Systems and Methods for Detecting Anomalies in Elongate Members Using Electromagnetic Back Scatter

• US 20100171483A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emgwip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Profile Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Focia, Ronald J., Frost, Charles A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/71.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/006 of metals

Abstract

An anomaly on an elongate conductive member is detected by causing a source electromagnetic wave to propagate in a first direction along the elongate conductive member such that the source electromagnetic wave passes through the at least one anomaly. The anomaly causes a reflected electromagnetic wave to propagate in a second direction along the elongate conductive member. The second direction is opposite the first direction. The electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave is sensed. The magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave is sensed. A direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave is determined based on the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave and the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

Claims

1. A method of detecting an anomaly on an elongate conductive member comprising the steps of:

causing a source electromagnetic wave to propagate in a first direction along the elongate conductive member such that the source electromagnetic wave passes through the at least one anomaly, where

the anomaly causes a reflected electromagnetic wave to propagate in a second direction along the elongate conductive member, and

the second direction is opposite the first direction;

sensing the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave;

sensing the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determining a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave based on the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave and the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a location of the anomaly in part based on the direction of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determining a location of the anomaly in part based on the delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determining a location of the anomaly based on

the delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave, and

the direction of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, in which:

the step of sensing the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the step of generating a first signal representative of the electric field; and

the step of sensing the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the step of generating a second signal representative of the magnetic field.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, in which the step of determining a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the step of processing the first and second signals.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, in which:

the step of sensing the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the steps of

generating a first voltage signal representative of the electric field, and

storing data representative of the first voltage signal; and

the step of sensing the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the steps of

generating a second electric signal representative of the magnetic field, and

storing data representative of the second voltage signal.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, in which the step of determining a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave comprises the step of processing the data representative of the first and second voltage signals.

9. A system for detecting an anomaly on an elongate conductive member comprising:

a pulse generator for causing first and second source electromagnetic waves to propagate in first and second directions, respectively, along the elongate conductive member such that one of the first and second source electromagnetic waves passes through the at least one anomaly, where the anomaly causes a reflected electromagnetic wave to propagate along the elongate conductive member;

an electric field sensor for sensing the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave;

a magnetic field sensor for sensing the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

a processor for determining a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave based on the electric field of the reflected electromagnetic wave and the magnetic field of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, where the processor further determines a location of the anomaly in part based on the direction of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, where the processor further:

calculates a delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determines a location of the anomaly in part based on the delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, where the processor further:

calculates a delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determines a location of the anomaly based on

the delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave, and

the direction of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

13. A system as recited in claim 9, in which:

the electric field sensor generates a first signal representative of the electric field; and

the magnetic field sensor generates a second signal representative of the magnetic field.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the processor processes the first and second signals to determine a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

15. A system as recited in claim 9, in which:

the electric field sensor generates a first voltage signal representative of the electric field;

the magnetic field sensor generates a second electric signal representative of the magnetic field, and

the processor processes data representative of the first and second voltage signals to determine a direction of propagation of the reflected electromagnetic wave.

16. A method of determining whether anomalies are present on an elongate conductive member comprising the steps of:

causing first and second source electromagnetic waves to propagate in first and second directions, respectively, along the elongate conductive member, where at least one reflected electromagnetic wave propagates along the elongate conductive member if at least one of the first and second source electromagnetic waves encounters an anomaly;

sensing the electric field of reflected electromagnetic waves;

sensing the magnetic field of reflected electromagnetic waves; and

determining a direction of propagation of reflected electromagnetic waves based on the electric field of reflected electromagnetic waves and the magnetic field of reflected electromagnetic waves.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of determining locations of anomalies in part based on the direction of the reflected electromagnetic waves.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a delay time associated with reflected electromagnetic waves; and

determining locations of anomalies in part based on the delay time associated with reflected electromagnetic waves.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a delay time associated with the reflected electromagnetic wave; and

determines locations of anomalies based on

the delay time associated with reflected electromagnetic waves, and

the direction of reflected electromagnetic waves.