US 12,253,204 B2
Methods and systems for tracking an object moving along a conduit
Seyed Ehsan Jalilian, Calgary (CA); and Mehri Owjimehr, Calgary (CA)
Assigned to HIFI ENGINEERING INC, Calgary (CA)
Filed by HIFI ENGINEERING INC., Calgary (CA)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/054,496.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/359,128, filed on Jul. 7, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0011594 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 55/48 (2006.01); G01H 9/00 (2006.01); G01S 11/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 55/48 (2013.01) [G01H 9/004 (2013.01); G01S 11/14 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of tracking an object moving along a conduit having multiple channels, each channel defining a portion of a length of the conduit, the method comprising:
for each channel:
obtaining acoustic data generated from one or more acoustic signals detected at the channel in response to movement of the object along the conduit;
for at least one channel:
cross-correlating the acoustic data obtained for the at least one channel with the acoustic data obtained for at least one other one of the channels;
generating a cross-correlation map by mapping each cross-correlation as a function of the channels:
identifying in the cross-correlation map an apex formed by an intersection of lines defined by the mapped cross-correlations;
determining a channel associated with the apex; and
determining, based on the apex, a position of the object within the conduit.