Acoustic monitoring of a structure
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
- (i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure at a first sensor location and a second sensor location remote from said first sensor location respectively;
(ii) monitoring signals from at least one acoustic sensor at an acquisition system for a trigger event;
(iii) upon detection of a trigger event, calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
(iv) transforming the signal from each acoustic sensor using the calculated location;
(v) testing selected parameters of the transformed signal against corresponding parameters of an event of interest; and
(vi) logging the signals from each acoustic sensor for each event of interest.
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Abstract
Discloses a method for monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure using a limited number of acoustic sensors. The transfer function of the structure is measured between each sensor and selected locations remote from the sensor using a known source of acoustic waves, such as a Schmidt hammer. Signals from the acoustic sensors are captured when a trigger event is detected; the signals received at the sensors are either compensated by the measured transfer function to estimate the nature of the signal at source, or are compared to characteristics of a compensated reference signal.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure at a first sensor location and a second sensor location remote from said first sensor location respectively;
(ii) monitoring signals from at least one acoustic sensor at an acquisition system for a trigger event;
(iii) upon detection of a trigger event, calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
(iv) transforming the signal from each acoustic sensor using the calculated location;
(v) testing selected parameters of the transformed signal against corresponding parameters of an event of interest; and
(vi) logging the signals from each acoustic sensor for each event of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure, one sensor at a first sensor location and a second sensor at a location remote from said first sensor location;
(ii) determining an acoustic wave transfer function of the structure between each said sensor location and at least one location in the structure remote from said sensor location;
(iii) monitoring signals from each acoustic sensor at an acquisition system for a trigger event;
(iv) upon detection of a trigger event, calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
(v) transforming the signal from each acoustic sensor using a wave transfer function of the structure based on the calculated location of the acoustic source;
(vi) testing selected parameters of the transformed signal against corresponding parameters of an event of interest; and
(vii) logging the signals from each acoustic sensor for each event of interest. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure, one at a first sensor location and another at a second sensor location remote from said first sensor location;
(ii) monitoring signals from each acoustic sensor for a trigger event at an acquisition system;
(iii) upon detection of a trigger event, calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
(iv) transforming parameters of an event of interest using the calculated location of the acoustic source;
(v) testing selected parameters of the monitored signal against corresponding transformed parameters of an event of interest; and
(vi) logging the signals from each acoustic sensor for each event of interest. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16)
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13. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure, one sensor at a first sensor location and another sensor at a location remote from said first sensor location respectively;
(ii) monitoring signals from at least one acoustic sensor at an acquisition system for a trigger event;
(iii) upon detection of a trigger event, logging the signals from each acoustic sensor;
(iv) processing logged signals to calculate the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
transforming the logged signal from each acoustic sensor using the calculated location and testing selected parameters of the transformed signal against corresponding parameters of an event of interest.
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17. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure, one sensor at a first sensor location and another sensor at a location remote from said first sensor location;
(ii) determining an acoustic wave transfer function of the structure between each said sensor location and at least one location in the structure remote from each said sensor location;
(iii) monitoring signals from each acoustic sensor at an acquisition system for a trigger event;
(iv) upon detection of a trigger event, logging the signals from each acoustic sensor;
(v) processing the logged signals using the steps of calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
transforming the signal from each acoustic sensor using a wave transfer function of the structure based on the calculated location of the acoustic source; and
testing selected parameters of the transformed signal against corresponding parameters of an event of interest. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of monitoring acoustic wave propagation in a structure comprising:
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(i) coupling at least two acoustic sensors to a structure, one at a first sensor location and another at a second sensor location remote from said first sensor location;
(ii) monitoring signals from each acoustic sensor for a trigger event at an acquisition system;
(iii) upon detection of a trigger event, logging the signals from each acoustic sensor for each event of interest; and
(iv) processing the logged signals including the steps of calculating the location of an acoustic source corresponding to the trigger event;
transforming parameters of an event of interest using the calculated location of the acoustic source; and
testing selected parameters of the monitored signal against corresponding transformed parameters of an event of interest. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification