Patent ID: 7290451

Claim:
A status discriminating apparatus for a human, an animal, or a machine, the apparatus comprising: (a) an ultrasonic vibration detecting sensor comprising: (i) a container main body; (ii) a liquid packed tightly in the container main body; and (iii) an ultrasonic vibrator arranged to transmit an ultrasonic wave into the liquid and to receive an ultrasonic wave reflected from a surface of the liquid, which serves to detect behavior of a detection object; (b) an ultrasonic transmission and reception control device comprising: (i) an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver; (ii) a signal converter operably connected to the ultrasonic transmitter/receiver; and (iii) a microcomputer operably connected to the signal converter so the microcomputer issues a transmission signal, at specific time intervals, to the ultrasonic vibration detecting sensor, and the microcomputer receives a reception signal, at specific time intervals, from the ultrasonic detecting sensor, and wherein the microcomputer calculates a risk associated with the detection object from a change in maximum amplitude of the received reception signal; and (c) a cable coupling the ultrasonic detecting sensor with the ultrasonic transmission and reception control device so as to provide an input and output passage for the transmission signal and reception signal.