Apparatus and method for driving an ultrasonic transducer

Measuring and testing – Instrument proving or calibrating – Apparatus for measuring by use of vibration or apparatus for...

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73DIG1, G01L 2500, G01L 2700

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056356196

ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for electronically driving an ultrasonic acoustic transducer. The transducer is operable in two modes; in a first mode, the lock-in frequency of the transducer is determined; in a second mode, the lock-in frequency determined in the first mode is used to modulate a tone-burst pulse to drive the transducer in an efficient manner. Operating in the first mode, the lock-in frequency is determined by exciting the transducer with a series of tone bursts, where each tone burst comprises an electronic pulse modulated by a tone of one frequency selected from a range of frequencies, and measuring the response of the transducer to each tone burst. In an alternative embodiment, the excitation of the transducer in the first mode is provided by a signal whose frequency is swept over a range. The response of the transducer is sampled at various times during the sweep. The lock-in frequency is chosen by examining the responses and choosing the frequency which gives the best response. Operating in the second mode, the transducer is driven with an electronic tone burst generated by modulating said an electronic pulse with a tone of the determined lock-in frequency.

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