A parallel ultrasonic sensors system: prototypal realization and validation tests
A. Fabrucci, Antonio Usai, Paolo Di Giamberardino · 2006
Abstract: In this paper the idea of using a particular signal for exciting an ultrasonic sensor is proposed. The particular signal is a white noise-like one and the distance measurement is performed by a correlation between the emitted and the received echo signals. The advantages, from a theoretical point of view, are: distance and attenuation are measured at the same time; each sensor measurement is not affected by the presence of similar sensors in the same field, being two independent white noises not correlated; once n sensors are used simultaneously, making use of cross correlation functions between all the emitted and all the reflexed received signals, it is possible to measure n 2 distances from each sensor to any other one. Such theoretical results have been tested on a prototypal realization, here described, and the results are illustrated. They show the real applicability of such idea. Key–Words: Ultrasonic sensor, white noise, sensor array. 1