High-precision measuring method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of transmission of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel from a transmitter at one end to a receiver at the opposite end, comprising the following operations:
- (a) transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through said transmission channel;
(b) continuously changing the frequency of the transmission of said cyclically-repeating energy waves through said transmission-channel according to changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in a loop including the transmission channel as a whole integer; and
(c) utilizing the changes in frequency of the transmission to provide a continuous indication of the monitored condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel, by: (a) transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through the transmission channel from a transmitter at one end to a receiver at the opposite end; (b) continuously changing the frequency of the transmitter according to changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in the transmission channel as a whole integer; and (c) utilizing the changes in frequency of the transmitter to provide a continuous indication of the monitored condition. Operation (b) is preferably performed by detecting a predetermined fiducial point in each cyclically-repeating energy wave received by the receiver, but may also be performed by the use of a phase-locked loop circuit, to maintain the number of energy waves in the loop of the transmission channel as a whole integer.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of transmission of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel from a transmitter at one end to a receiver at the opposite end, comprising the following operations:
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(a) transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through said transmission channel; (b) continuously changing the frequency of the transmission of said cyclically-repeating energy waves through said transmission-channel according to changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in a loop including the transmission channel as a whole integer; and (c) utilizing the changes in frequency of the transmission to provide a continuous indication of the monitored condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of movement of an energy wave through a medium, comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through a transmission channel in said medium; a receiver for receiving said cyclically-repeating energy wave transmitted through said transmission channel; and a processor for continuously changing the frequency of transmission of the cyclically-repeating energy wave through said transmission channel in accordance with changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in a loop including said transmission channel as a whole integer, and for utilizing the change in frequency to produce a measurement of said monitored condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of measuring the transit time of transmission of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel, comprising:
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continuously controlling the frequency of the transmission of said cyclically-repeating energy wave through said transmission channel such that the number of waves in a loop including the transmission channel is a whole integer; continuously measuring the frequency of the transmission; and utilizing the measured frequency of the transmission to provide a continuous indication of said transit time. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification