Patent ID: 7561281

Claim:
An apparatus for determining and implementing a control action associated with a characteristic of a tube during manufacturing of the tube, the apparatus comprising: a first coherent electromagnetic energy source for producing a generator beam of coherent electromagnetic energy, the generator beam impinging the tube and generating a sonic energy signal about the tube; a second coherent electromagnetic energy source for producing a measuring beam of coherent electromagnetic energy, the measuring beam impinging the tube and reflecting from the tube as a scattered electromagnetic energy having a modulation associated with the sonic energy signal; an interferometer for collecting part of the scattered electromagnetic energy and deriving a signal indicative of the sonic energy signal from the scattered electromagnetic energy; an interpreter for determining the characteristic associated with the tube from the signal indicative of the sonic energy signal; and a controller for changing movement of the tube in response to a deviation from a desired value range of the characteristic to correct the deviation in the tube to the desired value range.