By Doppler Effect Patents (Class 367/90)
  • Patent number: 11913972
    Abstract: Disclosed is a LADCP and USBL combined observation device and a use method thereof. The device includes a cable winch system, a mounting frame, a LADCP system, a USBL beacon and a correction system. The LADCP system, the USBL beacon and the correction system can be mounted to the mounting frame by adopting a hardware support platform. The cable winch system can drive the LADCP system to deploy or recover along a vertical section. The LADCP system is used to obtain the current velocity of a single small profile, and the USBL beacon can locate the underwater position information, and the correction system can obtain data information in the seawater where the mounting frame is located, so as to calculate an absolute current velocity according to the velocity obtained by the LADCP system and the current data obtained by the correction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources
    Inventors: Jingsong Guo, Xin Zhou, Zhixin Zhang, Dapeng Qu
  • Patent number: 11893872
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for providing hand hygiene dispenser stations configured to remind users to use the hand hygiene dispenser stations. In one or more embodiments, the present systems and methods provide individual provider identification and networked communication among hand hygiene stations (dispenser stations), enabling tracking of providers and data collection regarding hand hygiene products usage (hand hygiene compliance).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher D. Hermann, Russell Scott McCrory
  • Patent number: 11832993
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device including a transmitter, a first image processor, a second image processor, and an image synthesizer. The transmitter alternates between first transmission events that include transmission of first detection waves and second transmission events that include transmission of second detection waves. The first image processor generates frames of first images based on reception signals corresponding to a plurality of the first transmission events. The second image processor generates frames of second images based on reception signals corresponding to the second transmission events. The image synthesizer superimposes the second images on the first images to generate synthesized images. Frame rate of the second images is higher than that of the first images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawabata, Yoshihiro Takeda
  • Patent number: 11747181
    Abstract: A method of calculating a time difference is disclosed. The method includes sampling a first ultrasonic signal (r21) to produce a first sampled signal (y1(i)) and sampling a second ultrasonic signal (r12) to produce a second sampled signal (y2(i)). A first time (LEAD_LAG) is determined between a time the first sampled signal crosses a threshold (?1) and a time the second sampled signal crosses the threshold. The first sampled signal is cross correlated with the second sampled signal to produce a second time (SAMP_OFFSET). The time difference is calculated in response to the first and second times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Anand Dabak, Venkata Ramanan
  • Patent number: 11718516
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing head includes a housing having a front, a rear, and a base that extends between the front and the rear. A mixing nozzle is configured to dispense a flow of beverage via the base. A valve is configured to control the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle, and a switch is movable into and between a closed position in which the valve opens the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle and an open position in which the valve closes the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle. A lighting module disposed in the housing is configured to illuminate the front of the housing and the base of the housing when the switch is moved into the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Novelle, Steven Miller, Kurt Zoellick
  • Patent number: 11695600
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of digital signal processing, and in particular to a Costas sequence time-frequency joint synchronization method based on all-phase spectrum correction. The method improves the defects existing in a discrete frequency spectrum correction algorithm using short-time Fourier transform and sliding correlation. The improvement mainly comprises: the present disclosure provides a solution based on iterative optimization: when an actual frequency offset is an integral multiple of the spectral resolution, a large error can occur, frequency offset correction and time delay correction are carried out on a signal by using an estimated value having a large estimated error, then estimation is carried out again, and the frequency offset of the signal is not a special value by means of an iteration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CHONGQING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Guojun Li, Jinghui Li, Changrong Ye, Huan Ma, Guangfa Zheng, Yiping Luo, Zunli Wang
  • Patent number: 11656321
    Abstract: A method of microwave motion detection with adaptive frequency control, for a microwave motion sensor, comprises suppressing output of the first detecting signal generated with a first frequency, determining whether a first interference signal is detected in the first frequency during the suppressing, responsive to that the first interference signal is detected in the first frequency, generating a second detecting signal with a second frequency, which is different from the first frequency, and suppressing output of the second detecting signal, determining whether a second interference signal is detected in the second frequency during the suppressing, and responsive to that the second interference signal is not detected in the second frequency, outputting the second detecting signal for motion detection. The microwave motion sensor is operated in a normal mode or in a detection mode according to the first detecting signal, a reflected signal, the second detecting signal and an interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tse-Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 11607199
    Abstract: The power supply in ultrasound imaging includes a switched capacitance. The capacitance is switched on to provide power during generation of pushing pulses for elasticity imaging and is switched off during other modes of imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Petersen, Robert A. Hewitt
  • Patent number: 11573305
