Digital log amplifier for ultrasonic testing
US7389692B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 24, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 9, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/02854
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a plurality of linear amplifiers simultaneously processing an ultrasonic signal. Each amplifier of the plurality of linear amplifiers has a predetermined gain level suitable for achieving the desired output signal level for input to an analog to digital (A/D) converter for processing. The output of each amplifier is sampled by each respective A/D converter at a very high frequency to convert the analog signal output of each of the linear amplifiers to a digital signal. Logic circuits simultaneously monitor all of the output digital signals from the A/D converters. The logic circuits determine which output of the A/D converters has the greatest linear output and stores the selected output in a memory storage device. The saved output waveforms are subsequently combined into a continuous linear digital output that has a dynamic response range that is approximately the sum of the individual dynamic response ranges of the individual amplifiers and A/D converters. The combined continuous linear digital output waveform may be input to a logarithmic conversion to produce a waveform having a wide dynamic range.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.