG monitoring while performing an ultrasound scan in B-mode, Doppler, color Doppler, M-mode, and CW / PW mode. The enhanced handheld ultrasound instrument further includes a security mechanism allowing any combination of the diagnostic modes to be enabled by the manufacturer, and later to enable or disable any one or group of the diagnostic modes. The invention also discloses a method for a manufacturer to maintain a database of handheld ultrasound instrument capabilities after the instruments enter the stream of commerce.

An exemplary automatic ultrasonic scanning system and a scanning method of the same are disclosed. The automatic ultrasonic scanning system includes a multi-axis robot arm (104), an ultrasonic scan head (108) disposed on the multi-axis robot arm, a control circuit (102) for controlling the multi-axis robot arm, a three-dimensional image capturing apparatus (110) and a computer (106). The computer senses a tested object through the three-dimensional image capturing apparatus, creates a three-dimensional shape of the tested object, and plans a three-dimensional scanning path according to the three-dimensional shape. According to the three-dimensional scanning path the computer further controls the multi-axis robot arm to perform a multi-axis motion through the control circuit, so as performs a three-dimensional scan on the tested object through the ultrasonic scan head, and constructs an ultrasonic image according to a reflected ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasonic scan head consequently. The automatic ultrasonic scanning system and the scanning method thereof provided in the utility model can be used to perform the ultrasonic scanning automatically according to the three-dimensional scanning path.

Generally speaking, the method of the present invention is performed by making various ultrasonic scans at preselected orientations along the length of a material being tested. Data from the scans are then plotted together with various calculated parameters that are calculated from this data. Lines or curves are then fitted to the respective plotted points. Review of these plotted curves allows the location and severity of defects within these sections to be determined and quantified. With this information various other decisions related to how, when or whether repair or replacement of a particular portion of a structure can be made.