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate and reliable target information when there is relative motion between a remote sensing system and the target. A remote sensing system includes a multichannel ranging sensor assembly and a controller. The ranging sensor assembly includes multiple sensor channels configured to emit modulated sensor beams towards a target and to detect corresponding reflected beams reflected from the target, where the modulated sensor beams are selected to be correlated to each other and mutually incoherent with respect to each other. The controller is configured to receive reflected beam sensor signals corresponding to the detected reflected beams, to determine Doppler components associated with the reflected beams based, at least in part, on the first and second reflected beam sensor signals, and to generate target information based, at least in part, on the determined Doppler components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: FLIR Systems Trading Belgium BVBA
    Inventor: Artem Kryvobok
  • Patent number: 11520032
    Abstract: A method and electronic device for object detection. The electronic device includes at least a first antenna pair comprising a first transmitter antenna configured to transmit signals and a first receiver antenna configured to receive signals, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to control the first transmitter antenna to transmit a first signal, generate a channel impulse response (CIR) based on receiving, by the first receiver antenna, a reflection of the first signal, determine a location of at least one leakage peak in the CIR, compare a first segment of taps in the CIR prior to the at least one leakage peak with a second segment of taps in the CIR after the leakage peak, and determine an object is present based on symmetry between the first and second segments of taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pengda Huang, Vutha Va, Wenxun Qiu, Boon Loong Ng
  • Patent number: 11474238
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of improving performance of a SODAR system adapted to locate discontinuities in the atmosphere by transmitting pulse compression signals such as a plurality of acoustic chirps, the method comprising: transmitting one or more acoustic chirps; receiving one or more acoustic echoes of the transmitted chirps; processing the acoustic echoes to provide an indication of the discontinuities in the atmosphere, thereby providing a wind shear profile; processing the wind shear profile to correct systematic Doppler errors associated with the acoustic echoes by: subtracting a first measured wind speed from the wind shear profile; and adding a second measured wind speed to the wind shear profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ELECTRO MAGNETIC MEASUREMENTS PTY LTD
    Inventor: Andrew Louis Martin
  • Patent number: 11387918
    Abstract: A multi-tone communication system, a multi-tone signal demodulation device and a method thereof are provided. The multi-tone communication system includes a modulation device and a demodulation device. The modulation device can generate and broadcast a multi-tone audio signal corresponding to a control command. The demodulation device includes a sound receiving module, a data processor and a controller. The sound receiving module can receive the multi-tone audio signal. The data processor can process the multi-tone audio signal to obtain at least two tones carried on the multi-tone audio signal, and determine whether frequency drifts of the at least two tones are consistent, and if yes, the data processor decodes the at least two tones to generate an execution command. The controller executes the execution command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chiyung Sun
  • Patent number: 11332904
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lateral and continuous measurement method for soil parameters in a soft soil field. The method mainly comprises the following measurement steps: arranging soil strength measuring apparatuses at the front end of a towing apparatus; arranging soil strain softening relationship measuring apparatuses at the bottom end of the towing apparatus; and measuring interface friction parameters between the soil and a structure. The towing apparatus actively or passively moves in a soft soil layer to ensure that the towing apparatus partially penetrates into the to-be-measured soil layer during movement; and the penetration depth of the towing apparatus is controlled by adjusting counterweight above the towing apparatus and a towing angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Long Yu, Yunrui Han, Qing Yang
  • Patent number: 11204410
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method and/or apparatus involving frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar signals. As my be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, receiver circuitry is configured and arranged to receive a FMCW radar signal having an information signal embedded into a radar waveform, and to indicate a relationship in the FMCW radar signal between beat frequency magnitude and time delay. A filter processing circuit is configured and arranged to filter the information signal in the FMCW radar signal by applying a group delay function based on the relationship between beat frequency magnitude and time delay. Signal processing circuitry is configured and arranged to detect a remote object by using the filtered FMCW radar signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Feike Guus Jansen, Francesco Laghezza, Franz Lampel
  • Patent number: 10530369
    Abstract: A subsampling motion detector used to detect motion information of an object under measurement receives a first wireless radio frequency (RF) signal and transmits a second wireless RF signal, the first wireless RF signal being generated by reflecting the second wireless RF signal from the object. The subsampling motion detector has a high frequency oscillator for outputting a high frequency oscillation signal, a low frequency controllable oscillator for generating a low frequency oscillation signal according to a control signal, and a subsampling analog-to-digital converter (SSADC). The SSADC detects a phase difference between the high frequency oscillation signal and the low frequency oscillation signal at time periods indicated by the low frequency oscillation signal. The SSADC outputs a phase detection digital output signal according to the detected phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tse-Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 10492763
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved medical imaging apparatuses, systems and methods, especially those using ultrasonography. For example, an imaging system can include a transducer, a scanner, a signal processing unit, and a display unit. The scanner, coupled to the transducer, can convert analog signals to a plurality of digital signals. The signal processing unit, coupled to the scanner, can be configured to: receive the plurality of digital signals; multiply a first magnitude estimate of the plurality of digital signals by a probability that an actual magnitude of the plurality of digital signals is greater than zero to determine a second magnitude; and form an image based on the second magnitude estimate. The display unit displays the image. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Exact Imaging Inc.
    Inventor: Brian C. Wodlinger
  • Patent number: 10335113
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of use are provided for complex flow imaging and analysis that is non-invasive, accurate, and time-resolved. It is particularly useful in imaging of vascular flow with spatiotemporal fluctuations. This apparatus is an ultrasound-based framework called vector projectile imaging (VPI) that can dynamically render complex flow patterns over an imaging view at millisecond time resolution. The VPI apparatus and methods comprise: (i) high-frame-rate broad-view data acquisition (based on steered plane wave firings); (ii) flow vector estimation derived from multi-angle Doppler analysis (coupled with data regularization and least-squares fitting); and (iii) dynamic visualization of color-encoded vector projectiles (with flow speckles displayed as adjunct).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: VERSITECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Alfred Cheuk Hang Yu, Yat Shun Yiu
  • Patent number: 10324210
    Abstract: A method comprising for deghosting seismic data is disclosed. The method includes the steps of acquiring seismic data by conducting a survey of a subsurface area of interest wherein the seismic data includes ghost data and estimating a time-varying wave height above the subsurface area of interest during at least a portion of the survey, wherein the estimation of the wave height is based at least in part on a remote measurement of the wave height during the survey. The estimated time-varying wave height is used to characterize the ghost data and deghost the seismic data based at least in part on the characterized ghost data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Coates, Craig Beasley, Hannah Flath, Clara Castellanos Lopez
  • Patent number: 10231695
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of use are provided for complex flow imaging and analysis that is non-invasive, accurate, and time-resolved. It is particularly useful in imaging of vascular flow with spatiotemporal fluctuations. This apparatus is an ultrasound-based framework called vector projectile imaging (VPI) that can dynamically render complex flow patterns over an imaging view at millisecond time resolution. The VPI apparatus and methods comprise: (i) high-frame-rate broad-view data acquisition (based on steered plane wave firings); (ii) flow vector estimation derived from multi-angle Doppler analysis (coupled with data regularization and least-squares fitting); and (iii) dynamic visualization of color-encoded vector projectiles (with flow speckles displayed as adjunct).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Versitech Limited
    Inventors: Alfred Cheuk Hang Yu, Yat Shun Yiu
  • Patent number: 10230541
    Abstract: A subsea communication adapter for providing communication between a first subsea unit including a communication interface operating according to a first communication method and a second subsea unit including a communication interface operating according to a second communication method is provided. The subsea communication adapter includes a first communication interface operating according to the first communication method and a second communication interface operating according to the second communication method. A conversion unit is configured to convert between the first communication method and the second communication method. The conversion includes at least a conversion between a first communication protocol of the first communication method and a second communication protocol of the second communication method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Endre Brekke, Karstein Kristiansen, John Bradford Schofield, Kjetil Zsolt Volent
  • Patent number: 10226234
    Abstract: A method of full-field or “ping-based” Doppler ultrasound imaging allows for detection of Doppler signals indicating moving reflectors at any point in an imaging field without the need to pre-define range gates. In various embodiments, such whole-field Doppler imaging methods may include transmitting a Doppler ping from a transmit aperture, receiving echoes of the Doppler ping with one or more separate receive apertures, detecting Doppler signals and determining the speed of moving reflectors. In some embodiments, the system also provides the ability to determine the direction of motion by solving a set of simultaneous equations based on echo data received by multiple receive apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: MAUI IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Donald F. Specht, Kenneth D. Brewer, David M. Smith, Josef R. Call, Viet Nam Le, Bruce R. Ritzi
  • Patent number: 10126122
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating an object having a wrinkle are provided. An array of receiving elements is configured such that only two receiving apertures are configured to receive at a given point in time. Energy is sent into the object using an array of transmitting elements. Reflected energy is received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements in response to a portion of the energy being reflected off a plurality of layers in the object. A number of dimensions of a wrinkle in the object is determined based on the reflected energy received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jill Paisley Bingham
  • Patent number: 10064605
