Patent ID: 7565252

Claim:
A method for distinguishing unintended defect signals from intended geometric structure signals returned from a material undergoing long-range guided-wave inspection, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a guided-wave interrogation signal into the material; (b) receiving a guided-wave return signal from a reflector within the material; (c) digitizing the return signal from the reflector; (d) selecting reference signal data from a database of signal data associated with known intended geometric structures; (e) comparing the phase of the return signal with the phase of the reference signal data; (f) if the return signal and reference signal are in phase, then identifying the return signal as being sourced from an intended geometric structure in the material; (g) if the return signal and reference signal are opposite phase, then identifying the return signal as being sourced from an unintended defect in the material; and (h) if the return signal and reference signal are neither in phase or opposite phase, then identifying the comparison as inconclusive.