Detection of noise-induced ultrasonic sensor blindness
US11269068B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 2019 |
| Grant date | Mar 8, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S2007/52009
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Piezoelectric sensor controllers may facilitate detection and identification of various potential fault states including noise-induced sensor blindness. In one illustrative embodiment, a sensor controller includes: a transmitter to drive a piezoelectric element during actuation intervals to generate acoustic bursts; a receiver to sense a response of the piezoelectric element to echoes of each acoustic burst, the receiver including a front-end amplifier; a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver, the processing circuit operable to apply echo-detection processing to said response; and a blindness detector to detect saturation of the front-end amplifier during or prior to the measurement intervals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.