An ultrasonic sensor (10), that transmits probe waves which are ultrasonic waves and acquires detection waves including reflected waves which have been reflected from surrounding objects, includes a transmitter/receiver (12) that transmits the probe waves and acquires the detection waves, a detection wave processing section (13) that executes processing for passing a predetermined frequency band which includes the frequency of the probe waves, an amplitude measurement section (14) which measures the amplitude of the detection waves, and a judgement section (17) which judges whether there is adherence of foreign matter on the transmitter/receiver, based on a relationship between a time axis and values of the amplitude of the detection waves during a reverberation interval following the termination of transmitting the probe waves.

An object detection system includes a processing circuit to perform wave transmission processing and determination processing. In the wave transmission processing, an acoustic wave generator is controlled to generate a series of acoustic waves of a time-varying frequency at target sound pressures associated with a frequency and correspond to the respective acoustic waves. In the determination processing, a received-wave signal representing an acoustic wave from a target space received by a wave receiver is acquired and it is determined whether an object is present in the target space based on the received-wave signal. Each of the target sound pressures is set based on the frequency characteristics of sensitivity of the wave receiver to an acoustic wave of a predetermined sound pressure, such that the sensitivity of the wave receiver to an acoustic wave of the target sound pressure is in a predetermined range including a predetermined value.

A test device for testing a distance sensor operating with ultrasonic waves, wherein the distance sensor to be tested comprises at least a sensor radiating element for emitting a transmission signal and a sensor receiving element for receiving a reflected signal. For effective and accurate testing and stimulation of the distance sensor, the test device has a test receiving element for receiving ultrasonic waves emitted from the distance sensor to be tested, and at least one test radiating element for radiating test ultrasonic waves, and a signal processing unit, wherein ultrasonic waves received by the test receiving element are transmitted as a received signal to the signal processing unit and the signal processing unit, as a function of the received signal and simulation distance information relating to a distance to be simulated, and determines an excitation signal for the test radiating element.

Present teachings relate to a method for proximity detection on an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of: performing a first measurement using a first sensor; calculating, using a processing unit, a first distance value from the first measurement; the first distance value being indicative of the distance between a user and the electronic device; in response to the first distance value, through the processing unit, adapting an energy level on the electronic device, said energy level being related to the Specific Absorption Rate (“SAR”), such that predefined SAR requirements due to exposure of emitted energy from the electronic device are met. The present teaching further relate to an electronic device comprising a measurement system configured to control an energy level on the electronic device, said energy level being related to the Specific Absorption Rate (“SAR”). The present teachings also relate to a computer software product for implementing any method steps disclosed herein.

Disclosed are a control method and a control device for an ultrasonic receiving device. The control method includes: determining a target receiver of the ultrasonic receiving device, where the ultrasonic receiving device includes at least two ultrasonic receivers, and the target receiver is one of the at least two ultrasonic receivers on the ultrasonic receiving device that is the nearest to an ultrasonic transmitting device; and controlling a state of each of the at least two ultrasonic receivers on the ultrasonic receiving device based on the determined target receiver. Thus, the ultrasonic ranging error is reduced, and the accuracy of measurement is improved.

An object detection apparatus includes an irradiator configured to irradiate a detection wave, a detector configured to detect a reflected wave of the detection wave, and a controller configured to estimate an arrival direction and a flight distance of the reflected wave. The controller is configured to perform an object detection process on a detection result of the reflected wave only when the arrival direction and the flight distance are included in a detection target range.

An object detection apparatus includes an object detecting unit detecting an object present around a subject vehicle based on received waves, in a case of receiving reflected waves, from the object, of ultrasonic waves transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor as transmitted waves. The object detection apparatus includes a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the ultrasonic sensor, and based on a detected value of the temperature of the ultrasonic sensor, corrects at least one of a reception sensitivity for the received waves received by the ultrasonic sensor and a transmission intensity for the transmitted waves from the ultrasonic sensor. The object detection apparatus then detects the object using the corrected received waves.

A depth sensor, a detection system, and a method for controlling a transmit power of the depth sensor are provided, wherein the control method comprises procedures of: obtaining priori information of a to-be-measured working environment; presetting priori information of the to-be-measured working environment; working out position information and orientation information of the active sensor based on the preset priori information of the to-be-measured working environment and detected information; and working out a maximum transmit power based on the position information and the orientation information of the active sensor and correspondingly dynamically adjusting the transmit power of the active depth sensor based on the maximum transmit power. The present disclosure has advantages of smartly and dynamically adjusting the transmit power and reducing power consumption of a device with the active depth sensor.

An ultrasonic sensor transmits an ultrasonic wave, and receives the ultrasonic wave reflected by an obstacle. An electrical characteristic measuring means measures the electrical characteristic of the ultrasonic sensor, and outputs electrical characteristic information. An environmental state determining means receives the electrical characteristic information from the electrical characteristic measuring means, and outputs environmental information on at least one of the temperature and humidity of the ultrasonic sensor.

An illustrative controller embodiment includes: a transmitter that causes reverberation of a piezoelectric transducer; and a linear damping module that measures characteristics of the reverberation and tunes at least one of a shunt resistance and a shunt reactance for the piezoelectric transducer based on said characteristics. An illustrative sensor embodiment includes: a piezoelectric transducer; and a transducer controller coupled to the piezoelectric transducer to transmit pulses and receive echoes for measuring distances. The controller includes a linear damping module with: a shunt resistance; a shunt inductance; and an optional switch that couples the shunt resistance and shunt inductance in parallel to the piezoelectric transducer to damp reverberation of the piezoelectric transducer after said transmit pulses. The controller measures at least one characteristic of said reverberation and responsively tunes the shunt resistance or the shunt inductance.