Probe position encoding by ultrasound image correlation
AssigneeEvident Canada, Inc.
InventorAlain Le Duff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Data indicative of displacement of an acoustic probe assembly (or motion of an imaging aperture associated therewith) can be extracted from acquired acoustic echo data to perform motion tracking without requiring a separate mechanical motion sensor. As an illustrative example, a deterministic noise pattern associated with a particular probe location can be identified and motion of the noise pattern can be used to provide an estimate of probe assembly motion. Such an estimate can be used to facilitate imaging corresponding to multiple probe locations in support of acoustic non-destructive testing (NDT) such as in relation to Phased Array Ultrasound Test (PAUT).
Claims20
A computer-implemented method of estimating a displacement of a probe assembly of an ultrasound inspection system along a surface of a specimen, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- acquiring, at a first position of the probe assembly positioned on the surface of the specimen, a first ultrasound image, wherein the first ultrasound image includes first structural noise of material grains in the specimen;
- acquiring, at a second position of the probe assembly positioned on the surface of the specimen, a second ultrasound image, wherein the second ultrasound image includes second structural noise of the material grains in the specimen;
- determining, using the first structural noise and the second structural noise, a first representation of a measure of similarity between the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image;
- and
- estimating, using the determined first representation of the measure of similarity, the displacement of the probe assembly between the first position of the probe assembly and the second position of the probe assembly.
An ultrasound inspection system comprising:
- a probe assembly to be positioned on a specimen under inspection;
- and
- a processor to:
- acquire, at a first position of the probe assembly positioned on a surface of the specimen, a first ultrasound image, wherein the first ultrasound image includes first structural noise of material grains in the specimen;
- acquire, at a second position of the probe assembly positioned on the surface of the specimen, a second ultrasound image, wherein the second ultrasound image includes second structural noise of the material grains in the specimen;
- determine, using the first structural noise and the second structural noise, a first representation of a measure of similarity between the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image;
- and
- estimate, using the determined first representation of the measure of similarity, a displacement of the probe assembly between the first position of the probe assembly and the second position of the probe assembly.
A machine-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:
- acquire, at a first position of a probe assembly of an ultrasound inspection system positioned on a surface of a specimen, a first ultrasound image, wherein the first ultrasound image includes first structural noise of material grains in the specimen;
- acquire, at a second position of the probe assembly positioned on the surface of the specimen, a second ultrasound image, wherein the second ultrasound image includes second structural noise of material grains in the specimen;
- determine, using the first structural noise and the second structural noise, a first representation of a measure of similarity between the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image;
- and
- estimate, using the determined first representation of the measure of similarity, a displacement of the probe assembly between the first position of the probe assembly and the second position of the probe assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.