Patent ID: 6573732
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: B60K,G01F

Abstract:
A near-field measurement sensor for measuring a value, the sensor comprising:a transducer; and a controller coupled to the transducer, the controller operable to generate a first command signal for the transducer, detect a first echo signal from the transducer, determine whether the first echo signal was received by the transducer within a near-field time, and, if the first echo signal was received within the near-field time, detect a second echo signal of a predetermined magnitude, if a second echo signal is not detected within a predetermined amount of time, ignore the first echo signal and generate a second command signal different than the first command signal, and repeat the detection of a first echo signal, the detection of a second echo signal, and the generation of a second command signal until a second echo signal is detected within the predetermined amount of time, the controller further operable to convert the first echo signal or the difference between the first echo signal and the second echo signal to a measurement value.