Methods and apparatus for detecting and quantifying surface characteristics and material conditions using light scattering
First Claim
1. A system for quantifying an evolution an characteristic of a surface of an object, the system comprising:
- an energy source for transmitting a source signal over time to a surface of an object for specular reflection or scattering;
a detector section for receiving a received signal from the surface and for providing a detector signal indicative of the received signal, the detector section receives a plurality of received signals and provides a corresponding plurality of detector signals;
a processor for receiving the detector signal from the detector section, the processor for applying an algorithm to the detector signal to quantify at least one of a temporal and a spatial change in a characteristic of the surface, the processor applying the algorithm to the plurality of detector signals, the processor includes a peak detector for comparing each of the detector signals to a threshold and providing a thresholded detector signal when a respective one of the detector signals meets the threshold, the processor providing a characteristic signal when a condition of the peak detector is met, the processor applying a summation function to the threshold detector signals and providing the characteristic signal when the result of the summation function meets the threshold; and
a computer for receiving the characteristic signal from the processor and for processing the characteristic signal, the computer processing the characteristic signal to at least one of determine a failure precursor, perform a damage prognosis, and perform a remaining-life prognosis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for quantifying surface characteristics detects and quantifies characteristics of a surface of an object. For example, the system may quantify changes in surface roughness without contacting the specimen and without requiring precise temporal or spatial stability. The system may also quantify the evolution or progression of a particular characteristic of a surface, such as a defect, a slipband, a crack, a microcrack, a pit, a damage feature, corrosion, a contour change, an impact crater, a change in residual stress, and so on. The system may include an energy source, a detector section, and a process section. The energy source transmits a source signal to the surface of the object. The source signal is specularly reflected and/or scattered by the surface to yield one or more received signals. The detector section receives the received signal and, in turn, provides a detector signal indicative of the received signal. The processor applies an algorithm to the detector signal to quantify an evolution in one or more characteristics of the surface.
50 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A system for quantifying an evolution an characteristic of a surface of an object, the system comprising:
-
an energy source for transmitting a source signal over time to a surface of an object for specular reflection or scattering; a detector section for receiving a received signal from the surface and for providing a detector signal indicative of the received signal, the detector section receives a plurality of received signals and provides a corresponding plurality of detector signals; a processor for receiving the detector signal from the detector section, the processor for applying an algorithm to the detector signal to quantify at least one of a temporal and a spatial change in a characteristic of the surface, the processor applying the algorithm to the plurality of detector signals, the processor includes a peak detector for comparing each of the detector signals to a threshold and providing a thresholded detector signal when a respective one of the detector signals meets the threshold, the processor providing a characteristic signal when a condition of the peak detector is met, the processor applying a summation function to the threshold detector signals and providing the characteristic signal when the result of the summation function meets the threshold; and a computer for receiving the characteristic signal from the processor and for processing the characteristic signal, the computer processing the characteristic signal to at least one of determine a failure precursor, perform a damage prognosis, and perform a remaining-life prognosis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for quantifying an evolution of a characteristic of a surface of an object, the method comprising:
-
transmitting a source signal over time to a surface of an object for specular reflection or scattering; detecting a received signal from the surface, the detecting step including receiving a plurality of received signals and providing a corresponding plurality of detector signals; and processing a detector signal indicative of the received signal by applying an algorithm to the detector signal to quantify at least one of a temporal and a spatial change in a characteristic of the surface, the processing step includes processing the plurality of detector signals by applying the algorithm, the processing step includes providing a characteristic signal when at least one detector signal meets a condition, the processing step includes processing the characteristic signal to at least one of determine a failure precursor, determine a damage prognosis, and determine a remaining-life prognosis, wherein the processing includes comparing each of the detector signals to a threshold and providing a thresholded detector signal when a respective one of the detector signal meets the threshold and applying a summation function to the threshold detector signals; and providing a characteristic signal when at least one of the detector signals meets a condition and providing the characteristic signal when the result of the summation function meets the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification