Patent ID: 7865318

Claim:
Meter electronics ( 20 ) for a flow meter ( 5 ), the meter electronics ( 20 ) comprising: an interface ( 201 ) for receiving a vibrational response from the flow meter ( 5 ), with the vibrational response comprising a response to a vibration of the flow meter ( 5 ) at a substantially resonant frequency, and a processing system ( 203 ) in communication with the interface ( 201 ), the meter electronics ( 20 ) further comprising: the processing system ( 203 ) being configured to receive the vibrational response from the interface ( 201 ), determine a frequency (Ï‰ 0 ) of the vibrational response, determine a response voltage (V) and a drive current (I) of the vibrational response, measure a decay characteristic (Î¾) of the flow meter ( 5 ), and determine a stiffness parameter (K) of the flow meter from the frequency (Ï‰ 0 ), the response voltage (V), the drive current (I), and the decay characteristic (Î¾).