    Abstract: The quality of ping-based ultrasound imaging is dependent on the accuracy of information describing the precise acoustic position of transmitting and receiving transducer elements. Improving the quality of transducer element position data can substantially improve the quality of ping-based ultrasound images, particularly those obtained using a multiple aperture ultrasound imaging probe, i.e., a probe with a total aperture greater than any anticipated maximum coherent aperture width. Various systems and methods for calibrating element position data for a probe are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: MAUI IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Artem Belevich, Josef R. Call, Bruce R. Ritzi, Nathan W. Osborn
  • Patent number: 10054681
    Abstract: Improved two-dimensional planar array transducer and beamformer apparatus and methods. In one embodiment, the two-dimensional planar array transducer is capable of simultaneously or sequentially forming multiple acoustic beams in two axes and at two or more widely separated acoustic frequencies from a single flat planar array transducer. The transducer planar array consists of two or more electrically and acoustically independent two dimensional planar transducer array structures operating at different frequencies that are physically integrated onto a single multi frequency configuration. In an exemplary embodiment, a second higher frequency transducer array is positioned within the aperture area of a lower frequency planar array transducer. Methods of using the aforementioned two-dimensional planar array transducer and beamformer are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: ROWE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Francis Dale Rowe, John Romero
  • Patent number: 9720573
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure discloses a method for controlling page flipping of a terminal. The method includes: obtaining a distance or variation of distance between an object and a terminal and on a designated direction of the terminal; generating a page flipping operation instruction corresponding to the distance or variation of distance between the object and the terminal according to a preset corresponding relationship between the distance or variation of distance between the object and the terminal and page flipping operation instructions; executing the page flipping operation instruction. Embodiments of the present invention further discloses a terminal. Employing the present invention, a page flipping operation instruction corresponding to the distance or variation of distance between the object and the terminal may be generated, and the page flipping operation instruction is executed, making modes of page flipping be various, and improving experience of users of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: DONGGUAN GOLDEX COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhenqing Zhou
  • Patent number: 9500484
    Abstract: Underwater vehicles may fix their position from GPS at the surface of the water and use bottom track for dead reckoning once it has descended to within tracking range of the bottom of a body of water. This disclosure describes a method and system for navigation through the water through depths where GPS is not available using current profiles from sonar systems including acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP). This extrapolation of earth referenced current profiles can provide a way to estimate vehicle motion below the surface before the vehicle reaches the bottom. Once bottom track is achieved, the corrected reference for vehicle motion improves the vehicle position estimate. A Kalman filter updates vehicle position and current profile estimates during descent, and the bottom track when the bottom comes within range to enable navigation of underwater vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon S. Strong
  • Patent number: 9420620
    Abstract: Systems and methods for aircraft on-ground determination are provided. In one embodiment, an onboard motion controlled wireless avionics datalink gateway comprises: a wireless radio chipset module; and a velocity interlock coupled to an aircraft motion sensor and the wireless radio chipset module. The wireless radio chipset module is configured to establish one or more intra-aircraft radio communication links with one or more onboard avionics system, and wherein the wireless radio chipset module is configure to establish one or more external radio communication links with at least one ground-based wireless communication system. The aircraft motion sensor is configured to output to the velocity interlock an aircraft motion signal indicative of a velocity of an aircraft in which the gateway is installed. The velocity interlock enables and disables the one or more intra-aircraft radio communication links and the one or more external radio communication links based on the aircraft motion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra J. Howe-Ryberg, Darshan Gandhi
  • Patent number: 9404744
    Abstract: A handheld current profiler (HCP) system and method for wading discharge measurement is disclosed. The disclosed HCP has dual capabilities. It serves as a single point current meter that can measure velocity in as little as 3 cm of water. It becomes a current profiler with an additional near surface velocity measurement cell in water about 15 cm or deeper. The HCP has a surface tracking acoustic beam that measures the water level. Thus, in most cases, no manual measurements for water depth and transducer depth are required because both depths may be measured acoustically. In addition, the disclosed HCP can have a very small transducer with a form factor which can lead to minimum flow disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Hening Huang
  • Patent number: 9259207
