Flow meter with adaptable beam characteristics

A device for measuring a fluid parameter of fluid flow in a channel, comprising:

• a transmitter;
• at least one receiver;
• a processor operatively coupled to the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver;
• a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:
• transmit, using the transmitter, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface;
• detect, by the at least one receiver, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced;
• and
• determine, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, a fluid parameter to be measured;
• wherein a measurement beam characteristic is adjusted based on a distance from the device to the fluid surface.

A product for measuring velocity of fluid flow in a channel, comprising:

• a storage device having code stored therewith, the code being executable by a processor and comprising:
• code that transmits, using a transmitter of a device, directed energy carrying a signal toward a surface of a fluid in a fluid channel, so as to produce one or more reflections from the fluid surface;
• code that detects, by at least one receiver of the device, one or more received signals associated with the one or more reflections so produced;
• and
• code that determines, based upon a measurement beam comprising characteristics of the transmitted and received signals, a fluid parameter to be measured using a processor of the device;
• wherein, a measurement beam characteristic is adjusted based on a distance from the device to the fluid surface.