Patent US4295897B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5243294A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods of and apparatus for detecting the character and location of anomalies along a conductive member using pulse propagation
Assignee: PROFILE TECHNOLOGIES Inc
•
Filing: 1991-10-25
•
Granted: 1993-09-07
•
Expires: 2011-10-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus of detecting an anomoly along an elongate, electrically conductive member comprising the steps of. An electrical pulse is so sent along the member from each of two locations towards an intersecting location between the two locations that the pulses intersect and are modified at the intersecting location. At least one of the modified pulses is analyzed to determine whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location. The timing of at least one of the pulses is based at least in part on the propagation delay of an electrical pulse propagating between the two locations.
Inventors
- 👤 Gale D. Burnett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 02:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/08; G01R31/088; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of detecting an anomoly along a member comprising the steps of: a. so sending an electrical pulse along the member from each of two locations towards an intersecting location between the two locations that the pulses intersect and are modified at the intersecting location; and b. analyzing at least one of the modified pulses to determine whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location; wherein the timing of at least one of the pulses is based at least in part on the propagation delay of an electrical pulse propagating between the two locations.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of detecting an anomoly along a member comprising the steps of: a. so sending an electrical pulse along the member from each of two locations towards an intersecting location between the two locations that the pulses intersect and are modified at the intersecting location; and b. analyzing at least one of the modified pulses to determine whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location; wherein the timing of at least one of the pulses is based at least in part on the propagation delay of an electrical pulse propagating between the two locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as recited in claim 1, in which: a. a first series of pulses is sent from one of the two locations; b. at least one pulse is so sent from the other of the two locations that the at least one pulse collides with one pulse of the first series of pulses at the intersecting location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as recited in claim 2, in which: a. the first series of pulses is periodic; and b. the timing of the at least one pulse is based at least in part on the period of the first series of pulses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method as recited in claim 2, in which: a. a second series of pulses is sent from the other of the two locations, where each pulse in the second series is associated with a pulse in the first series; b. each pulse of the second series collides with the pulse associated therewith in the first series; and c. any given pulse in the second series is generated based on a previous pulse of the first series generated before the pulse associated with the given pulse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 4, in which each pulse of the second series is generated a calculated delay time after the previous pulse on which the pulse of the second series is based.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 5, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on a desired intersecting point.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method as recited in claim 6, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on the following equation: ##EQU3## where tc is the calculated delay time, Tp is the period of the first series, tpd is the propagation delay of a pulse propagating between the two points, tsd is a system delay attributed to test equipment, x is the distance from the other of the two points corresponding to the desired intersecting point, and vp is the velocity at which a pulse propagates along the member.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of detecting an anomaly between first and second locations along a member having a lengthwise axis comprising the steps of: a. determining a propagation delay period that an electrical pulse takes to propagate along the axis between the two points; b. sending a first periodic series of electrical pulses from the first location towards the second location; c. sending at least one electrical pulse from the second location towards the first location, the pulse sent from the second location intersecting one of the pulses sent from the first location at an intersecting location, where the timing of the pulse sent from the second location is based on: i. the period of the series of pulses sent from the first location, and ii. the propagation delay period; and d. analyzing at least one of the pulses that intersect at the intersecting location to ascertain whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of detecting an anomaly between first and second locations along a member having a lengthwise axis comprising the steps of: a. determining a propagation delay period that an electrical pulse takes to propagate along the axis between the two points; b. sending a first periodic series of electrical pulses from the first location towards the second location; c. sending at least one electrical pulse from the second location towards the first location, the pulse sent from the second location intersecting one of the pulses sent from the first location at an intersecting location, where the timing of the pulse sent from the second location is based on: i. the period of the series of pulses sent from the first location, and ii. the propagation delay period; and d. analyzing at least one of the pulses that intersect at the intersecting location to ascertain whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method as recited in claim 8, in which; a. a second series of pulses are sent from the second location, the pulses of the second series being timed to intersect one of the pulses of the first series at different intersecting locations; and b. at least one of the pulses from each intersecting location is analyzed to ascertain whether an anomoly exists at each of the intersecting locations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as recited in claim 9, in which each pulse of the second series is generated based on a previous pulse of the first series generated before the associated pulse.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 10, in which each pulse of the second series is generated a calculated delay time after the previous pulse on which the pulse of the second series is based.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 11, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on a desired intersecting point.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method as recited in claim 12, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on the following equation: ##EQU4## where t c is the calculated delay time, T p is the period of the first series, t pd is the propagation delay of a pulse propagating between the two points, t sd is a system delay attributed to test equipment, x is the distance from the other of the two points corresponding to the desired intersecting point, and v p is the velocity at which a pulse propagates along the member.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for detecting an anomoly along a member comprising: a. means for so sending an electrical pulse along the member from each of two locations towards an intersecting location between the two locations that the pulses intersect and are modified at the intersecting location; and b. means for analyzing at least one of the modified pulses to determine whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location; wherein the timing of at least one of the pulses is based at least in part on the propagation delay of an electrical pulse propagating between the two locations.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for detecting an anomoly along a member comprising: a. means for so sending an electrical pulse along the member from each of two locations towards an intersecting location between the two locations that the pulses intersect and are modified at the intersecting location; and b. means for analyzing at least one of the modified pulses to determine whether an anomoly exists at the intersecting location; wherein the timing of at least one of the pulses is based at least in part on the propagation delay of an electrical pulse propagating between the two locations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 14, in which the means for sending an electrical pulse along the member from each of two locations comprises: a. first means for sending at least one pulse from a first of the two locations; b. second means for so sending a first series of pulses from a second of the two locations that the at least one pulse collides with one pulse of the first series of pulses at the intersecting location.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 15, in which: a. the first series of pulses is periodic; and b. the timing of the at least one pulse is based at least in part on the period of the first series of pulses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 16, in which: a. the first means sends a second series of pulses, where each pulse in the second series is associated with a pulse in the first series; b. each pulse of the second series collides with the pulse associated therewith in the first series; and c. any given pulse in the second series is generated based on a previous pulse of the first series generated before the pulse associated with the given pulse.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 17, means for calculating a calculated delay time for each pulse of the second series, where each pulse of the second series is sent the calculated delay time after the previous pulse on which the pulse of the second series is based.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 18, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on a desired intersecting point.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
93 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 19, in which the calculated delay time is calculated based on the following equation: ##EQU5## where t c is the calculated delay time, T p is the period of the first series, t pd is the propagation delay of a pulse propagating between the two points, t sd is a system delay attributed to test equipment, x is the distance from the other of the two points corresponding to the desired intersecting point, and v p is the velocity at which a pulse propagates along the member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2113749A
Cited
US2602834A
Cited
US2522362A
Cited
US2725526A
Cited
US2570912A
Cited
US2887652A
Cited
US3609533A
Cited
US3600674A
Cited
US3909712A
Cited
US3924179A
Cited
US4063161A
Cited
US4099117A
Cited
US4118662A
Cited
US4291204A
Cited
US4289019A
Cited
US4404514A
Cited
US4538103A
Cited
DE3533479A1
Cited
US4829284A
Cited
US4755742A
Cited
US4739276A
Cited
US5070537A
Cited
US4970467A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-09-06 | 1997-03-08 | 1997-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-09-06 | 2001-03-08 | 2001-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-09-06 | 2005-03-08 | 2005-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |