Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the flow or the flow rate of a medium in an electrically conductive object, in particular a pipe (1) or a pipeline, through which a medium flows. At least one ultrasonic wave (16) is produced by means of a transmitting transducer (11) in the object and is injected into the medium as a longitudinal wave (8) on an inner side of the object, and an ultrasonic signal, coming at least partially from the longitudinal wave (8), is received by the receiving transducer (12), at a spatial distance from the injection point and is used to evaluate the flow or the flow rate. Said transmitting transducer (11) produces, preferably in the absence of an acoustic coupling with the surface of the object, a first variable magnetic field in an area close to the surface of the object, in particular metallic, and a first ultrasonic wave is produced in said area by means of the interaction of said variable magnetic field with a static or quasi-static magnetic field.

Abstract: Acoustic flow rate meter for the noninvasive determination of the flow or the flow rate in electrically conductive objects through which media flow, in particular pipes or pipelines, having an excitation transducer for generating at least one ultrasonic wave in the object, which is coupled into the medium as a longitudinal wave on an inner side of the object oriented toward the medium, and having a receiving transducer for the detection of an ultrasonic signal in the object, wherein the ultrasonic signal at least partially results due to the longitudinal wave, wherein the excitation transducer is implemented as a high-frequency induction coil, while omitting an acoustic coupling of the excitation transducer with the surface of the object, to generate a varying magnetic field in a surface-proximal region of the object, which is metallic in particular, and the ultrasonic wave is generated by interaction of the varying magnetic field with a static or quasi-static magnetic field in this region.

Abstract: The method is based on a determination of the orientation of the sensor to the surface moving with respect to the sensor and then acquiring data where the lateral velocity is small and the forward velocity is large. Then, the orientation of the sensor with respect to the direction of the forward velocity is determined and the velocity data subsequently measured are corrected using the measured orientation of the sensor with respect to the reference surface and the forward velocity direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the flow or the flow rate of a medium in an electrically conductive object, in particular a pipe (1) or a pipeline, through which a medium flows. At least one ultrasonic wave (16) is produced by means of a transmitting transducer (11) in the object and is injected into the medium as a longitudinal wave (8) on an inner side of the object, and an ultrasonic signal, coming at least partially from the longitudinal wave (8), is received by the receiving transducer (12), at a spatial distance from the injection point and is used to evaluate the flow or the flow rate. Said transmitting transducer (11) produces, preferably in the absence of an acoustic coupling with the surface of the object, a first variable magnetic field in an area close to the surface of the object, in particular metallic, and a first ultrasonic wave is produced in said area by means of the interaction of said variable magnetic field with a static or quasi-static magnetic field.

Abstract: A demodulating system (100) for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal (Si) comprises: a complex demodulator (110), having a first input (111) for receiving the phase-modulated input signal (Si) and being designed to perform complex multiplication of this signal with an approximation of the inverse of the phase modulation; a spectrum analyzing device (130) receiving the demodulated product signal produced by the complex demodulator (110) and capable of analyzing the frequency spectrum of the demodulated product signal.

Abstract: A method for detecting motion direction of an object (4) comprises the steps of: laser output light (L1) is generated, using a semiconductor laser (2) having a thermal response frequency (fr); the laser is driven with rectangularly modulated DC current (I) having a modulation frequency higher than said thermal response frequency (fr) and preferably higher than twice said thermal response frequency (fr), such as to triangularly modulate the wavelength of the laser output light; the laser output light is directed to the object; a portion of reflected light (L3) is allowed to interfere with light (L0) within the laser; a portion of the laser light is used as measuring beam (5); the frequency spectrum of the measuring beam (5) is analyzed in conjunction with the modulated laser current in order to determine the direction of movement of the object (4).

Abstract: Acoustic flow rate meter for the noninvasive determination of the flow or the flow rate in electrically conductive objects through which media flow, in particular pipes or pipelines, having an excitation transducer for generating at least one ultrasonic wave in the object, which is coupled into the medium as a longitudinal wave on an inner side of the object oriented toward the medium, and having a receiving transducer for the detection of an ultrasonic signal in the object, wherein the ultrasonic signal at least partially results due to the longitudinal wave, wherein the excitation transducer is implemented as a high-frequency induction coil, while omitting an acoustic coupling of the excitation transducer with the surface of the object, to generate a varying magnetic field in a surface-proximal region of the object, which is metallic in particular, and the ultrasonic wave is generated by interaction of the varying magnetic field with a static or quasi-static magnetic field in this region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for applying energy to an object (2), wherein the apparatus (1) comprises an energy emitting element, a temperature sensor and a tube (6), in which the energy emitting element and the temperature sensor are locatable. The energy emitting elements is adapting for applying energy to the object (2) and the temperature sensor is adapted for sensing the temperature of the object (2). Both, the energy emitting element and the temperature sensor can be guided to a location of the object (2), at which the energy is to be applied.

Abstract: A controller for controlling the power of a laser that is used in determining the motion of an object includes a power source that is arranged to supply power pulses to the laser in response to a controller signal. The controller controls the generation of pulses during periods in which a reliable result can be obtained, by detecting the laser radiation that has interacted with pulses reflected from the object, in order to conserve power consumption. Further the power pulses include a heating pulse portion, which serves to stabilize the temperature of the laser and calibrate the laser so that a known lasing wavelength is generated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a blood oximeter for measuring the oxygenation and at least one other parameter of flowing blood in living tissue. According to the invention, the blood oximeter comprises two lightsources (2, 3) emitting light of different wavelengths into tissue, and preferably a light detector (4) for detecting a transmitted and/or reflected part of the light emitted into the tissue, wherein at least one of the light sources is a laser with a laser cavity emitting a laser beam, the laser being adapted to allow a part of the laser beam which is scattered by the tissue to re-enter into the laser cavity, and wherein a laser beam sensor (7, 8) for measuring the light emitted from the laser is provided, the laser beam sensor (7, 8), thus, obtaining a signal which varies in accordance with the self-mixing interferometric effect between the original laser beam and the scattered laser beam.

Abstract: A laser self-mixing measuring device is provided, comprising a laser with a laser cavity and a surface arranged along the optical path of the laser beam which redirects incident laser light back into the laser cavity. The surface comprises a periodic structure which diffracts the laser light into partial beams.

Abstract: It is provided a capacitive type proximity sensor, comprising a sensing electrode, whereas the sensing electrode has a surface with electroconductive areas 113 and not-electroconductive areas 117, whereas the sensor is adapted for measuring an electrical field 110, 112 between the sensing electrode and an object 109, 111. Further it is described an apparatus for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, a system for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, a method for avoiding collision between an apparatus for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, and an object, a program element and a computer readable medium. It is disclosed a capacitance type proximity sensor whose sensitivity of approaching objects has an improved independence from the special geometry of the sensor itself.

Abstract: A method for detecting motion direction of an object (4) comprises the steps of: laser output light (L1) is generated, using a semiconductor laser (2) having a thermal response frequency (fr); the laser is driven with rectangularly modulated DC current (I) having a modulation frequency higher than said thermal response frequency (fr) and preferably higher than twice said thermal response frequency (fr), such as to triangularly modulate the wavelength of the laser output light; the laser output light is directed to the object; a portion of reflected light (L3) is allowed to interfere with light (L0) within the laser; a portion of the laser light is used as measuring beam (5); the frequency spectrum of the measuring beam (5) is analyzed in conjunction with the modulated laser current in order to determine the direction of movement of the object (4).

Abstract: A demodulating system (100) for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal (Si) comprises: a complex demodulator (110), having a first input (111) for receiving the phase-modulated input signal (Si) and being designed to perform complex multiplication of this signal with an approximation of the inverse of the phase modulation; a spectrum analyzing device (130) receiving the demodulated product signal produced by the complex demodulator (110) and capable of analyzing the frequency spectrum of the demodulated product signal.

Abstract: The method is based on a determination of the orientation of the sensor to the surface moving with respect to the sensor and then acquiring data where the lateral velocity is small and the forward velocity is large. Then, the orientation of the sensor with respect to the direction of the forward velocity is determined and the velocity data subsequently measured are corrected using the measured orientation of the sensor with respect to the reference surface and the forward velocity direction.

Abstract: An optical input device for measuring relative movement between an object (15) and a sensor unit comprising a laser device (3, 5) having a laser cavity for emitting a measuring beam (13, 17) and a respective radiation-sensitive detector (4, 6) for generating a measurement signal representative of changes in the operation of the laser device (3, 5) as a result of measuring beam radiation re-entering the laser cavity. A sensor unit is provided for measuring relative movement along each measuring axis in an action plane, and the resultant measurement signal from one or each of the sensor units is used to determine distance and/or movement of the input device and the object (15) relative to each other along a measuring axis transverse to the action plane by summing the offset frequency of a rising and falling slope of the measurement signal.

Abstract: A laser self-mixing measuring device is provided, comprising a laser with a laser cavity and a surface arranged along the optical path of the laser beam which redirects incident laser light back into the laser cavity. The surface comprises a periodic structure which diffracts the laser light into partial beams.

Abstract: A device for measuring movement of an object (15) and the device relative to each other. The device comprises a laser (3) for generating a measuring beam (13), which is converged by a lens (10) in an action plane. Radiation reflected by the object (15) is converged to re-enter the laser cavity to generate a self-mixing effect in the laser (3). Measuring means (4) are provided to receive the reflected measuring beam radiation and enable the frequency difference between the measuring beam (13) and the reflected measuring beam radiation to be determined, which is representative of the relative movement.

Abstract: A method and optical module for measuring relative movement of an input device and object (15) along at least one measuring axis. A laser device (3) having a laser cavity is provided for generating a measuring beam (13) in respect of each measuring axis. The measuring beam (13) is used to illuminate the object (15) and measuring beam radiation reflected from the object (15) and re-entering the laser cavity generates a self-mixing effect in the laser and causes changes in operation of the laser cavity. A detector (4) is used to generate a measurement signal representative of these changes and an electronic processing circuit (18) selects, in dependence on the speed of relative movement, one of at least two parameters of the measurement signal for use in determining the speed and direction of relative movement.