US3751979A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Speed measurement system
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1971-11-17
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Granted: 1973-08-14
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Expires: 1991-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A speed measurement system utilizing a plurality of radiators coupled to a medium for transmitting radiant energy signals within the medium between the radiators in a manner wherein the frequency of the radiant energy is adjusted to retain a predetermined number of wavelengths between a transmitting radiator and a receiving radiator independently of the speed of the medium relative to the radiators. In one embodiment of the invention sonic signals are transmitted through a fluid medium which is moving relative to the radiators. A phase locked loop is interconnected between a pair of radiators by means of a switching arrangement which permits alternative transmissions of sonic energy in the direction of fluid movement (downstream) and in the direction opposite to the fluid movement (upstream). Phase lock is obtained when the frequency of the phase locked loop is such that the predetermined number of wavelengths of the sonic transmission is present. The speed of the fluid medium as well as the speed of sound propagation within the fluid medium are obtained by arithmetic combinations of the values of the upstream and downstream frequencies.
Inventors
- 👤 J Ims
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 07:11
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/66; G01F1/667; G01F1/662; G01P; G01P5/00; G01P5/24; G01P5/245; G01P5/247
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A system of acoustic transducers arranged along a path of flowing fluid for measuring the speed of said fluid and the speed of sonic energy propagation within said fluid, said system comprising: first means including a plurality of transducer assemblies immersed in said fluid for transmitting a first sinusoidal acoustic signal a predetermined distance through said fluid, one of said transducer assemblies being positioned for receiving said signal at the termination of said distance; second means coupled to said first means for transmitting and receiving a second acoustic signal through said fluid in a direction reverse to said first signal transmission, said second means including means for maintaining a difference in phase between a point of entry into the fluid and a point of reception of said second signal equal to the difference in phase between the point of entry into the fluid and the point of reception of said first signal; means for guiding said fluid past said transducer assemblies; and means responsive to the frequency of said first signal and the frequency of said second signal for providing selectively the speed of movement of said fluid and the speed of propagation of acoustic energy within said fluid, said speed providing means including timing means synchronized to said transmissions of said acoustic signal in said first direction and to said acoustic signal in said reverse direction for providing timing signals, and means for alternately counting cycles of said first and said second acoustic signals in response to said timing signals, the output of said counting means at the termination of said counting being proportional to a speed measurement.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
269 words
A system of acoustic transducers arranged along a path of flowing fluid for measuring the speed of said fluid and the speed of sonic energy propagation within said fluid, said system comprising: first means including a plurality of transducer assemblies immersed in said fluid for transmitting a first sinusoidal acoustic signal a predetermined distance through said fluid, one of said transducer assemblies being positioned for receiving said signal at the termination of said distance; second means coupled to said first means for transmitting and receiving a second acoustic signal through said fluid in a direction reverse to said first signal transmission, said second means including means for maintaining a difference in phase between a point of entry into the fluid and a point of reception of said second signal equal to the difference in phase between the point of entry into the fluid and the point of reception of said first signal; means for guiding said fluid past said transducer assemblies; and means responsive to the frequency of said first signal and the frequency of said second signal for providing selectively the speed of movement of said fluid and the speed of propagation of acoustic energy within said fluid, said speed providing means including timing means synchronized to said transmissions of said acoustic signal in said first direction and to said acoustic signal in said reverse direction for providing timing signals, and means for alternately counting cycles of said first and said second acoustic signals in response to said timing signals, the output of said counting means at the termination of said counting being proportional to a speed measurement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
247 words
In combination: means for generatinG a plurality of first signals; means coupled to a medium for transmitting said plurality of first signals for a predetermined distance in a plurality of directions within said medium; means interconnecting said signal generator means and said transmitting means for switchably coupling each of said plurality of first signals with said transmitting means, said signal generating means adjusting the frequencies of respective ones of said plurality of first signals to provide equal phase differences between their points of entry into said medium and said points of exit from said medium; means coupled to said switchable coupling means and said signal generator means for computing a speed of movement of said medium relative to said transmitting means and a speed of propagation of said radiant energy within said medium; said signal generator means comprising means for detecting said phase differences, an oscillator connecting with said phase detector means for generating a succession of second signals having frequencies related to said phase differences, and means for dividing the frequency of said oscillator to provide the frequencies of said first signals; and said computation means comprising a clock for periodically operating said switching means, and means for counting cycles of said second signal, said counter incrementing the count in response to one position of said switching means and decrementing the count in response to a second position of said switching means to provide said speed of movement of the medium relative to said transmission means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
247 words
In combination: means for generatinG a plurality of first signals; means coupled to a medium for transmitting said plurality of first signals for a predetermined distance in a plurality of directions within said medium; means interconnecting said signal generator means and said transmitting means for switchably coupling each of said plurality of first signals with said transmitting means, said signal generating means adjusting the frequencies of respective ones of said plurality of first signals to provide equal phase differences between their points of entry into said medium and said points of exit from said medium; means coupled to said switchable coupling means and said signal generator means for computing a speed of movement of said medium relative to said transmitting means and a speed of propagation of said radiant energy within said medium; said signal generator means comprising means for detecting said phase differences, an oscillator connecting with said phase detector means for generating a succession of second signals having frequencies related to said phase differences, and means for dividing the frequency of said oscillator to provide the frequencies of said first signals; and said computation means comprising a clock for periodically operating said switching means, and means for counting cycles of said second signal, said counter incrementing the count in response to one position of said switching means and decrementing the count in response to a second position of said switching means to provide said speed of movement of the medium relative to said transmission means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein said counting is accomplished during an interval having a preset duration provided by said clock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said computation means further comprises switching means for alternatively selecting a second incrementing count in place of said decrementing count to provide said speed of propagation of said radiant energy within said medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination according to claim 4 further comprising a display coupled to said computation means, said counting intervals being adjusted to provide a scaling of said computations for presentation upon said display.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
195 words
A system for measuring the velocity of a medium comprising: first means for transmitting radiant energy within said medium along a line a predetermined distance in one direction and in a direction reverse thereto; second means for transmitting radiant energy within said medium along a second line perpendicular to said first line a predetermined distance in one direction and in a direction reverse thereto; means coupled to said first transmission means and said second transmission means for generating the signals transmitted by said first transmitting means and said second transmitting means, said generating means adjusting said signals to provide equal phase length to said radiant energy signals transmitted along said first line and to said radiant energy signals transmitted along said second line; computation means coupled to said generation means for computing numerical quantities proportional to the sums and differences of the frequencies of said radiant energy signals transmitted along said first line and said radiant energy signals transmitted along said second line; and computer means coupled to said computation means for vectorially combining said numerical quantities to provide the velocity of said medium relative to said first transmitter means and said second transmitter means.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
195 words
A system for measuring the velocity of a medium comprising: first means for transmitting radiant energy within said medium along a line a predetermined distance in one direction and in a direction reverse thereto; second means for transmitting radiant energy within said medium along a second line perpendicular to said first line a predetermined distance in one direction and in a direction reverse thereto; means coupled to said first transmission means and said second transmission means for generating the signals transmitted by said first transmitting means and said second transmitting means, said generating means adjusting said signals to provide equal phase length to said radiant energy signals transmitted along said first line and to said radiant energy signals transmitted along said second line; computation means coupled to said generation means for computing numerical quantities proportional to the sums and differences of the frequencies of said radiant energy signals transmitted along said first line and said radiant energy signals transmitted along said second line; and computer means coupled to said computation means for vectorially combining said numerical quantities to provide the velocity of said medium relative to said first transmitter means and said second transmitter means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
198 words
In combination: means for generating a signal; a first transducer and a second transducer capable of converting said generated signal into a radiant energy signal, each of said transducers being positioned in a fluid medium for transmitting said radiant energy signal from one of said transducers to the other of said transducers; switching means connected between said transducers and said generating means for coupling said geNerated signal alternately to said first transducer and said second transducer; said generating means comprising a phase detector coupled to said switching means for receiving a signal from one of said transducers and a variable frequency oscillator providing an output signal in response to an output signal of said phase detector, an output signal of said oscillator being coupled to an input of said phase detector; and means coupled to said switching means and to an output of said oscillator for extracting speed information from the frequency of the output signal of said oscillator, said extracting means comprising a counter for counting cycles of said output means and coupled to said counter for providing a sequence of positive and negative countings in accordance with the direction of transmission of said radiant energy signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
In combination: means for generating a signal; a first transducer and a second transducer capable of converting said generated signal into a radiant energy signal, each of said transducers being positioned in a fluid medium for transmitting said radiant energy signal from one of said transducers to the other of said transducers; switching means connected between said transducers and said generating means for coupling said geNerated signal alternately to said first transducer and said second transducer; said generating means comprising a phase detector coupled to said switching means for receiving a signal from one of said transducers and a variable frequency oscillator providing an output signal in response to an output signal of said phase detector, an output signal of said oscillator being coupled to an input of said phase detector; and means coupled to said switching means and to an output of said oscillator for extracting speed information from the frequency of the output signal of said oscillator, said extracting means comprising a counter for counting cycles of said output means and coupled to said counter for providing a sequence of positive and negative countings in accordance with the direction of transmission of said radiant energy signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
A combination according to claim 7 wherein said sequence providing means comprises a source of square wave signals, one of said square wave signals being coupled to said switching means for operating said switching means, said one square wave signal being coupled to one of the terminals of said counter and being coupled via an inverter to a second of said terminals, said terminals providing commands to said counter for counting upwardly and downwardly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
A combination according to claim 8 wherein said sequence providing means includes a gating circuit coupled to a second of said square waves and to an input of said counter, and means coupled to said square wave source for detecting a selected point in time, said gating circuit comprising means coupled to said detector and to said second square wave for gating the output of said oscillator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A combination according to claim 9 wherein said gating means passes sequences of pulses from said oscillator to said counter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
A combination according to claim 10 wherein said sequence providing means comprises means coupled to an output of said counter for detecting the presence of a count which indicates a negative flow of said fluid medium relative to said transducers, and means coupled to said second negative flow detector for indicating said direction of flow.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A combination according to claim 11 further comprising a complementing circuit coupled to said output of said counter and coupled to an output of said negative flow detector for complementing the output of said counter during said negative flow of said fluid medium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |