Testing of acoustic imaging systems or probes

Inventors

Gessert, James • Moore, G. Wayne

Assignees

ACERTARA ACOUSTIC LABORATORIES LLC

Abstract

Appliances and methods are disclosed for testing operation of an acoustic device that generates beams of acoustic energy. An imaging array generates electrical signals in response to impinging receipt of acoustic energy. An acoustic-energy direction system is disposed to focus acoustic energy onto the imaging array. A controller is electrically coupled with the acoustic device and with the imaging array. The controller has instructions to generate an image on a display from electrical signals received by the controller from the imaging array. The electrical signals are received by the controller in response to generation of a beam of acoustic energy by the acoustic device. The beam of acoustic energy is directed towards the acoustic-energy direction system. The image provides a representation of the generated beam of acoustic energy.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a testing appliance and method for testing operation of an acoustic device that generates beams of acoustic energy. The appliance includes an imaging array that generates electrical signals in response to impinging receipt of acoustic energy, and an acoustic-energy direction system that focuses acoustic energy generated by a plurality of transducer elements across a surface of the acoustic device onto the imaging array.

A controller is electrically coupled with the acoustic device and with the imaging array and is programmed to generate an image on a display from the electrical signals received from the imaging array. The image provides a representation of a distribution of acoustic energy emanating from the plurality of transducer elements and provides an indication of one or more defects of one or more of the plurality of transducer elements.

The invention further encompasses directing the beam of acoustic energy across the surface of the acoustic device to the acoustic-energy direction system disposed to focus the acoustic energy onto the imaging array, then generating an image from the electrical signals. Defects in one or more of the plurality of transducer elements are detected from the generated image.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims, a testing appliance claim and a testing method claim, that share a common core set of inventive features. The shared features center on imaging-array electrical signals coupled with an acoustic-energy direction system to form a display image representing the acoustic-energy distribution, where the image is used to indicate or detect defects of the acoustic device transducer elements.

Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on focusing acoustic energy from an acoustic device’s plurality of transducer elements onto an imaging array, using imaging-array electrical signals to generate a display image representing an acoustic-energy distribution, and using that image to indicate or detect defects of one or more transducer elements.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications