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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7677101 | Estimating propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor Techniques are described for estimating the propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor. In particular, techniques which measure and exploit a proper segment of phase frequency response of the surface acoustic wave sensor are described for use as a b... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7665362 | Systems, methods and apparatus for non-disruptive and non-destructive inspection of metallurgical furnaces and similar vessels Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and apparatus for more accurately determining the thickness of a refractory lining included in an operating metallurgical furnace. Specifically, in some embodiments a transient propagated stress wave... | 02/23/2010 |
| 7634946 | Testing of bottomhole samplers using acoustics A method for testing a hydrocarbon sample. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a sheath disposed about the hydrocarbon sample. The apparatus further comprises at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7628074 | System and method for motion capture in natural environments A system captures motion data in natural environments. A set of sources and a set of sensors are arranged on an object such as a human body. Each source emits ultrasonic signals detected by the sensors. A driver module is also arranged on the body. The driver module... | 12/08/2009 |
| 7614302 | Acoustic fluid analysis method A method of analyzing acoustic data, that includes determining fluid sound speed through connate fluid. The method involves sampling the fluid, sending an acoustic signal into the fluid between a first and a second reflective interface. Data is recorded that represe... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7614303 | Device for measuring bulk stress via insonification and method of use therefor A configuration for use with a processor that incorporates a suite of agents in a “flat” hardware architecture and superimposes thereon a self-forming, self-healing, hierarchical architecture implemented in software. Embodiments may be employed in various applic... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7603904 | Method and apparatus for assessing or predicting the characteristics of wood A method and apparatus for determining a characteristic, such as the stiffness, of a portion of a wood specimen characterised by the steps of a) producing an acoustic signal in the wood specimen part way along the length of the wood specimen, and b) sensing a respon... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7591181 | Ultrasonic testing of fitting assembly Apparatus and method for determining relative and/or absolute axial position of a conduit end within a fluid coupling includes application of input ultrasonic energy in the form of transient shear waves and analyzing the reflected energy. Application of the input en... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7591180 | Contact inspection device, and contact inspection device and method for magnetic disk device A contact inspection method and device in which a detection element which produces a detection output according to vibration of a rotating body is mounted on the rotating body to detect contact of an object with the rotating body, more particularly a method and devi... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7581445 | Method for ultrasonic testing of fitting assembly Apparatus and method for determining relative and/or absolute axial position of a conduit end within a fluid coupling includes application of input ultrasonic energy in the form of transient shear waves and analyzing the reflected energy. Application of the input en... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7581444 | Method and circuit arrangement for disturbance-free examination of objects by means of ultrasonic waves A method and circuit arrangement for processing signals which are produced during disturbance-free examination of objects such as pipes or sheet metal, by reflecting ultrasonic waves at defective spots on the structure of the object. According to the method, a compl... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7533571 | Apparatus for making high-sensitivity measurements of various parameters, and sensors particularly useful in such apparatus A sensor for sensing a predetermined parameter having a known relationship with respect to the transit time of an energy wave through a medium, includes a body of soft elastomeric material having high transmissivity and low attenuation properties with respect to the... | 05/19/2009 |
| 7530270 | Inspection method and inspection apparatus of reinforced concrete pipe Deterioration of reinforced concrete pipes is checked and the deterioration progress level is classified. Based on the inspection result, a portion to be inspected in detail in an inspection area is selected. With respect to the selected portion to be inspected in d... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7490517 | Sensor attachment structure and ultrasonic sensing device A sensor attachment structure includes a sound receiving member for receiving an ultrasound, an ultrasonic sensor attached to the sound receiving member. The ultrasonic sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second surfaces opposite to each other... | 02/17/2009 |
| 7481114 | Noninvasive measurement of fluid characteristics using reversibly deformed conduit An apparatus for determining a characteristic for a fluid in a tube, the apparatus including a force applying system to cause a change in a transverse dimension of a segment of the tube, wherein the change in the transverse dimension is reversible, and an ultrasonic... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7454972 | Method and apparatus for acoustically weighing moving loads Acoustic weight or mass sensing technology (referred to here as Acoustic Weigh In Motion (AWIN)) provides accurate weighing of any type of moving load moving over a load bearing medium. Acoustic transducers are affixed to or embedded in the load bearing medium. One ... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7434757 | Zero-backlash baitcast fishing reel A fishing reel directly measuring line travel (not velocity or acceleration) past two or more points along the line, with said data being fed back in real time to a comparative control loop which initiates a direct contact spool brake to slow or near-instantaneously... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7426865 | Method for ultrasonic elastic modulus calculation and imaging Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for generating an image of an article, wherein the image represents the articles elastic modulus. The method comprises the steps of measuring a time of flight value at a point on a test sample utilizing ultrasonic sound wav... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7426852 | Submersible meter for measuring a parameter of gas hold-up of a fluid A submersible meter is provided that measures the speed of sound propagating in an aerated fluid to determine any one of a plurality of parameters of the fluid, such as the gas holdup of the fluid (εb), the bubble size (db), the bubble surface... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7426866 | Acoustic liquid dispensing apparatus A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned a... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7428471 | Monitoring activity of a user in locomotion on foot A user in locomotion on foot during an outing may identify a grade of a surface with at least one device supported by the user. A performance parameter of the user may be determined with the device based upon the grade of the surface, which may be based upon a measu... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7428472 | Monitoring activity of a user in locomotion on foot A device supported by a user while the user is in locomotion on foot during an outing may monitor a performance parameter of the user. The performance parameter may comprise a pace and/or a speed of the user. Prior to the outing, the device may be configured to spec... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7418866 | Method and apparatus for evaluation of standing timber A method and apparatus for measuring the quality of live, standing timber employs deep-set spike probes angled to create a longitudinal compression wave. Alignment tools and isolation of the probes provide an improved signal, automated detection of probe separation ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7418865 | Method and apparatus for ultrasound velocity measurements in drilling fluids The disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for determining the velocity of an ultrasound pulse in drilling fluids in downhole environments. A method for determining a velocity of ultrasound propagation in a drilling fluid in a downhole environment includes emit... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7415881 | Ultrasonic sensor system for web-guiding apparatus A sensor system for determining the position of at least one edge of at least one web material traveling along a predetermined path. In one embodiment, the sensor system has at least one transmitter block having a plurality of transmitters capable of selectively tra... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7415880 | Method for determining the sound velocity in a basic material, particularly for measuring the thickness of a wall Disclosed is a method for determining the sound velocity (Cb) in a basic material, in which an ultrasonic probe having a transmitting probe, a receiver transducer, and a forward member is used. The forward member is provided with a coupling surface that couples the ... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7406872 | Sensor attachment structure and ultrasonic sensing device A sensor attachment structure includes a sound receiving member for receiving an ultrasound, an ultrasonic sensor attached to the sound receiving member. The ultrasonic sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second surfaces opposite to each other... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7395711 | System and technique for characterizing fluids using ultrasonic diffraction grating spectroscopy A system for determining property of multiphase fluids based on ultrasonic diffraction grating spectroscopy includes a diffraction grating on a solid in contact with the fluid. An interrogation device delivers ultrasound through the solid and a captures a reflection... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7395712 | Testing of bottomhole samplers using acoustics A method and apparatus for testing a hydrocarbon sample. The apparatus includes a sheath disposed about the hydrocarbon sample container and at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to the sheath, and further ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7391676 | Ultrasonic distance sensors A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system, a support constructed to support a patterning device, and a projection system. In pixel grid imaging, a large number of small optical spots are imaged onto the substrate surface using a micro-lens array (MLA... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7389693 | Methods and apparatus for porosity measurement A method for non-destructively inspecting a composite structure with a single ultrasonic transducer includes determining a calibration amplitude of ultrasonic transmissions emitted by the single ultrasonic transducer to a reflector in a fluid-filled immersion tank a... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7383730 | Methods for determining velocity of a stress wave within a material and homogeneity of properties within the material Methods for evaluating properties of a material are provided. In a first method, the velocity of a stress or sound wave is calculated by measuring the time of flight of the stress/sound wave induced into the material. The resonance of the material is also measured a... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7373822 | Method for evaluating a weld joint formed during a welding process A method for evaluating, during a welding process, a welded joint as it is forming between at least two parts of a joint using at least one ultrasonic transmitter sound penetrating the region of the forming welded joint with ultrasonic waves and at least one ultraso... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7373808 | Method and ultrasonic meter system for determining pipe roughness A method and ultrasonic meter system for determining pipe roughness. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are ultrasonic meters comprising a spool piece that couples within a flow of fluids, and a first transducer pair mechanically mounted to the spool piec... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7370534 | Multiangle ultrasound imager Systems and methods to obtain an ultrasonic image of a large detection area are disclosed. A system includes a source of ultrasound generating ultrasonic energy and projecting the ultrasonic energy from a projecting end and an adapter interfaced to the projecting en... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7373260 | Sensor infrastructure A device for use in detecting an event in a structure includes a sensor encapsulation, the encapsulation containing a sensor, an actuator positioned substantially in-plane to the sensor within the housing and a printed circuit board in communication with at least on... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7367944 | Method and system for monitoring ablation of tissues A method of monitoring heat damage to a tissue during a heat ablation procedure is disclosed. The method comprising: providing images of the tissue, extracting at least one parameter being indicative of a biological response to heat, and using the parameter(s) for d... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7363817 | System and technique for detecting the presence of foreign material Systems and techniques for detecting the presence of foreign material in food utilizing optical backlighting and/or ultrasonic inspection are presented. In optical backlighting, a substantially monochromatic light source optically backlights a food stream with sourc... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7362226 | Control system, surface, and control device The present invention provides a control system including: plural wireless measuring units, each of which, when receiving a radio signal, uses the signal as an energy source to measure a physical quantity, and generates and sends a radio signal having an attribute r... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7357826 | Method and apparatus to monitor/detect nodularization in ductile iron The present invention is direct to a method/apparatus for verifying a nodularization process in a molten iron disposed within a ladle. The method includes the steps of: transferring the ladle with the molten iron to a nodularization area; adding an amount of magnesi... | 04/15/2008 |