Patent ID: 11857775
Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A  G

Claim 7:
8. A fluid flow system comprising:
a force sensor configured to monitor at least one of an air bubble or an occlusion in a flow tube, the force sensor configured to receive ultrasonic signals from an ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer having an emitting face configured to emit the ultrasonic signals, and the emitting face is configured to face the flow tube;
a controller, electrically coupled with the force sensor, wherein the controller is configured to:
monitor a first output signal of a force sensor of the fluid flow system for a change from the first output signal to a second output signal, wherein the change from the first output signal to the second output signal comprises at least one of a change in amplitude of an Alternating Current (AC) component of the first output signal and a change in a signal level of a Direct Current (DC) component of the first output signal;
detect the change from the first output signal to the second output signal, wherein the change in the amplitude of the AC component is detected based on an increase or a decrease of the amplitude of the AC component, and the change in the signal level of the DC component is detected based on a shift of the signal level from a first signal level to a second signal level;
determine one of a time duration of the second output signal of the force sensor, and a number of transitions in consecutive signal levels of the DC component from the first signal level to the second signal level;
compare the time duration of the second output signal with a predefined time and the number of transitions with a predefined number of transitions; and
determine a threshold when one of the time duration of the second output signal exceeds the predefined time, and the number of transitions of the DC component exceeds a predefined number of transitions, wherein the threshold is determined based on a predefined percentage of the second output signal.