An apparatus for imaging structural features below the surface of an object, the apparatus comprising: a transmitter unit configured to transmit a sound pulse at the object; a receiver unit configured to receive reflections of sound pulses transmitted by the transmitter unit from the object; a signal processing unit configured to: analyse one or more signals received by the receiver unit from the object; recognise, in the one or more signals, a reflection that was caused by a first structural feature and a reflection that was caused by a second structural feature that is located, in the object, at least partly behind the first structural feature; and associate each recognised reflection with a relative depth in the object at which the reflection occurred; and an image generation unit configured to generate an image that includes a representation of the first and second structural features in dependence on the recognised reflections and their relative depths.

An ultrasonic transmission and reception device is described. This includes a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal at its transmission outputs and, an ultrasonic transducer, which is suited for converting electrical signals into sound signals and sound signals into electrical signals, a transformer, the primary side of which is connected to the transmission outputs and of the transmission circuit and the secondary side of which is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and a reception circuit for processing a received signal present at its reception input. The ultrasonic transmission and reception device is characterized in that the reception input of the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via an additional winding tap of the transformer, the additional winding tap being incorporated into the transformer in such a way that the transformed transmission signal at the reception input of the reception circuit is boosted in its voltage amplitude with a lower gain factor than the transformed transmission signal which excites the ultrasonic transducer.

An ultrasonic transmission and reception device is described. This includes a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal at its transmission outputs and, an ultrasonic transducer, which is suited for converting electrical signals into sound signals and sound signals into electrical signals, a transformer, the primary side of which is connected to the transmission outputs and of the transmission circuit and the secondary side of which is connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and a reception circuit for processing a received signal present at its reception input. The ultrasonic transmission and reception device is characterized in that the reception input of the reception circuit is connected to the transformer via an additional winding tap of the transformer, the additional winding tap being incorporated into the transformer in such a way that the transformed transmission signal at the reception input of the reception circuit is boosted in its voltage amplitude with a lower gain factor than the transformed transmission signal which excites the ultrasonic transducer.

A distance measuring apparatus measures a distance to a target from a plurality of directions, and includes sensors having identical two-dimensional scan type configurations that launch a laser beam and receive reflected light from the target by a multi-segment light receiving element, and a processor. The processor performs a process including specifying a receiving part of the multi-segment light receiving element of a first sensor, that receives a second laser beam launched from a second sensor in a state in which the target is non-detectable by the first sensor, adjusting a phase in a vertical scan direction of the second laser beam with respect to that of a first laser beam launched from the first sensor, until the receiving part no longer receives the second laser beam, and integrating range images from the first and second sensors after the phase is adjusted.

A distance measuring apparatus measures a distance to a target from a plurality of directions, and includes sensors having identical two-dimensional scan type configurations that launch a laser beam and receive reflected light from the target by a multi-segment light receiving element, and a processor. The processor performs a process including specifying a receiving part of the multi-segment light receiving element of a first sensor, that receives a second laser beam launched from a second sensor in a state in which the target is non-detectable by the first sensor, adjusting a phase in a vertical scan direction of the second laser beam with respect to that of a first laser beam launched from the first sensor, until the receiving part no longer receives the second laser beam, and integrating range images from the first and second sensors after the phase is adjusted.

The present invention relates to an electronic device configured for detecting an object, for example a person in the vicinity of the device. The device includes at least one audio signal generator, the generated signals being transmitted through an output interface to a speaker transmitting said mixed signal. The device also including at least one microphone configured to receive signals reflected from said object, and a receiver module for receiving said signals from the microphone, the receiver module also being connected to the output interface for receiving a signal there from corresponding to the signal transmitted through the speaker.

Provided is a device and method of determining the thickness of accumulating scale on surfaces exposed to a liquid media. More particularly, it is a method for determining the comparable accumulation of scale such as, calcium or magnesium and carbonate, oxalate, sulfate, or phosphate scale, on cold or hot surfaces in water process applications.

Provided is a device and method of determining the thickness of accumulating scale on surfaces exposed to a liquid media. More particularly, it is a method for determining the comparable accumulation of scale such as, calcium or magnesium and carbonate, oxalate, sulfate, or phosphate scale, on cold or hot surfaces in water process applications.

Provided is a device and method of determining the thickness of accumulating scale on surfaces exposed to a liquid media. More particularly, it is a method for determining the comparable accumulation of scale such as, calcium or magnesium and carbonate, oxalate, sulfate, or phosphate scale, on cold or hot surfaces in water process applications.

During transmission, a speed of ultrasound pulses gradually reduces due to their energy loss from acoustic impedance. A thickness and a density of piezoelectric (PZT) elements and a sound speed in the PZT elements decides energy of the ultrasound pulses and their detecting depth. A speed of moving objects and an angle of the moving objects with the ultrasound pulses may change a speed of reflected ultrasound pulses and affect their time of flight (TOF) and TOF shift. A method of Coding ultrasound pulses combines advantages of a continuous wave ultrasound and a pulsed wave ultrasound. So, it can be used to obtained the TOF and the TOF shift and calculate the depth and the moving speed of the detecting objects, which also avoids a problem of an aliasing for highly moving speed of the objects.