US 11,899,106 B1 · Dual-channel acoustic distance measurement circuit and method

Abstract

An acoustic distance measurement circuit includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a controller. The transmitter has an output adapted to be coupled to an acoustic transducer for providing a selected one of an amplitude-modulation (AM) signal in an AM mode and a chirp signal in a chirp mode. The receiver has an input adapted to be coupled to the acoustic transducer, and an output for providing a digital received signal. The controller is operative during a first measurement period to: place the transmitter into one of the AM mode and the chirp mode using a first channel, selectively detect a direct echo in the first channel of the digital received signal of the one of the AM signal and the chirp signal, and selectively detect an indirect echo in a second channel of the digital received signal of another one of the AM signal and the chirp signal.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An acoustic distance measuring circuit, comprising:

a transmitter having an output adapted to be coupled to an acoustic transducer for providing a selected one of an amplitude-modulation (AM) signal in an AM mode and a chirp signal in a chirp mode;
a receiver having an input adapted to be coupled to said acoustic transducer, and an output for providing a digital received signal;
and
a controller operative during a first measurement period to:
place said transmitter into one of said AM mode and said chirp mode using a first channel, selectively detect a first direct echo in said first channel of said digital received signal of said one of said AM signal and said chirp signal, and selectively detect a first indirect echo in a second channel of said digital received signal of another one of said AM signal and said chirp signal.

2 more elements

A method of measuring an acoustic distance of an obstacle from a vehicle, comprising:

providing a selected one of an amplitude-modulation (AM) signal in an AM mode and a chirp signal in a chirp mode using a transmitter adapted to be coupled to an acoustic transducer;
receiving a digital received signal using a receiver adapted to be coupled to said acoustic transducer;
during a first measurement period:
placing a transmitter into one of said AM mode and said chirp mode using a first channel;
selectively detecting a direct echo in said first channel of said digital received signal of said one of said AM signal and said chirp signal;
and
selectively detect an indirect echo in a second channel of said digital received signal of another one of said AM signal and said chirp signal.

4 more elements

A method of measuring a distance of a low-height obstacle from a vehicle, comprising:

providing a selected one of an amplitude-modulation (AM) signal in an AM mode and a chirp signal in a chirp mode using a transmitter adapted to be coupled to an acoustic transducer;
receiving a digital received signal using a receiver adapted to be coupled to said acoustic transducer;
and
during a first measurement period:
placing said transmitter into said one of said AM mode and said chirp mode using a first channel;
selectively detecting a first direct echo in said first channel of said digital received signal of said one of said AM signal and said chirp signal;
and
selectively detecting a first indirect echo in a second channel of said digital received signal of said one of said AM signal and said chirp signal, and
during a second measurement period subsequent to said first measurement period:
placing said transmitter into another one of said AM mode and said chirp mode using said first channel;
selectively detecting a second direct echo in said first channel of said digital received signal of another one of said AM signal and said chirp signal;
and
selectively detecting a second indirect echo in said second channel of said digital received signal of said one of said AM signal and said chirp signal.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dual-channel acoustic distance measurement circuit and method

Life of this patent

Dual-channel acoustic distance measurement circuit and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24