# US 10,768,149 B2 · Method and apparatus for improving the transmitting and receiving directivity in long-range ultrasonic testing

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- Number: US 10,768,149 B2
- Document ID: US10768149B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/773,766
- Filed: 2016-11-04
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-05
- Assignees: Research Cooperation Foundation of Yeungnam University; Digital Ultrasonics Co. Ltd
- Applicants: Research Cooperation Foundation of Yeungnam University; Digital Ultrasonics Co. Ltd
- Inventors: Myoung-Seon Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768149B2

## CPC

- G01N 29/40: by amplitude filtering, e.g. by applying a threshold {or by gain control}
- B06B 1/08: operating with magnetostriction (magnetostrictive devices per se H10N30/00)
- G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves}
- G01N 29/24: Probes {(transducers for acoustic waves B06B, G10K; for measuring G01H)}
- G01N 29/262: {by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays (phased arrays per se G10K11/34)}
- G01N 29/34: Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor}
- G01N 29/44: Processing the detected response signal {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor (digital signal processing per se G06F17/00)}
- H10N 35/00: Magnetostrictive devices (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00)
- G01N 2291/044: Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
- G01N 2291/106: one or more transducer arrays
- G01N 2291/2634: cylindrical from outside
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An apparatus for improving transmission directivity according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a phased array probe including a channel 1 transducer and a channel 2 transducer which are arranged at intervals corresponding to a quarter wavelength at a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing, and a drive unit which supplies electric pulses with opposite phases to the channel 1 transducer and the channel 2 transducer of the channel 1 transducer and the channel 2 transducer, which is disposed on the front end on the basis of an intended transmission direction, is driven with delay by a time corresponding to a quarter frequency of the center frequency than the other transducer disposed on the rear end.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a phased array probe comprising two channel transducers arranged on a subject to be tested at an interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength at a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing; and
a drive unit configured to drive one transducer of the two channel transducers, which is disposed rearward with respect to an intended direction of the guided wave pulse, to transmit a forward guided wave pulse and a backward guided wave pulse into the object to be tested by supplying a first electric pulse to the channel transducer disposed rearward and then to drive the other transducer of the two channel transducers, which is disposed forward with respect to the intended direction, to transmit a forward guided wave pulse and a backward guided wave pulse into the object to be tested by supplying a second electric pulse of a phase opposite to that of the first electric pulse to the channel transducer disposed forward after an elapse of a time interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength at the center frequency from a time of supplying the first electric pulse, thereby causing the two backward guided wave pulses transmitted by the channel transducer disposed forward and the channel transducer disposed rearward to overlap with each other without a time difference and form destructive interference.

### Claim 2

An apparatus, comprising:
a phased array probe comprising two channel transducers arranged on an object to be tested at an interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength of a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing; and
a signal processing unit configured to delay a phase of one of guided wave echo signals detected by each of the two channel transducers, adjust amplitudes of the phase-delayed guided wave echo signal and a non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal among the detected guided wave echo signals by using a phase difference between the phase-delayed guided wave echo signal and the non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal, and then sum up the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit generates the phase-delayed signal using a phase delay function of
∅
=
90
⁢
°
·
f
c
f
where ƒc denotes the center frequency and ƒ denotes a wave frequency of a detected guided wave echo signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit adjusts the amplitudes of the phase-delayed guided wave signal and the non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal using an amplitude adjustment function of gθ=(1−|sin(Δθ/2)|)m where Δθ denotes the phase difference and m is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the phased array probe further comprises a magnetostrictive band having a width corresponding to a (2k+1)λc/4 where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and λc is a wavelength at the center frequency, the two channel transducers are radiofrequency (RF) coils arranged on the magnetostrictive band at an interval corresponding to the quarter wavelength, and a distance between each end of the magnetostrictive band in the width direction and a center of coil leg adjacent to the end is the same as the quarter wavelength.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal processing unit further adjusts the amplitudes of the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals based on an intended reception direction of a guided wave echo and an amplitude difference between the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the signal processing unit further adjusts the amplitudes of the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals using an amplitude adjustment function of
g
A
=
{
1
,
for
⁢
⁢
A
F
<
A
L
(
A
L
A
F
)
n
,
for
⁢
⁢
A
F
≥
A
L
where AF denotes an amplitude of an amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signal of a channel that first detects a guided wave echo propagating in the intended reception direction, AL denotes an amplitude of an amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signal of the other channel, and n is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

### Claim 8

A method performed using a phased array probe comprising two channel transducers arranged on an object to be tested at an interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength of a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing, the method comprising:
driving one transducer of the two channel transducers, which is disposed rearward with respect to an intended direction of the guided wave pulse, to transmit a forward guided wave pulse and a backward guided wave pulse into the object to be tested by supplying a first electric pulse to the channel transducer disposed rearward; and
driving the other transducer of the two channel transducer, which is disposed forward with respect to the intended direction, to transmit a forward guided wave pulse and a backward guided wave pulse into the object to be tested by supplying a second electric pulse of a phase opposite to that of the first electric pulse to the channel transducer disposed forward after an elapse of a time interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength at the center frequency from a time of supplying the first electric pulse, thereby causing the two backward guided wave pulses transmitted by the channel transducer disposed forward and the channel transducer disposed rearward to overlap with each other without a time difference and form destructive interference.

### Claim 9

A method performed using a phased array probe comprising two channel transducers arranged on an object to be tested at an interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength of a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing, the method comprising:
delaying a phase of one of guided wave echo signals detected by each of the two channel transducers;
adjusting amplitudes of the phase-delayed guided wave echo signal and a non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal among the detected guided wave echo signals by using a phase difference between the phase-delayed guided wave echo signal and the non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal; and
summing the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the delaying of the phase comprises delaying the phase using a phase delay function of
∅
=
90
⁢
°
·
f
c
f
where ƒc denotes the center frequency and ƒ denotes a wave frequency of a detected guided wave echo signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusting of the amplitudes comprises adjusting the amplitudes of the phase-delayed guided wave signal and the non-phase delayed guided wave echo signal using an amplitude adjustment function of gθ=(1−|sin(Δθ/2)|)m where Δθ denotes the phase difference and m is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the phased array probe further comprises a magnetostrictive band having a width corresponding to a (2k+1)λc/4 where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and λc is a wavelength at the center frequency, the two channel transducers are radiofrequency (RF) coils arranged on the magnetostrictive band at an interval corresponding to the quarter wavelength, and a distance between each end of the magnetostrictive band in the width direction and a center of coil leg adjacent to the end is the same as the quarter wavelength.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the summing comprises further adjusting the amplitudes of the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals based on an intended reception direction of a guided wave echo and an amplitude difference between the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals and summing the two guided wave echo signals whose amplitudes are further adjusted.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the further adjusting of the amplitudes comprises further adjusting the amplitudes of the two amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signals using an amplitude adjustment function of
g
A
=
{
1
,
for
⁢
⁢
A
F
<
A
L
(
A
L
A
F
)
n
,
for
⁢
⁢
A
F
≥
A
L
where AF denotes an amplitude of an amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signal of a channel that first detects a guided wave echo propagating in the intended reception direction, AL denotes an amplitude of an amplitude-adjusted guided wave echo signal of the other channel, and n is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

### Claim 15

A phased array magnetostrictive probe comprising:
a magnetostrictive band having a width corresponding to a (2k+1)λc/4 where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and λc is a wavelength at a center frequency of a guided wave pulse for long-range ultrasonic testing; and
a channel 1 RF coil and a channel 2 RF coil arranged on the magnetostrictive band at an interval corresponding to a quarter wavelength at the center frequency,
wherein a distance between each end of the magnetostrictive band in the width direction and a center of coil leg adjacent to the end corresponds to the quarter wavelength.