Apparatus and methods for determining at least one characteristic of a proximate environment
First Claim
1. A method of determining at least one characteristic of an environment, the method comprising:
- operating a vibratory source proximate to an environment and coupled thereto through an acoustic medium so as to exhibit at least one steady-state oscillation frequency for an associated at least one impetus;
indicating the at least one steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source during operation;
determining a maximum steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source for the associated at least one impetus when the vibratory source is remote from the environment; and
determining at least one characteristic of an environment proximate to the vibratory source based, at least in part, on the at least one steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source in relation to the maximum steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and an apparatus for determining at least one characteristic of an environment are disclosed. A vibrational energy may be imparted into an environment and a magnitude of damping of the vibrational energy may be measured and at least one characteristic of the environment may be determined. Particularly, a vibratory source may be operated and coupled to an environment. At least one characteristic of the environment may be determined based on a shift in at least one steady-state frequency of oscillation of the vibratory source. An apparatus may include at least one vibratory source and a structure for positioning the at least one vibratory source proximate to an environment. Further, the apparatus may include an analysis device for determining at least one characteristic of the environment based at least partially upon shift in a steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source for the given impetus.
37 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method of determining at least one characteristic of an environment, the method comprising:
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operating a vibratory source proximate to an environment and coupled thereto through an acoustic medium so as to exhibit at least one steady-state oscillation frequency for an associated at least one impetus; indicating the at least one steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source during operation; determining a maximum steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source for the associated at least one impetus when the vibratory source is remote from the environment; and determining at least one characteristic of an environment proximate to the vibratory source based, at least in part, on the at least one steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source in relation to the maximum steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of determining at least one characteristic of an environment, the method comprising:
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imparting a vibrational energy into an environment with a vibratory source having at least one impetus; measuring a magnitude of damping of the vibrational energy by way of the environment relative to a vibrational energy that would be imparted remote from the environment by the vibratory source having the at least one impetus; and determining at least one characteristic of the environment based, at least in part, on the magnitude of damping. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for determining at least one characteristic of an environment, comprising:
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at least one vibratory source; a structure for positioning the at least one vibratory source proximate to an environment; an analysis device for determining at least one characteristic of the environment based at least partially upon an actual steady-state oscillation frequency of a vibratory source for a given impetus of the at least one vibratory source during operation within the environment in comparison to a maximum steady-state oscillation frequency of the vibratory source for the given impetus outside the environment. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification