Importance

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Abstract

A method for operating a transmitting/receiving circuit for ultrasonic signals includes the steps of producing a carrier frequency by a voltage-controlled oscillator having an output frequency controlled in accordance with a temperature dependency of an inherent frequency of the transducer, modulating the carrier frequency, applying the modulated carrier frequency in a transmitting mode to energize an ultrasonic transducer to produce ultrasonic transmission signals, switching from the transmitting mode to a receiving mode, applying output signals from the transducer representative of received ultrasonic signals to a phase-locked-loop circuit using the voltage-controlled oscillator whereby the phase-lock-loop circuit is automatically matched to a frequency of the received signals. An apparatus utilizing this method includes a transmitting/receiving transducer, a phase-locked-loop having a voltage-controlled oscillator, a modulator for applying a modulated carrier frequency to the transducer in a transmitting mode, a transmitting circuit for selectively applying an output from the oscillator as a carrier frequency to the modulator to produce the modulated carrier frequency, a receiving circuit for selectively applying an output from the transducer in a receiving mode for receiving reflected signals to an input of the phase-locked-loop and a temperature responsive element arranged to control the voltage-controlled oscillator at a frequency matched to an inherent frequency of the transducer.

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First Claim