Wide MLS Signal for Reducing Spurious Artifacts in Acoustic Measurements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Acoustic Pulse Reflectometry (APR) methods using Maximum Length Sequences (MLS) suffer from spurious artifacts, which degrade the accuracy of measurements and limit the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) in acoustic measurements.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of Wide MLS (WMLS) signals, which include additional intermediate values such as zero, replacing each binary value in the MLS sequence, reduces spurious artifacts and enhances the SNR by transmitting a series of values instead of single binary states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If MLS signal is used for acoustic measurements, then Signal to Noise Ratio is enhanced, but spurious artifacts are introduced that degrade measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidspurious artifacts

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful spurious artifacts from the measurement signal by using a modified WMLS sequence that eliminates the specific frequency components causing artifacts, while preserving the beneficial SNR enhancement properties of MLS

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the signal sequence parameters by using Wide MLS (WMLS) instead of traditional MLS, modifying the sequence structure to reduce spurious artifacts while maintaining the pseudo-random properties that enable noise reduction through correlation processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If traditional MLS sequence is used, then measurement speed is improved, but measurement accuracy is limited by spurious artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement speedVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the MLS sequence parameters to create WMLS, which maintains the fast measurement capability through efficient correlation processing while changing the sequence structure to eliminate spurious artifacts that limit accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

WMLS significantly decreases spurious artifacts, improving the accuracy of acoustic measurements by increasing the Signal to Noise Ratio and providing more reliable data in acoustic measurement applications.

Implementation Method 1

emitting a short pulse to excite a physical system, and then recording of the ensuing reflections

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the response to this signal is recorded, and correlated with the original sequence

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCorrelation:

Data Source

PatentUS10088352B2Method and system for improving MLS-based measurements

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 ARISE GLOBAL PTE LTD

AI summary

A measurement systems that reduces spurious artifacts in reflected signals by generating and employing an improved maximum length sequence. Accurate acoustic measurements with both high SNR and low spurious artifacts are made possible by generating Wide MLS (WMLS) which modifies a base MLS by replacing each value with a sequence that includes the value and one or more additional values, where typically the replaced values have opposing polarities and, the additional signals have intermediate values. An exemplary intermediate values can be approximately zero value.