Ultrasonic apparatus, particularly for thermometry

Claim 2

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. pulse generator means for sending a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means driven by said pulse generator, for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; and d. receiver means for receiving said sensor echo pulses and analyzing them to determine their interpulse period; e. a first evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold leveL being established in said first evaluator by the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs, said first evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent first pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; and f. a second evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said second evaluator by the second pulse of initial sensor pairs, said second evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent second pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein.

Claim 3

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. pulse generator means for sending a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means driven by said pulse generator, for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; and d. receiver means for receiving said sensor echo pulses and analyzing them to determine their interpulse period; e. a first evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold leveL being established in said first evaluator by the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs, said first evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent first pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; and f. a second evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said second evaluator by the second pulse of initial sensor pairs, said second evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent second pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein.

Claim 4

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. pulse generator means for sending a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means driven by said pulse generator, for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; and d. receiver means for receiving said sensor echo pulses and analyzing them to determine their interpulse period; e. a first evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold leveL being established in said first evaluator by the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs, said first evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent first pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; and f. a second evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said second evaluator by the second pulse of initial sensor pairs, said second evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent second pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein.

Claim 5

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including: a. counter means logically communicating with said first and second evaluators for measuring the time interval between said first and second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulse exceed their correlative threshold levels and the time during which echoes exceed threshold levels; and b. display means operatively connected to said counter means for presenting a numerical display representing the average time interval between said first and second pulses of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels.

Claim 6

The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including means for adding an additional half frequency count.

Claim 7

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. pulse generator means for sending a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means driven by said pulse generator, for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; d. receiver means for receiving said sensor echo pulses and analyzing them to determine their interpulse period; e. a blanking delay electrically communicating with said pulse generator and receiver for selectively blanking said receiver; f. time reference and counter means for digitizing the interpulse period; g. a first evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said first evaluator by the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs, said first evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent first pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; h. a second evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said second evaluator by the second pulse of initial sensor pairs, said second evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent second pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; i. counter means logically communicating with said first and second evaluators for measuring the time interval between said first and second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulse exceed their correlative threshold levels and adding an additional half frequency; and j. display means operatively connected to said counter gate for presenting a numerical display representing the average time interval between said first and second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels.

Claim 8

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. pulse generator means for sending a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means driven by said pulse generator, for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; d. receiver means for receiving said sensor echo pulses and analyzing them to determine their interpulse period; e. a blanking delay electrically communicating with said pulse generator and receiver for selectively blanking said receiver; f. time reference and counter means for digitizing the interpulse period; g. a first evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said first evaluator by the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs, said first evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent first pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; h. a second evaluator operatively connected to said receiver, a threshold level being established in said second evaluator by the second pulse of initial sensor pairs, said second evaluator providing an output signal when subsequent second pulses of said sensor echo pairs exceed the threshold level established therein; i. counter means logically communicating with said first and second evaluators for measuring the time interval between said first and second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulse exceed their correlative threshold levels and adding an additional half frequency; and j. display means operatively connected to said counter gate for presenting a numerical display representing the average time interval between said first and second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels.

Claim 9

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including an inverter operatively connected to said receiver for selectively controlling the polarity of the sensor echo pulses as at the input of said first and second evaluators.

Claim 10

The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first evaluator comprises: a. first peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; and b. first comparator means electrically connected to said first peak detect and hold means for detecting the first pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established by said first peak detect and hold means; and said second evaluator comprises: c. second peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the second pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; and d. second comparator means connected to said second peak detect and hold means for detecting the second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established by said second peak detect and hold means.

Claim 11

The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 including echo selector means logically connected to said second comparator for delaying the enabling of said second comparator during part of the time interval between the first and second pulse of said sensor echo pairs.

Claim 12

The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said transducer is a magnostrictive transducer.

Claim 13

The ultrasonic apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said sensor has at least two discontinuities, portions of each of said ultrasonic pulse being reflected by each of said discontinuities.

Claim 14

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. a pulse generator for generating a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means coupled to said pulse generator for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; d. a receiver coupled to said transducer for receiving said sensor echo pulses; e. first peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; f. second peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the second pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; g. first comparator means electrically connected to said first peak detect and hold means for detecting the first pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established in said first peak detect and hold means; h. second comparator means electrically connected to said second peak detect and hold means for detecting the second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established in said second peak detect and hold means; i. counter means logically communicating with said first and second comparators for measuring the time interval between said first and second pulses of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels; j. display means operatively connected to said counter means for presenting a numerical display representing the average time interval between said first and second pulses of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels.

Claim 15

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. a pulse generator for generating a sequence of driving pulses; b. transducer means coupled to said pulse generator for converting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. sensor means electrically communicating with said transducer, said ultrasonic pulses being reflected back by said sensor means as sensor echo pairs; d. a receiver coupled to said transducer for receiving said sensor echo pulses; e. first peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the first pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; f. second peak detect and hold means operatively connected to said receiver for establishing a threshold level as a function of the second pulse of initial sensor echo pairs; g. first comparator means electrically connected to said first peak detect and hold means for detecting the first pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established in said first peak detect and hold means; h. second comparator means electrically connected to said second peak detect and hold means for detecting the second pulse of subsequent sensor echo pairs which exceed the threshold established in said second peak detect and hold means; i. counter means logically communicating with said first and second comparators for measuring the time interval between said first and second pulses of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels; j. display means operatively connected to said counter means for presenting a numerical display representing the average time interval between said first and second pulses of subsequent sensor echo pairs during which said first and second pulses exceed their correlative threshold levels.

Claim 16

The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said apparatus includes: a. a blanking delay electrically communicating with said pulse generator and receiver for selectively blanking said receiver; b. an inverter amplifier unit operatively connected to said receiver for selectively controlling the polarity of the sensor echo pulses as at the input of said first and second peak detect and hold means and first and second comparator means; c. a clock operatively connected to said counter means for providing a sequence of timing pulses; d. a cycle control logically connected to said counter means and first and second peak detect and hold means for controlling the sampling times of said first and second peak detect and hold means; and e. an echo selector logically connected to said second comparator for delaying the enabling of second comparator during part of the time interval between the first and second pulse of said sensor echo pairs.

Claim 17

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. a pulse generator for generating a sequence of driving pulses; b. a transducer connected to said pulse generator for convErting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. a sensor operatively connected to said transducer, said sensor having at least two discontinuities, portions of each of said ultrasonic pulses being reflected by each of said discontinuities as sensor echo pair pulses, said sensor being in a temperature environment; and d. evaluator means connected to said transducer for determining the interpulse period between each pulse of each of said sensor echo pair, threshold levels being established in said evaluator means by an initial sensor echo pair pulses, said evaluator generating signals when subsequent sensor echo pair pulses exceed said established threshold levels, said interpulse period representing the temperature environment about said sensor.

Claim 18

An ultrasonic apparatus comprising: a. a pulse generator for generating a sequence of driving pulses; b. a transducer connected to said pulse generator for convErting the driving pulses to ultrasonic pulses; c. a sensor operatively connected to said transducer, said sensor having at least two discontinuities, portions of each of said ultrasonic pulses being reflected by each of said discontinuities as sensor echo pair pulses, said sensor being in a temperature environment; and d. evaluator means connected to said transducer for determining the interpulse period between each pulse of each of said sensor echo pair, threshold levels being established in said evaluator means by an initial sensor echo pair pulses, said evaluator generating signals when subsequent sensor echo pair pulses exceed said established threshold levels, said interpulse period representing the temperature environment about said sensor.