DEFECT DETECTION USING ULTRASOUND SCAN DATA
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a defect in an object, comprising:
- obtaining ultrasound scan data derived from an ultrasound scan of the object under consideration, the ultrasound scan data being in a form of a set of echo amplitude values representing amplitude of echoes received from the object during ultrasound scanning at certain spatial and temporal points;
processing the ultrasound scan data to remove echo amplitude values received after a predetermined threshold time;
generating at least one image from the processed ultrasound scan data;
subjecting the generated at least one image to an automated defect recognition process to determine whether there is a defect in a portion of the object represented by the image;
issuing a notification indicating whether a defect has been found; and
storing, provided the defect has been found, a result of the automated defect recognition process in a defect database.
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Abstract
A defect detection method and apparatus detecting a defect in an object. The method comprises: obtaining ultrasound scan data derived from an ultrasound scan of the object under consideration, the ultrasound scan data being in the form of a set of echo amplitude values representing the amplitude of echoes received from the object during ultrasound scanning at certain spatial and temporal points; processing the ultrasound scan data to remove echo amplitude values received after a predetermined threshold time; generating at least one image from the processed ultrasound scan data; subjecting each generated image to an automated defect recognition process to determine whether there is a defect in the portion of the object represented by the image; issuing a notification indicating whether or not a defect has been found; and, if a defect has been found, storing the result of the automated defect recognition process in a defect database.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a defect in an object, comprising:
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obtaining ultrasound scan data derived from an ultrasound scan of the object under consideration, the ultrasound scan data being in a form of a set of echo amplitude values representing amplitude of echoes received from the object during ultrasound scanning at certain spatial and temporal points; processing the ultrasound scan data to remove echo amplitude values received after a predetermined threshold time; generating at least one image from the processed ultrasound scan data; subjecting the generated at least one image to an automated defect recognition process to determine whether there is a defect in a portion of the object represented by the image; issuing a notification indicating whether a defect has been found; and storing, provided the defect has been found, a result of the automated defect recognition process in a defect database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus to detect a defect in an object, comprising:
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an ultrasound scan data processor to process ultrasound scan data derived from an ultrasound scan of the object under consideration, the ultrasound scan data being in a form of a set of echo amplitude values representing amplitude of echoes received from the object during ultrasound scanning at certain spatial and temporal points, the ultrasound scan data processor operating to implement at least; an amplitude filter to remove from the ultrasound scan data echo amplitude values received after a predetermined threshold time; and an image generator to generate at least one image from filtered ultrasound scan data; and a defect detector to perform the generated at least one image an automated defect recognition process to determine whether there is a defect in a portion of the object represented by the image, issue a notification indicating whether a defect has been found, and store a result of the automated defect recognition process in a defect database provided the defect has been found. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification