Patent ID: 6763698
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for determining a fluid property comprising:delivering an ultrasound pulse to a member with a transducer, the member being comprised of a solid material and including a first surface opposite a second surface, the first surface being coupled to the transducer and the second surface being in contact with a fluid, the ultrasound pulse reflecting between the first surface and the second surface to provide an ultrasound pulse echo series; detecting a multiplicity of the ultrasound pulse echoes of the echo series with the transducer; determining a first value from the multiplicity of the ultrasound pulse echoes, the first value corresponding to an average decay rate of the multiplicity of the ultrasound pulse echoes; determining a second value corresponding to an acoustic property of the fluid from the first value and an established calibration value; determining a third value corresponding to speed of ultrasound in the fluid; and determining a physical property of the fluid as a function of the second and third values.