Method and system for obtaining dimension related information for a flow channel

Abstract

A method and system for determination of dimension related information such as volumetric flow rate(s) of a fluid flowing through a channel. In one implementation, the method and system analyzes temporal changes in a moving fluid's velocity profile to calculate the fluid channel dimensions. In turn, the fluid channel dimensions and the fluid velocity profile data may be combined to calculate the volumetric flow rate of the fluid flowing through the channel. In this regard, the geometry of the channel can be characterized using dimensionless variables that relate dimensions, such as the radius across a circular cross-section, to the largest extent of a dimension. For example, in the case where the channel is a cylindrical tube and a pressure gradient is applied long enough for the fluid to have reached a steady state, the dimensionless radius will be the radius at any point divided by the overall radius of the tube. One or more dimensionless variables can be used to characterize geometries: for instance, one dimensionless radius characterizes a circular tube and two dimensionless teams characterize an elliptical tube (one for the major axis and one for the minor axis). The time required for velocity profiles to change from one shape to another may be characterized by dimensionless time. Dimensionless time, in turn, uses the fluid's viscosity and density along with time and overall channel dimensions and may be used in combination with at least one velocity profile to calculate the volumetric flow rate of the fluid flowing through the channel.

1 .- 99 . (canceled) 
     
     
         100 . A method for use in analyzing physiological material within an organism, comprising the steps of:
 receiving an input signal that has been modulated based on interaction with said physiological material so as to include modulated information, said signal including a first modulated signal component related to a first portion of said physiological material and a second modulated signal component related to a second portion of said physiological material, where said first portion is in motion relative to said second portion so as to define a relative velocity therebetween;   first processing said modulated signal to provide a digital signal including a first digital component corresponding to said first modulated signal component and a second digital component corresponding to said second modulated signal component;   providing a mathematical structure for modeling the digital signal as a signal portion of interest and an undesired signal portion; and   second processing the first modulated signal component and the second modulated signal component using the mathematical structure to obtain information regarding a parameter related to motion of said first portion of said physiological material.   
     
     
         101 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said second processing comprises ameliorating an effect of said undesired signal portion free from frequency dependent filtering of said input signal. 
     
     
         102 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure reflects a multi-parameter model for use in distinguishing said signal portion of interest from said undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         103 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said undesired signal portion relates to a portion of said input signal related to said second portion of said physiological material. 
     
     
         104 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said undesired signal portion includes noise associated with a portion of said input signal related to said first portion of said physiological material. 
     
     
         105 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure includes an error absorption function having parameters that characterize the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         106 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for a velocity spectral density associated with the signal portion of interest and second parameters for an error absorption function associated with the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         107 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for a cumulative velocity spectrum associated with the signal portion of interest and second parameters for an error absorption function associated with the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         108 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure includes a first absorption function for addressing a first component of said undesired signal portion and a second absorption function for addressing a second component of said undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         109 . A method as set forth in  claim 108 , wherein said first component relates to a portion of said input signal associated with said first portion of said physiological material and said second component relates to a portion of said input signal associated with said second portion of said physiological material. 
     
     
         110 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said input signal defines a frequency spectrum and said mathematical model distinguishes between a first component associated with said first portion of said physiological material and a second component associated with said second portion of said physiological material. 
     
     
         111 . A method as set forth in  claim 100 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for said signal portion of interest and second parameters for said undesired signal portion, and said first mathematical structure includes an algorithm for iteratively solving for said first parameters and said second parameters so as to achieve a desired fit of said first parameters to measured values. 
     
     
         112 . A method for use in analyzing physiological material within an organism, comprising the steps of:
 receiving an input signal that has been modulated based on interaction with physiological material including a flow of physiological fluid in a flow channel of said organism;   first processing said input signal to provide a digital signal;   providing a mathematical structure for modeling the digital signal as including a signal portion of interest regarding a parameter of said flow and an undesired signal portion; and   performing an analysis based on said digital signal and said mathematical structure to determine a value of said parameter.   
     
     
         113 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said undesired signal portion relates to a portion of said input signal associated with physiological material outside of said flow channel. 
     
     
         114 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said undesired signal portion includes noise associated with a portion of said input signal from said flow channel. 
     
     
         115 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said mathematical structure includes an error absorption function having parameters that characterize the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         116 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for a velocity spectral density associated with the flow and second parameters for an error absorption function associated with the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         117 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for a cumulative velocity spectrum associated with the flow and second parameters for an error absorption function associated with the undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         118 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said mathematical structure includes a first absorption function for addressing a first component of said undesired signal portion and a second absorption function for addressing a second component of said undesired signal portion. 
     
     
         119 . A method as set forth in  claim 118 , wherein said first component relates to a portion of said input signal associated with physiological material outside of said flow channel and said second component relates to a portion of said input signal associated with said physiological fluid inside said flow channel. 
     
     
         120 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said input signal defines a frequency spectrum and said mathematical model distinguishes between a first component associated with said physiological fluid inside said flow channel and a second component associated with physiological material outside said flow channel on a basis independent of frequency. 
     
     
         121 . A method as set forth in  claim 112 , wherein said mathematical structure includes multi-parameter functions including first parameters for said signal portion of interest and second parameters for said undesired signal portion, and said first mathematical structure includes an algorithm for iteratively solving for said first parameters and said second parameters so as to achieve a desired fit of said first parameters to measured values. 
     
     
         122 .- 154 . (canceled)