US4359056A — Automatic digital backfat meter

Claim 1

Independent Claim 200 words

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus for measuring backfat thickness in animals, comprising: (a) means for transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses and for receiving return echo pulses, including a transducer for placement on the body of an animal to be tested; (b) amplifying means connected to said transducer means for amplifying echo pulses received by said transducer; (c) echo counting means connected to said amplifying means and operative to count amplified echo pulses having amplitude greater than a predetermined threshold value; (d) means for increasing the responsiveness of said ultrasonic measurement apparatus on succeeding transmitted pulses until a first predetermined number of echo pulses is counted by said echo counting means and for fixing the responsiveness of said apparatus at a substantially constant level after said first predetermined number is counted; (e) measurement and display means for measuring travel time of pulses in the animal's body, and operative in response to the counting of a second predetermined number of echo pulses at said constant level by said echo counting means to measure the travel time of the echo pulse corresponding to said second predetermined number and to display said measured travel time in terms of depth in the animal's body corresponding to said echo.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 200 words

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus for measuring backfat thickness in animals, comprising: (a) means for transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses and for receiving return echo pulses, including a transducer for placement on the body of an animal to be tested; (b) amplifying means connected to said transducer means for amplifying echo pulses received by said transducer; (c) echo counting means connected to said amplifying means and operative to count amplified echo pulses having amplitude greater than a predetermined threshold value; (d) means for increasing the responsiveness of said ultrasonic measurement apparatus on succeeding transmitted pulses until a first predetermined number of echo pulses is counted by said echo counting means and for fixing the responsiveness of said apparatus at a substantially constant level after said first predetermined number is counted; (e) measurement and display means for measuring travel time of pulses in the animal's body, and operative in response to the counting of a second predetermined number of echo pulses at said constant level by said echo counting means to measure the travel time of the echo pulse corresponding to said second predetermined number and to display said measured travel time in terms of depth in the animal's body corresponding to said echo.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ultrasonic measurement apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means responsive comprises means for increasing the gain of said amplifying means on succeeding transmitted pulses.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

An ultrasonic measurement apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means responsive comprises means for increasing the amplitude of succeeding transmitted ultrasonic energy pulses.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

An ultrasonic measurement apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means responsive comprises means for lowering said predetermined threshold value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 283 words

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus for measuring backfat thickness in animals, comprising: (a) transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses and for receiving return echo pulses including a transducer for placement on the body of an animal to be tested; (b) signal amplifying means coupled to said transducer to amplify echo pulses received from said transducer; (c) filter means connected to the output of said amplifying means for eliminating echo pulses not having a minimum predetermined amplitude, said filter means producing an output of echo pulses having an amplitude exceeding said minimum level; (d) first counter means for counting consecutive output echo pulses from said filter; (e) signal means coupled to said first counter means for producing a signal when a first predetermined count is reached by said first counter means; (f) second counter means for measuring the time from when a pulse is transmitted from said transducer to when a second predetermined count is reached by said first counter means; (g) control means connected to said amplifier means for increasing the gain of said amplifier means by a predetermined magnitude when said pulses are transmitted until said first predetermined count is reached; (h) reset means connected to said control means for resetting said gain to a predetermined minimum level when said second predetermined count is reached; (i) blanking means connected to said control means for preventing said first and second counting means from being activated by pulses received by said transducer until a predetermined time period has passed so that reflections of the animal's skin will be ignored; and (j) conversion display means for converting said time measurement into a distance measurement and displaying said distance measurement in a form capable of human recognition.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 283 words

Ultrasonic measurement apparatus for measuring backfat thickness in animals, comprising: (a) transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses and for receiving return echo pulses including a transducer for placement on the body of an animal to be tested; (b) signal amplifying means coupled to said transducer to amplify echo pulses received from said transducer; (c) filter means connected to the output of said amplifying means for eliminating echo pulses not having a minimum predetermined amplitude, said filter means producing an output of echo pulses having an amplitude exceeding said minimum level; (d) first counter means for counting consecutive output echo pulses from said filter; (e) signal means coupled to said first counter means for producing a signal when a first predetermined count is reached by said first counter means; (f) second counter means for measuring the time from when a pulse is transmitted from said transducer to when a second predetermined count is reached by said first counter means; (g) control means connected to said amplifier means for increasing the gain of said amplifier means by a predetermined magnitude when said pulses are transmitted until said first predetermined count is reached; (h) reset means connected to said control means for resetting said gain to a predetermined minimum level when said second predetermined count is reached; (i) blanking means connected to said control means for preventing said first and second counting means from being activated by pulses received by said transducer until a predetermined time period has passed so that reflections of the animal's skin will be ignored; and (j) conversion display means for converting said time measurement into a distance measurement and displaying said distance measurement in a form capable of human recognition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said control means includes a step-wise incrementation of gain such that said gain increases by a predetermined magnitude when a pulse is transmitted.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined time period of said blanking means is long enough to prevent a first echo pulse received by said transducer to activate said first and second counting means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 14 words

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined time period is approximately 3-5 microseconds.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said filter means includes detector means for converting A-C pulses to D-C pulses.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 185 words

A method of indicating the thickness of backfat in an animal comprising the steps of: (a) periodically transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses into the body of an animal; (b) receiving the resulting return pulses; (c) suppressing pulses which are received within a predetermined time from when the pulse is transmitted; (d) amplifying the resulting filtered pulses by predetermined minimum gain factor; (e) filtering out the amplified pulses which do not have a predetermined minimum amplitude; (f) counting the pulses which have an amplitude above the predetermined minimum level; (g) incrementally increasing the gain of said amplifier by a predetermined gain factor if the first pulse has not been counted; (h) activate an indicator when two consecutive pulses are counted, to indicate that a second layer of backfat has been measured; (i) measuring the time period from when a pulse was transmitted to when the indicator was activated and converting that time into a distance measurement which is then displayed in readable form; (J) resetting the counter of step (f) to zero; and (k) resetting the gain factor of the amplifier to the level in step (f).

Claim 13

Independent Claim 185 words

A method of indicating the thickness of backfat in an animal comprising the steps of: (a) periodically transmitting ultrasonic energy pulses into the body of an animal; (b) receiving the resulting return pulses; (c) suppressing pulses which are received within a predetermined time from when the pulse is transmitted; (d) amplifying the resulting filtered pulses by predetermined minimum gain factor; (e) filtering out the amplified pulses which do not have a predetermined minimum amplitude; (f) counting the pulses which have an amplitude above the predetermined minimum level; (g) incrementally increasing the gain of said amplifier by a predetermined gain factor if the first pulse has not been counted; (h) activate an indicator when two consecutive pulses are counted, to indicate that a second layer of backfat has been measured; (i) measuring the time period from when a pulse was transmitted to when the indicator was activated and converting that time into a distance measurement which is then displayed in readable form; (J) resetting the counter of step (f) to zero; and (k) resetting the gain factor of the amplifier to the level in step (f).

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1985-11-15	1986-05-17	1986-11-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1989-11-15	1990-05-17	1990-11-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1993-11-15	1994-05-17	1994-11-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic digital backfat meter

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