Importance

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Abstract

A discontinuity detector detects a sudden change or discontinuity in a medium moving relative to the detector such as a liquid plug in a gas flowing along a conduct, an air bubble in a liquid, or a change form one liquid or gas to another. It has a sensor which senses the discontinuity and a circuit which compensates for gradual changes in the medium or sensor, but responds to the sensed discontinuity. The preferred circuit also determines that the sensor is functioning properly and is properly set up for sensing the discontinuity. The preferred circuit is an analog-to-digital delta modulator which periodically resets a clock pulse counter until a discontinuity is sensed. The clock pulses then increment the counter to a higher-than-normal count to signal the discontinuity. The preferred embodiments are intended for detecting discontinuities in patient gas or liquid supplies in a medical diagnostic or therapeutic instrument.

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First Claim