A system and a method for measuring a signal propagation speed in a liquid contained in a vessel or in a gaseous medium contained in the same vessel above the surface of the liquid are proposed. A transmitter transmits a first signal in a first direction which is at an acute or right angle to a first reflective surface, wherein the first reflective surface reflects the first signal so that it travels in a second direction is received by a first acoustic or electromagnetic receiver. The transmitter transmits a second signal in a predetermined third direction which is at an acute angle to the first direction, where the first or a second reflective surface reflects the second signal so that it travels in a predetermined and angular fourth direction with respect to the first or second reflective surface and is received by the first or a second acoustic or electromagnetic receiver. The speed of sound is then determined under the assumption that both the first and the second signals travel at the same average speed.

A system and a method for measuring a speed of sound in a liquid contained in a vessel or in a gaseous medium contained in the same vessel above the surface of the liquid. The method comprises: transmitting a first acoustic signal into the vessel to travel inside a first travelling plane. Emitting a second acoustic signal into the wall of the vessel to travel inside the wall of the vessel along a perimeter of the first travelling plane until it is received and obtaining a first time of flight of the first acoustic signal and a second time of flight of the second acoustic signal and obtaining a speed of sound in the vessel wall from a data memory. Determining the speed of sound in the liquid or in the gaseous medium from the length of the travelling path of the first acoustic signal and from the first time of flight.

A system and a method for non-intrusive and continuous level measurement of a liquid enclosed by a solid wall of a vessel. The system comprises an ultrasonic transmitter for generating an ultrasound wave and for emitting it into the vessel wall, an ultrasonic receiver for receiving the ultrasound wave, and an electronic control and data processing unit (ECDU) for controlling operation of the transmitter and of the receiver and for determining the liquid level. The transmitter is able to emit the ultrasound wave as a primary Lamb wave into the vessel wall so that a part of the primary Lamb wave leaks from the vessel wall into the liquid in form of a pressure wave. The ECDU is adapted to repeatedly determine the time of flight of the pressure wave, change the ultrasonic frequency of the transmitter until the determined time of flight reaches a minimum, and determine the liquid level.

A gases humidification system includes a measuring chamber and a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber has one or more mixing elements that improve a mixing of gases before reaching the measuring chamber. Ultrasonic sensing is used to measure gases properties or characteristics within the measuring chamber. A baffle or a vane may be used to control and direct the gases flow through the mixing chamber as the gases flow moves into the measuring chamber.

A gases humidification system includes a measuring chamber and a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber has one or more mixing elements that improve a mixing of gases before reaching the measuring chamber. Ultrasonic sensing is used to measure gases properties or characteristics within the measuring chamber. A baffle or a vane may be used to control and direct the gases flow through the mixing chamber as the gases flow moves into the measuring chamber.

Systems and methods of object classification at point of sale are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by a POS system having processing circuitry operationally coupled to a transducer operable to radiate a pressure wave and a sensor operable to sense a pressure wave. Further, the transducer and the sensor are positioned on or about the POS system so that a field of radiation of the transducer and a field of detection of the sensor are directed towards a certain region of the POS system. The method includes receiving, from the sensor, a reflected signal that represents a pressure wave radiated by the transducer that is reflected from a surface of an object when in or about the certain region of the POS system so that the object can be classified as at least one of a set of object types based on the reflected signal.

Systems and methods of object classification at point of sale are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by a POS system having processing circuitry operationally coupled to a transducer operable to radiate a pressure wave and a sensor operable to sense a pressure wave. Further, the transducer and the sensor are positioned on or about the POS system so that a field of radiation of the transducer and a field of detection of the sensor are directed towards a certain region of the POS system. The method includes receiving, from the sensor, a reflected signal that represents a pressure wave radiated by the transducer that is reflected from a surface of an object when in or about the certain region of the POS system so that the object can be classified as at least one of a set of object types based on the reflected signal.

A transducer element for the detection of a transverse transition pressure of a shock wave includes a body that extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a nose portion and a measurement portion disposed adjacent the nose portion, which tapers along the longitudinal axis from the measurement portion until a nose end. The transducer is arranged with its longitudinal axis extending parallel to the propagation direction of the shock wave, with the nose portion facing the shock wave. The measurement portion contains at least three pressure transducers arranged in the body with respective pressure-sensitive pressure receiving surfaces arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis. The three pressure transducers are spaced apart from each other at a distance along the longitudinal axis. The transducer element is configured for determining the velocity and the acceleration of the shock wave.

Use of Swept Frequency Acoustic Interferometry (SFAI) is becoming ubiquitous in taking non-invasive measurements of fluid parameters like sound speed, sound attenuation and density of fluid. But measurement using SFAI is relatively slow as one needs to sweep a wide range of frequencies and for each probing frequency one needs to wait for settling time. Further, SFAI works well only on steady flow as sudden change in fluid flow destroys resonance condition, thereby making it unsuitable for flowing fluid. Present application provides method and system for faster assessment of sound speed in fluids using compressive sensing technique. The system first uses random samples in defined frequency scanning range of frequency sweep signal for generating pseudo analytic signal vector. The system then estimates pulse-echo view by applying compressive sensing technique over pseudo analytic signal vector. Thereafter, system calculates sound speed in fluid using pulse-echo view and pre-defined sound speed calculation formula.

Systems and methods monitor data inputs received from one or more vibration sensors, wherein at least one of the one or more vibration sensors is positioned at a location proximate a component of a production machine that facilitates production of product(s). Based on the monitoring, an aberration in the data inputs is identified that includes vibration(s) detected by the one or more vibration sensors. Directional propagation of the vibration(s) are evaluated and based thereon at least one of the following is performed: (i) predicting a likely source of the vibration(s), the predicting incorporating the directional propagation; (ii) distributing, to user device(s), notification data to initiate a notification associated with the aberration; and (iii) transmitting one or more inputs for calibrating element(s) of the production machine to limit disruption of the production of the product(s) caused by the aberration.