Standoff distance variation compensator and equalizer
First Claim
1. For use in association with a sensing device which is capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation for inspecting an object, said sensing device including a detector for producing a signal which is indicative of said electromagnetic radiation, apparatus comprising a distance-correction circuit which is adaptable to being in connection with said detector so that said distance-correction circuit adjusts said output voltage signal so as to account for variation in said output voltage signal due to variation in the distance of said sensing device from said object, wherein in the absence of said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-dependent voltage output signal, said distance-dependent voltage output signal being variable in accordance with said distance, and wherein in combination with said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-independent voltage output signal, said distance-independent voltage output signal being invariable in accordance with said distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inventively enhanced near-field sensor includes circuitry which removes variation in standoff distance (of the sensor from the inspected object) as a factor in the inspection system readings. An original output voltage which varies linearly according to standoff distance is, modified and added to a counterbalancing output voltage which equivalently but oppositely varies linearly according to standoff distance, resulting in a constant output voltage regardless of standoff distance. For calibration purposes, a third output voltage can also be summed along with the modified output voltage and the counterbalancing output voltage. Since the effect of surface variation is nullified, the practitioner can more truly assess the interior physical condition of the inspected object, knowing that the object'"'"'s surface roughess is rendered irrelevant.
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Citations
37 Claims
- 1. For use in association with a sensing device which is capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation for inspecting an object, said sensing device including a detector for producing a signal which is indicative of said electromagnetic radiation, apparatus comprising a distance-correction circuit which is adaptable to being in connection with said detector so that said distance-correction circuit adjusts said output voltage signal so as to account for variation in said output voltage signal due to variation in the distance of said sensing device from said object, wherein in the absence of said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-dependent voltage output signal, said distance-dependent voltage output signal being variable in accordance with said distance, and wherein in combination with said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-independent voltage output signal, said distance-independent voltage output signal being invariable in accordance with said distance.
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25. For effectuation in association with a sensing device which is capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation for inspecting an object, said sensing device including a detector for producing an output voltage signal which is indicative of said electromagnetic radiation, a method comprising adjusting said output voltage signal so as to account for variation in said output voltage signal due to variation in the distance of said sensing device from said object, said adjusting including connecting a distance-correction circuit with said detector, wherein:
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in the absence of said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-dependent voltage output signal, said distance-dependent voltage output signal being variable in accordance with said distance; and
in combination with said distance-correction circuit said detector produces a distance-independent voltage output signal, said distance-independent voltage output signal being invariable in accordance with said distance. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
producing a counteractive voltage output signal, said counteractive voltage output signal varying in accordance with said distance so that said distance-dependent voltage output signal and said counteractive voltage output signal vary in accordance with said distance in generally opposite manners;
modifying said distance-dependent voltage output signal signal so as to become a modified voltage output signal so that said modified voltage output signal and said counteractive voltage output signal vary in accordance with said distance in commensurately opposite manners; and
combining said counteractive voltage output signal and said modified voltage output signal;
wherein said distance-independent voltage output signal is based on said combining of said counteractive voltage output signal and said modified voltage output signal.
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27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said distance-dependent voltage output signal, said counteractive voltage output signal, said modified voltage output signal and said distance-independent voltage output signal each vary linearly in accordance with said distance.
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28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein:
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said adjusting includes producing an offset voltage output signal;
said combining signals includes combining said counteractive voltage output signal, said modified voltage output signal and said offset voltage output signal; and
said distance-independent voltage output signal is based on said combining of said modified voltage output signal, said counteractive voltage output signal and said offset voltage output signal.
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29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein said distance-dependent voltage output signal, said counteractive voltage output signal, said modified voltage output signal, said offset voltage output signal and said distance-independent voltage output signal each vary linearly in accordance with said distance.
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30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein said producing an offset voltage output signal includes producing a said offset voltage output signal having a selected voltage, thereby resulting in a said distance-independent voltage output signal having a selected voltage.
