The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 31, 1997
Josef Robert Unternahrer, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Phillip Randall Staver, Hagaman, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for accurately measuring the energy of a laser pulse. The method according to one embodiment comprises directing a first laser pulse to an energy sensor which produces a first signal responsive to the first laser pulse, determining a time constant of the energy sensor based on the first signal, directing a second laser pulse to the energy sensor which produces a second signal responsive to the second laser pulse, and determining the pulse energy of the second laser pulse based on the second signal and the time constant. The method may be carried out with an apparatus which comprises an energy sensor which receives a laser beam and generates a signal responsive to the laser beam, a digitizer which digitizes the signal, and a computer which calculates a time constant of the energy detector based on the digitized signal of the first laser pulse incident on the energy detector and calculates an energy of a second laser pulse based on the digitized signal of the second laser pulse and the time constant. The method and apparatus provide accurate and timely energy measurements which can be used to improve the laser shock peening process.