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US 9,518,958 B2Granted
System, method, and apparatus for detecting air in a fluid line using active rectification
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsMichael J. Wilt, Jason M. Sachs
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims28
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.
7 more elements
A method of detecting air, the method comprising:
- 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.
9 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- 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.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.