Patent ID: 7265754
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: G01N,G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for displaying graphical information indicative of a plurality of material characteristics for a portion of a part under test, the method comprising: directing x-ray energy at the portion of the part under test; detecting a single stream of diffracted energy from the portion of the part under test, the single stream of diffracted energy formed by interaction of the x-ray energy with the part under test, the single stream of diffracted energy being directly simultaneously indicative of a plurality of first order material characteristics of the part under test; analyzing the single stream of diffracted x-ray energy and determining a first material characteristic and a second material characteristic for the same portion of the part under test and from the same single stream of diffracted x-ray energy; forming a first graph and a second graph based upon the single stream of diffracted x-ray energy, the first graph relating to the first material characteristic and the second graph relating to the second material characteristic; displaying the first and second graphs in a manner that facilitates simultaneous visual comparisons between the information contained in each of the graphs; and determining by a human operator whether a relationship between the first and second material characteristics exists in the portion of the part under test that bears on a condition of the part under test based upon the simultaneous visual comparison afforded by the display of the first and second graphs.