System, method, and apparatus for detecting air in a fluid line using active rectification
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for detecting air, the system comprising:
- a transmitter configured to transduce a driver signal to ultrasonic vibrations;
a receiver configured to receive the ultrasonic vibrations and transduce the ultrasonic vibrations to provide a receiver signal;
an air-detection circuit in operative communication with the receiver to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air, the air-detection circuit comprising at least one active-rectifying element configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal;
a first conductive path to provide a first polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver;
a second conductive path to provide a second polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver;
a first switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the first switch configured to switch a first switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal, the first switch defining the at least one active-rectifying element;
a second switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the second switch configured to switch a second switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal;
a first amplifier having a positive input and a negative input, wherein the positive input is coupled to the first switch output and the negative input is coupled to the second switch output, wherein the first amplifier provides a first amplifier output in accordance with the positive and negative inputs; and
a first filter electrically coupled to the first amplifier output of the first amplifier to provide a first filter output.
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Abstract
A circuit for detecting air, a related system, and a related method are provided. The circuit for detecting air includes a receiver connection and an air-detection circuit. The receiver connection is configured to provide a receiver signal. The air-detection circuit is in operative communication with the receiver connection to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air. The air-detection circuit includes one or more active-rectifying elements configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for detecting air, the system comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transduce a driver signal to ultrasonic vibrations; a receiver configured to receive the ultrasonic vibrations and transduce the ultrasonic vibrations to provide a receiver signal; an air-detection circuit in operative communication with the receiver to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air, the air-detection circuit comprising at least one active-rectifying element configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal; a first conductive path to provide a first polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver; a second conductive path to provide a second polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver; a first switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the first switch configured to switch a first switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal, the first switch defining the at least one active-rectifying element; a second switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the second switch configured to switch a second switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal; a first amplifier having a positive input and a negative input, wherein the positive input is coupled to the first switch output and the negative input is coupled to the second switch output, wherein the first amplifier provides a first amplifier output in accordance with the positive and negative inputs; and a first filter electrically coupled to the first amplifier output of the first amplifier to provide a first filter output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of detecting air, the method comprising:
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transmitting ultrasonic energy; receiving the ultrasonic energy; transducing, using a circuit, the received ultrasonic energy into a receiver signal; actively rectifying, using the circuit, the receiver signal to provide a processed signal; and determining whether the processed signal is less that a predetermined threshold, wherein the circuit comprises; a first conductive path to provide a first polarity of the receiver signal from a receiver, a second conductive path to provide a second polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver, a first switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the first switch configured to switch a first switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal, the first switch defining the at least one active-rectifying element, a second switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the second switch configured to switch a second switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal, a first amplifier having a positive input and a negative input, wherein the positive input is coupled to the first switch output and the negative input is coupled to the second switch output, wherein the first amplifier provides a first amplifier output in accordance with the positive and negative inputs, and a first filter electrically coupled to the first amplifier output of the first amplifier to provide a first filter output. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A circuit comprising:
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a receiver connection configured to provide a receiver signal; an air-detection circuit in operative communication with the receiver connection to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air, the air-detection circuit comprising at least one active-rectifying element configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal; a first conductive path to provide a first polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver; a second conductive path to provide a second polarity of the receiver signal from the receiver; a first switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the first switch configured to switch a first switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal, the first switch defining the at least one active-rectifying element; a second switch electrically coupled to the first and second conductive paths, the second switch configured to switch a second switch output to between the first and second polarities of the receiver signal; a first amplifier having a positive input and a negative input, wherein the positive input is coupled to the first switch output and the negative input is coupled to the second switch output, wherein the first amplifier provides a first amplifier output in accordance with the positive and negative inputs; and a first filter electrically coupled to the first amplifier output of the first amplifier to provide a first filter output. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification