Ultrasonic transducer system and method using broadband system responses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022120596-A1
Application number	US-202117563227-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Oct 21, 2015
Publication date	Apr 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A transducer system with a transducer and circuitry for applying a waveform to excite the transducer during an excitation period. The applying circuitry also comprises circuitry for changing a frequency of the waveform during the excitation period.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a transducer system, comprising:
applying an excitation waveform during an excitation period, the excitation waveform comprising a plurality of periodic cycles with changing frequency to excite a transducer; receiving an echo waveform in response to excitation of the transducer; and determining an absolute time of flight between the excitation waveform and the echo waveform.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying step comprises applying a pulse train comprising a plurality of sets of pulses to excite a transducer and changing a respective frequency for each set of pulses in the plurality of sets.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of changing comprises continuously changing a respective frequency for each set of pulses in the plurality of sets so as to provide a chirp signal in the pulse train.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of changing comprises linearly changing a respective frequency for each set of pulses in the plurality of sets.

5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of changing comprises exponentially changing a respective frequency for each set of pulses in the plurality of sets.

6 . The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining comprises measuring a plurality of correlation measures between the pulse train and the echo waveform.

7 . The method of claim 6 and further comprising adjusting a transmission parameter in response to a peak to side lobe measure.

8 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining comprises:
measuring a first plurality of correlation measures between a first instance of a pulse train and a respective first echo waveform; and
measuring a second plurality of correlation measures between a second instance of a pulse train and a respective second echo waveform, wherein the second plurality of correlation measures is lesser than the first plurality of correlation measures.

9 . The method of claim 2 :
wherein the transducer comprises a first transducer that produces a first transmitted signal in response to a first pulse train; wherein the step of receiving an echo waveform comprises receiving an echo waveform from a second transducer, in response to the transmitted signal; and further comprising determining an absolute time of flight between the first pulse train and a first received echo waveform that corresponds to the first pulse train.

10 . The method of claim 9 and further comprising:
applying a second pulse train comprising a second plurality of sets of pulses to excite the second transducer, wherein the second transducer produces a second transmitted signal in response to the second pulse train, the step of applying a second pulse train comprising changing a respective frequency for each set of pulses in the second plurality of sets; and
wherein the first transducer is for producing a second received echo waveform in response to the second transmitted signal.

11 . The method of claim 10 and further comprising determining an absolute time of flight between the second pulse train and the second received echo waveform.

12 . The method of claim 11 and further comprising determining a relative time of flight between the first received echo waveform and the second received echo waveform.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the excitation waveform comprises a signal that is periodic with a known amplitude and changing frequency.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the excitation waveform comprises a continuous sinusoidal signal.

15 . A method comprising:
determining a nominal resonance frequency value; determining a bandwidth value; determining a set of frequencies within the bandwidth value around the nominal resonance frequency value; and for each frequency of the set of frequencies, exciting an ultrasound transducer by applying a respective pulse train having the respective frequency; and determining a distance measurement based on a set of reflections produced in response to the exciting of the ultrasound transducer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the set of frequencies increases in frequency linearly.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the set of frequencies increases in frequency exponentially.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each respective pulse train of the set of frequencies has a same number of pulses.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the ultrasound transducer is a first ultrasound transducer; and the determining of the distance measurement includes receiving a representation of the set of reflections from a second ultrasound transducer that is different from the first ultrasound transducer.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining of the distance measurement includes comparing a representation of the set of reflections to the respective pulse trains of the set of frequencies at a set of time offsets to determine correlation measurements.

21 . The method of claim 15 further comprising determining a velocity of flow based on the set of reflections.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Sathyanarayana Amardeep
• Magee David P
• Dabak Anand G
• Ramaswamy Srinath M

Classifications

• G01S15/104 Primary

  wherein the transmitted pulses use a frequency- or phase-modulated carrier wave · CPC title

• G01F1/667 Primary

  Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title

• G01S15/107

  using frequency agility of carrier wave · CPC title

• G01F1/66 Primary

  by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title

• G01F1/662

  Constructional details · CPC title