Signal Processing System and Methods

A pipe inspection method to identify characteristic acoustic impedance associated with a pipe;

• the method comprising the steps of
• resolving a plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms, px1(t), px2(t) . . . , pxn(t) and px2(t), associated with the pipe into a number of associated waveforms;
• the associated waveforms being a function of the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms measured at respective positions;
• the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms representing measurements by a plurality of acoustic detection devices positioned at the respective positions of a launch body for exciting the pipe using an excitation waveform;
• deriving the impulse response, h(t), or transfer function of the pipe from said at least a pair associated waveforms;
• the impulse response bearing the characteristic acoustic impedance associated with the pipe, wherein the step of deriving the impulse response comprises evaluating h(t) from h(t)*[px1(t)−px2(t)*hm12(t)]=[px2(t)*hm12−1(t)−px1(t)], where hm12(t) represents the transfer function between a first and second acoustic detection devices of the plurality of acoustic detection devices.

A pipe inspection kit comprising

• a launch tube bearing a plurality of acoustic detection devices;
• an excitation source for producing an excitation waveform to be launched into a test object using the launch tube;
• and
• a data processor adapted to
• resolve a plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms, px1(t), px2(t), . . . , pxn(t) and px2(t), associated with the pipe into a number of associated waveforms;
• the associated waveforms being a function of the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms measured at respective positions;
• the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms representing measurements by a plurality of acoustic detection devices positioned at the respective positions of a launch body for exciting the pipe using an excitation waveform;
• derive the impulse response, h(t), or transfer function of the pipe from said at least a pair associated waveforms;
• the impulse response bearing the characteristic acoustic impedance associated with the pipe, wherein the step of deriving the impulse response comprises evaluating h(t) from h(t)*[px1(t)−px2(t)*hm12(t)]=[px2(t)*hm12−1(t)−px1(t)], where hm12(t) represents the transfer function between a first and second acoustic detection devices of the plurality of acoustic detection devices.

A pipe inspection system for detecting a feature of a pipe;

• the system comprising a processor;
• the processor being adapted to
• resolve a plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms, px1(t), px2(t), . . . , pxn(t) and px2(t), associated with the pipe into a number of associated waveforms;
• the associated waveforms being a function of the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms measured at respective positions;
• the plurality of resultant pressure waveforms representing measurements by a plurality of acoustic detection devices positioned at the respective positions of a launch body for exciting the pipe using an excitation waveform;
• derive the impulse response, h(t), or transfer function of the test object from said at least a pair associated waveforms, wherein the step of deriving the impulse response comprises evaluating h(t) from h(t)*[px1(t)−px2(t)*hm12(t)]=[px2(t)*hm12−1(t)−px1(t)], where hm12(t) represents the transfer function between a first and second acoustic detection devices of the plurality of acoustic detection devices.

Non-transitory machine readable storage storing machine-readable instructions arranged, when executed, to cause a computer system to

• resolve a plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms, px1(t), px2(t), . . . , pxn(t) and px2(t), associated with the pipe into a number of associated waveforms;
• the associated waveforms being a function of the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms measured at respective positions;
• the plurality of measured resultant pressure waveforms representing measurements by a plurality of acoustic detection devices positioned at the respective positions of a launch body for exciting the pipe using an excitation waveform;
• derive the impulse response, h(t), or transfer function of the pipe from said at least a pair associated waveforms;
• the impulse response bearing the characteristic acoustic impedance associated with the pipe, wherein the step of deriving the impulse response comprises evaluating h(t) from h(t)*[px1(t)−px2(t)*hm12(t)]=[px2(t)*hm12−1(t)−px1(t)], where hm12(t) represents the transfer function between a first and second acoustic detection devices of the plurality of acoustic detection devices.