Apparatus and method for imaging with wavefields using inverse scattering techniques

US6005916A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Techniscan, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Steven A. Johnson · Salt Lake City, US
• David T. Borup · Salt Lake City, US
• James W. Wiskin · Salt Lake City, US
• Frank Natterer · Munster, DE
• F. Wubeling · Munster, DE
• Yongzhi Zhang · Wayland, US
• Scott Olsen · Salt Lake City, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 1997
• Grant date: Dec 21, 1999
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S378/901
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for rapid real time imaging with wavefield energy using a C.P.U. programmed to process data derived from wavefield energy that has been transmitted and scattered by an object so as to reconstruct a wavefield image of the object. Electronic signals are propagated and are transduced into wavefield energy waves which in turn are propagated toward the object. Detectors detect the wavefield energy waves scattered by the object. The detected wavefield energy waves are then electronically processed and input into a high-speed digital computer which may comprise a C.P.U. and/or a C.P.U. in combination with an array or parallel processor. Data is also prepared and input to the computer representing the incident field and the computer then reconstructs a high-quality image of the object having high spacial resolution and including actual properties of the object. The media in which the object is embedded may be fluid or solid, homogeneous, or layered (such as stratigraphic layering, or ocean velocity layers, or layering of composites in nondestructive imaging applications), or may consist of porous material (either sedimentary deposits or composites in nondestructive …