Ultrasonic signal detector

• US 5,432,755 A
• Filed: 03/08/1994
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Radiaulics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nikolaos I. Komninos
• Inventors: Komninos, Nikolaos I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US08/208,536
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 367/135, 367/116, 367/131, 367/132, 367/133, 367/134, 73/592, 73/40.5 A, 381/98
• US Class Current: 367/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/12 by electric means G01H3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/24 using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

An ultrasonic detector for monitoring ultrasonic signals which have a selected ultrasonic frequency range and for producing an audible signal in response to the ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic detector employs a sensor element which produces electrical signals in response to ultrasonic signals. Amplification and filter circuitry to remove all frequency components not within the selected range to produce a mixer input signal. An oscillator for producing a reference signal at a selected reference frequency. A mixer to receive the output of the filter circuitry and the oscillator to produce a mixed composite signal between 0 and 20 kHz and the composite signal amplitude corresponding to the input signal amplitude. The composite signal is passed through a low pass filter to produce a filtered composite signal. The filtered composite signal has a first component that is then amplified by a first amplifier to produce an audio signal which may be output to a suitable audio device. A second component of the filtered composite signal is amplified by a second amplifier, and a RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) circuit is used to produce a strength indicator signal that may be displayed by a suitable visual display.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic detector for monitoring ultrasonic signals having ultrasonic frequencies over a selected range and for producing an audible signal in response thereto, comprising:

(a) a sensor element operative in response to ultrasonic signals to produce an electrical signal;

(b) amplification and filter circuitry operative in response to the electrical signal to remove all frequency components thereof not within the selected range and to produce an input signal at a selected input frequency and signal amplitude;

(c) an oscillator operative to produce a reference signal at a selected reference frequency;

(d) a mixer operative to receive the input signal and the reference signal to produce a mixed composite signal at a frequency between 0 Hz and 20 kHz at a composite signal amplitude corresponding to the input signal amplitude, said mixed composite signal being spit into first and second components thereof;

(e) a first amplifier operative to amplify the first component of said mixed composite signal to produce an audio signal;

(f) a second amplifier operative to amplify the second component of said mixed composite signal;

(g) a received signal strength indicator circuit operative to monitor said second amplifier to produce a signal strength indicator signal that is linearly correlated to the input signal;

(h) an audio output device for producing an audio sound in response to said audio signal; and

(i) a visual display for producing visible output in response to said signal strength indicator signal whereby said visible output indicates the strength of the second component of said mixed composite signal.

2. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has a first frequency that is equivalent to the ultrasonic frequency and at a first signal amplitude that is proportional to the ultrasonic amplitude.

3. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein said amplification and filter circuitry includes a band pass filter having a frequency band centered at a target ultrasonic frequency.

4. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 3 wherein said frequency band is centered at 40 kHz, +/-3 kHz.

5. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein the reference frequency is in a range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz.

6. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 5 wherein the reference frequency is 38 kHz +/-500 Hz.

7. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein said mixer is a Gilbert Cell mixer device.

8. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 7 wherein said oscillator includes a Colpitts L-C tank circuit having a Q of at least 30.

9. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 7 wherein said Gilbert Cell mixer device and said oscillator are configured on a common integrated circuit chip.

10. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 9 wherein said second amplifier and said received signal strength indicator circuit are configured on said common integrated circuit chip.

11. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein said visual display is non-linear.

12. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 including a low pass filter connected to said mixer to receive the composite signal, said low pass filter operative to remove high frequency signals from said composite signal.

13. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 12 wherein said low pass filter is tuned to 7 kHz.

14. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein the output signal strength is selectively adjustable.

15. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 1 wherein said sensor has a center frequency of 40 kHz and wherein said mixed composite signal has a frequency between 0 Hz and 6 kHz.

24. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 15 including a composite signal filter connected to said Gilbert Cell mixer to receive the composite signal, said composite filter tuned to the reference frequency and operative to remove oscillator leakage from said composite signal.

16. An ultrasonic detector for monitoring ultrasonic signals having ultrasonic frequencies over a selected range and for producing an audible sound corresponding thereto, comprising:

(a) a sensor element responsive to a received ultrasonic signal to produce an electrical signal;

(b) amplification and filter circuitry operative in response to the electrical signal to produce an input signal at an input signal frequency and amplitude;

(c) an oscillator operative to produce a reference signal at a reference frequency and amplitude;

(d) a Gilbert Cell mixer device to receive the input signal and the reference signal to produce a mixed composite signal at a composite frequency in an audio range and at a composite signal amplitude proportional to the input signal amplitude;

(e) a first amplifier operative to amplify the composite signal to produce an audio signal; and

(f) an audio output device for producing an audible sound in response to said audio signal.

17. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 16 wherein said oscillator includes a Colpitts L-C tank circuit having a Q of at least 30.

18. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 16 wherein said Gilbert Cell device and said oscillator are configured on a common integrated circuit chip.

19. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 18 including a second amplifier and an RSSI circuit associated with said second amplifier for producing a received signal strength indicator.

20. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 19 wherein said second amplifier and said RSSI circuit are configured on said common integrated circuit chip.

21. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 19 including a low pass filter operative to remove oscillator leakage, high frequency noise and high frequency intermodulation components from said composite signal to produce a filtered composite signal, said first amplifier operative to amplify a first component of said filtered composite signal to produce the audio signal and said second amplifier operative to amplify a second component of said filtered composite signal to produce a strength indicator signal.

22. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 21 including a visual display for producing visible output in response to said strength indicator signal whereby said visible output indicates the strength of the second component of said filtered composite signal.

23. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 22 wherein said visual display is non-linear.

25. An ultrasonic detector according to claim 16 wherein the input signal amplitude is selectively adjustable.