    Abstract: In quantitative analysis using blood flow velocity measurement and the like, whether to select the forward direction or reverse direction is determined in accordance with the positional relationship between a baseline for controlling the display scale of a Doppler waveform and a reference line which can be arbitrarily set by an operator. The determination is executed at one of the stages of selecting a tracing direction by an automatic tracing process, selecting an approximate Doppler waveform as an analysis target, and selecting an analysis result as a display target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Akaki
  • Patent number: 8823578
    Abstract: A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The driving assist apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting a transmission wave, a receiver for receiving a reflected wave, an obstacle presence determination section for detecting a presence of an obstacle in the surrounding of the vehicle based on the reflected wave, a measurement section for measuring a frequency of phase delay and advance of the reflected wave with respect to a reference signal, and a detection section for detecting the obstacle having a specific relation with the vehicle based on the presence of the obstacle determined by the obstacle presence determination section and the frequency of delay and the frequency of advance measured by the measurement section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hattori, Mitsuyasu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8780672
    Abstract: An acoustic Doppler system comprising a plurality of acoustic transceivers, an acoustic subsystem controller and a main processing unit operatively connected to the acoustic subsystem controller. A first of the plurality of acoustic transceivers operates at a first acoustic frequency and is operatively connected to a first group of transducers producing an acoustic signal. A second of the plurality of acoustic transceivers operates at a second acoustic frequency and is operatively connected to a second group of transducers producing an acoustic signal. The first and second acoustic transceivers are adapted to operate concurrently at the first and second acoustic frequencies. The acoustic subsystem controller is operatively connected to the first and second acoustic transceivers and controls the acoustic signals produced by the first and second group of transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: YSI Incorporated
    Inventors: Craig Huhta, Ramon Cabrera, Zhivko Grozev, Alexander Kovachev, John Sloat, Daryl B. Slocum
  • Patent number: 8755250
    Abstract: A method is taught to extract more information about the motion of an acoustic wave emitter moving relative to a line array of hydrophones that are part of a sonar system by determining the variation in Doppler shift across the entire line array of hydrophones together with the a range measurement of the emitter to calculate the emitter's velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Anthony A. Ruffa
  • Publication number: 20140086014
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus generates Doppler waveform images whose visibility is improved appropriately in accordance with changes in measurement conditions. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a frequency-analyzing unit that generates frequency spectrum data on Doppler shift frequency components of ultrasonic waves that are received after being transmitted towards a subject and reflected in the subject, and a line data generating unit for generating line data, wherein arrays of multiple pixels are stipulated according to the corresponding frequencies and each pixel value represents the magnitude of the Doppler shift frequency component, based on the frequency spectrum data. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus determines whether or not each pixel of line data at a previously appointed time point is a noise pixel, and the values of pixels that are determined to be noise pixels are adjusted by multiplying the pixel value with a weighting factor (w) of 0 to less than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI ALOKA MEDICAL, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Satoshi Tanaka, Futoshi Ogata, Masaru Murashita
  • Patent number: 8654607
    Abstract: A system and a method for determining one or more wave characteristics from a moving platform are disclosed. A sonar system, such as an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, can profile the water motion relative to the platform, and an earth reference can determine a measure of the platform motion relative to a fixed earth reference. Both water profile and earth reference measurements can be synergistically employed to compensate for motion of the platform. Directional wave spectra and non-directional wave spectrum can be computed and translated via linear wave theory to surface height spectra and used to calculate characteristics, such as significant wave height, peak period, and peak direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon S. Strong
  • Patent number: 8633805
    Abstract: Systems and methods to determine motion parameters of physical objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to the objects. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes determining a motion parameter of the RFID tag based on detecting a Doppler frequency shift in a radio frequency signal received from the RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John R. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 8619672
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating velocity and Doppler frequency comprising acquiring a first plurality of time-of-arrival (TOA) measurements from a first plurality of base stations at a first time; acquiring a second and a third plurality of TOA measurements from a second and third plurality of base stations at a second time and a third time; determining a plurality of line-of-sight distance measurements using the first, second and third pluralities of TOA measurements; determining a plurality of velocity estimates and a plurality of angle of arrival (AOA) estimates, using the plurality of LOS distance measurements; determining a plurality of Doppler frequency estimates using the plurality of velocity estimates and the plurality of AOA estimates; and using a processor for determining an average Doppler frequency estimate over a plurality of sectors, wherein the first, second and third pluralities of TOA measurements are acquired over the plurality of sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Tsai, Jigneshkumar P. Shah, Pillappakkam B. Srinivas
  • Patent number: 8456955
    Abstract: A housing for a phased array monostatic sodar system with a transducer array that sequentially emits and receives a set of sound beams along different primary axes. The housing includes an enclosure having a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls having an inner surface, the enclosure configured to emit and receive the set of sound beams. Each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defines at least a partially elliptical cross-section configured to substantially envelop at least a portion of an angled, conical sound beam of the set of sound beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Second Wind Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Niels LaWhite, Louis Manfredi, Walter L. Sass
  • Publication number: 20130100773
    Abstract: A wide-area wind velocity profiler, which includes two or more active sound sources and at least one receiver module, in a bistatic SODAR configuration. The profiler measures wind velocities in the atmospheric boundary layer above large geographic areas, such as wind farms or airports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: Steven Robert Rogers
  • Patent number: 8411530
    Abstract: An acoustic Doppler system including an acoustic subsystem controller operatively connected to a plurality of acoustic transceivers, with a first of the plurality of acoustic transceivers, operating at a first acoustic frequency, operatively connected to a first group of at least one transducer, and a second of the plurality of acoustic transceivers, operating at a second acoustic frequency, operatively connected to a second group of at least one transducer, where the acoustic subsystem controller includes a digital circuit configured to sample analog signals received from the first and second groups of transducer in pairs having a pair-wise sampling frequency that is four times the operating frequency of associated acoustic transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: YSI Incorporated
    Inventors: Daryl B. Slocum, Ramon Cabrera, Zhivko Grozev, Alexander Kovachev
  • Publication number: 20130058194
    Abstract: A sonar system and method of operating a sonar system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sonar system comprises an array of transducers and a multiplexer configurable into a plurality of states. In one embodiment, the multiplexer, when in a first state, electrically couples a plurality of connections with the plurality of transducers via a first mapping and, in a second state, electrically couples the plurality of connections with the plurality of transducers via a second mapping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Vogt
  • Patent number: 8264908
    Abstract: A method of detecting precipitation with a sodar apparatus that transmits sound beams into the atmosphere, detects echoes returned from the atmosphere, from the echoes determines a Doppler-shifted spectrum comprising the relative strength of the echoes at various Doppler-shifted frequencies, and estimates wind speed and direction. The method includes automatically estimating the presence of precipitation based on the Doppler-shifted spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Second Wind Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Walls, Niels LaWhite
  • Patent number: 8242888
    Abstract: Systems and methods to determine motion parameters of physical objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to the objects. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes determining a motion parameter of the RFID tag based on detecting a Doppler frequency shift in a radio frequency signal received from the RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Keystone Technology Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: John R. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 8223588
    Abstract: An AD2CP includes at least one transducer assembly emitting sets of slanted directional acoustic beams and receiving the echoes; and electronics that processes the echoes into depth cells and computes velocity in each depth cell. The AD2CP is configured so that each beam set has a profiling catenation, at least two of which are different, and the AD2CP is configured so that the emitting, receiving and processing operate contemporaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nortek AS
    Inventors: Atle Lohrmann, R. Lee Gordon, Sven Nylund
  • Patent number: 8218395
    Abstract: A moving object detecting apparatus includes: a transmitting/receiving unit for radiating an ultrasonic wave and receiving a reflective wave reflected from an object present in a monitoring space; a phase detection circuit for mixing reference signals with a reflective signal and obtaining a pair of Doppler signals each having an amplitude depending on a phase difference from the reference signal, each of the Doppler signals having a different phase from each other; a rotation angle calculation unit for calculating a rotation angle; a cumulative addition unit for accumulating the rotation angle; and a comparison unit for comparing the accumulated rotation angle with a threshold value. In the moving object detecting apparatus, a single ultrasonic vibrator is commonly used in the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumihiro Kasano, Susumu Katayama, Toru Mugiuda, Kazushi Goto, Hidehiko Fujikawa, Motohiro Minamino
  • Patent number: 8213262
    Abstract: A monostatic sodar system includes an array of essentially identical acoustic transducers. Each transducer includes a cone transducer element which generates and receives sound and a horn which guides the sound to and from the cone to a circular or hexagonal active region from which sound is emitted during a sound emission and into which sound is received during a reception of emitted sound that has been reflected by the atmosphere. Each transducer defines a generally hexagonal perimeter shape and occupying a generally hexagonal area of the array. The system includes a signal generator that generates signals that are used to drive the transducers, a phase and switching control, a receiver that receives signals from the transducers, a processor, an open-top enclosure, and a sound reflector within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Second Wind Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Niels LaWhite, Louis Manfredi, Walter L. Sass
  • Patent number: 8174930
    Abstract: A housing for a phased array monostatic sodar system with a transducer array that emits and receives multiple generally conical main beams of sound along different primary axes. The housing includes one or more upwardly-directed sidewalls that define a volume between them that is open to the atmosphere at the top, to emit and receive the beams, and an upper lip at the top of at least one wall, defining a curved perimeter at the top of at least some of the volume that closely conforms to the shape of at least one main beam at the location of the lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Second Wind Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Niels LaWhite, Louis Manfredi, Walter L. Sass
  • Publication number: 20120087210
    Abstract: A moving object detecting apparatus includes: a transmitting/receiving unit for radiating an ultrasonic wave and receiving a reflective wave reflected from an object present in a monitoring space; a phase detection circuit for mixing reference signals with a reflective signal and obtaining a pair of Doppler signals each having an amplitude depending on a phase difference from the reference signal, each of the Doppler signals having a different phase from each other; a rotation angle calculation unit for calculating a rotation angle; a cumulative addition unit for accumulating the rotation angle; and a comparison unit for comparing the accumulated rotation angle with a threshold value. In the moving object detecting apparatus, a single ultrasonic vibrator is commonly used in the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro KASANO, Susumu Katayama, Toru Mugiuda, Kazushi Goto, Hidehiko Fujikawa, Motohiro Minamino
  • Patent number: 8125849
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring the flow of water in cross-section of a body of water is presented. The system and method comprises a housing having a first transducer and a plurality of second transducers, wherein the first transducer produces an acoustic signal for determining the depth of the body of water, and the second transducers each produce an acoustic signal for determining the velocity of a volume of water by measuring the Doppler frequency shift in the returned echo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: YSI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ramon Cabrera, John Sloat, Steve Maier, Matthew J. Hull
  • Patent number: 8077997
    Abstract: An image processing method and an image processing apparatus are provided. After receiving an image signal, the image and apparatus according to the invention first judge whether a target block in the image signal includes a non-chroma line. If the judging result is YES, a first edge detection procedure will be performed on the non-chroma line. If the judging result is NO, a second edge detection procedure will be performed on the target block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Hao Liao, Jen-Shi Wu, Chung-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: RE43090
    Abstract: An improved acoustic Doppler flow measurement system which employs multiple acoustic frequencies to acquire multiple independent backscatter data from the flow channel, combining the data to enable survey measurement of channel flow properties beyond what can be achieved with either a single frequency system or multiple independent single frequency systems. The system is installed on small moving channel survey boats, remotely measuring vertical profiles of river currents, achieving accurate surveys of channel flow velocity structure and bottom topography, enabling accurate (approximately 1% resolution) survey measurement of channel flow discharge. Significant synergistic improvements are realized from both physical and functional integrations of the multi-frequency operational capability into a single integrated flow survey system. Use of phased array transducer techniques further reduces flow disturbance and transducer size, enabling use on even smaller survey boats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis D. Rowe