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31. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein:
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said producing a counteractive voltage output signal includes using a potentiometer to produce a potentiometer voltage, and includes using a first operational amplifier with respect to said potentiometer voltage, said counteractive voltage output signal being related to said potentiometer voltage;
said modifying said distance-dependent voltage output signal includes using a second operational amplifier with respect to said nonconstant detector signal, said using a second operational amplifier including using a first variable resistor to establish a first resistance, said modified voltage output signal being related to said said first resistance;
said producing an offset voltage output signal includes using a third operational amplifier, said using a third operational amplifier including using a second variable resistor to establish a second resistance, said offset voltage output signal being related to said second resistance; and
said combining said counteractive voltage output signal, said modified voltage output signal and said offset voltage output signal includes performing an additive operation with respect to the voltages corresponding to said counteractive voltage output signal, said modified voltage output aid offset voltage output signal.
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32. Apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein:
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said object has an object surface characterized by a degree of surface roughness;
said sensing device is movable in a direction parallel to said object surface;
said adjusting includes coupling a piston potentiometer with said sensing device so as to contactingly traverse said object surface while said sensing device is moving in said direction parallel to said object surface, said piston potentiometer thereby being indicative of variation in said distance which is attributable to said surface roughness; and
said adjusting includes aggregating plural component voltage signals, said component voltage signals including a first component voltage signal and a second component voltage signal, said first component voltage signal relating to said piston potentiometer and being variable in accordance with said distance, said second component voltage signal relating to said distance-dependent voltage output signal and being variable in accordance with said distance, wherein said first component voltage signal and said second component voltage signal neutralize each other while said sensing device is moving in said direction parallel to said object surface.
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33. A near-field sensing device of the kind which transmits electromagnetic energy to and receives electromagnetic energy from an entity of interest during nondestructive scanning of an entity, said near-field sensing device being situated at a standoff distance from a surface of said entity and being caused to move parallel to said surface during said scanning, said surface being characterized by surface roughness which affects said standoff distance during said scanning, said near-field sensing device comprising:
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a detector which outputs an initial voltage which indicates a condition of said electromagnetic radiation during said scanning, wherein during said scanning said initial voltage is dependent on said standoff distance and hence is dependent on said surface irregularity; and
electronic apparatus which inputs said initial voltage and outputs a final voltage during said scanning, said electronic apparatus including a piston potentiometer which is attached to said near-field sensing device and which contacts said surface during said scanning, wherein during said scanning said piston potentiometer continually measures said standoff distance so as to result in a proportionality voltage which generally represents an additive inverse of said initial voltage, said final voltage being based on the addition of said proportionality voltage and said initial voltage whereby said final voltage is independent of said standoff distance and hence is independent of said surface irregularity. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
a first operational amplifier which generates said proportionality voltage, said potentiometer generating a potentiometer voltage, said first operational amplifier adjusting the value of said potentiometer voltage so as to become said proportionality voltage;
a second operational amplifier which generates a compensation voltage, said second operational amplifier adjusting the value of said initial voltage so as to become said compensation voltage, whereby the respective values of said proportionality voltage and said compensation voltage additively counterbalance each other;
a third operational amplifier which generates a constant offset voltage; and
a fourth operational amplifier which generates said final voltage, said fourth operation amplifier being connected to said first operational amplifier, said second operational amplifier and said third operational amplifier, said final voltage being based on the sum of the respective values of said proportionality voltage, said compensation voltage and said offset voltage.
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35. The near-field sensing device according to claim 34, wherein said detector includes a crystal diode detector.
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36. The near-field sensing device according to claim 34, wherein said second operational amplifier includes a first-variable resistor for performing said adjusting of the value of said initial voltage, and wherein said third operational amplifier includes a second variable resistor for selecting the value of said offset voltage.
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37. The near-field device according to claim 34, wherein the value of said offset voltage selectively determines the value of said final voltage.
Specification