Patent ID: 9494454
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: B06B,G01F,G10K

Claim Text:
1. An ultrasonic transducer system comprising: a first ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of first segment electrodes located on a surface of a single first piezoelectric element; a second ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of second segment electrodes located on a surface of a single second piezoelectric element; a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal that comprises pulses of a transmit frequency; and a control circuit that sequentially activates the first segment electrodes using the pulse signal to cause the first piezoelectric element to emit a first sonic signal, where a delay time of a first value between activation of each successive first segment electrode controls a phase velocity of the first sonic signal, and the angle of emission of the first sonic signal, wherein the control circuit is configured to change a value of the delay time to a second value different from the first value when the angle of emission is determined to be out of alignment with a reference angle, wherein the angle of emission is determined to be out of alignment with the reference angle, when a characteristic of a second sonic signal transmitted by the second ultrasonic transducer in response to the emitted first sonic signal deviates from a reference characteristic.