Ultrasonic measurement device

Abstract

A measuring device is provided, having a housing having a circuit board and processor; a first transducer arranged on a surface of the housing and configured to transmit an ultrasonic pulse towards a target surface; a second transducer adjacent to the first transducer configured to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic pulse off of the target surface; and a thermistor on the surface of the housing adjacent to the first and second transducers and configured to measure air temperature surrounding the device. The processor of the device is configured to measure a time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer, and to determine a distance between a ground surface upon which the device is resting and the target surface based at least upon the measured time duration and the measured air temperature.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A device for measuring the height of an automobile chassis comprising:
 a housing comprising a circuit board comprising a processor;   a first transducer arranged on a surface of the housing and configured to transmit an ultrasonic pulse towards a target surface;   a second transducer arranged adjacent to the first transducer configured to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic pulse off of the target surface;   a laser pointer arranged on the surface of the housing proximal to the first and second transducers and configured to generate a visible laser directed towards the target surface;   a user interface button arranged on the surface of the housing; and   a thermistor arranged on the surface of the housing adjacent to the first and second transducers and configured to measure air temperature surrounding the device;   wherein the processor of the device is configured to measure a time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer, and is further configured to determine a distance between a ground surface upon which the device is resting and the target surface based at least upon the measured time duration and the measured air temperature, wherein the distance corresponds to the height of the automobile chassis.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transducer and second transducer are mounted in an acoustically dampening material. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuit board further comprises a light emitting diode visible on the surface of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a battery holder configured to receive one or more batteries to power the device. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a bottom plate configured to be attachable to the housing and detachable from the housing to provide access to the battery holder and the circuit board. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transducer is configured to transmit the ultrasonic pulse at a frequency of approximately 300 kHz. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second transducer is physically separated from the first transducer to reduce vibrations from the transmission of the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer affecting the second transducer. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transducer is configured to transmit a predetermined number of ultrasonic pulses,
 wherein for each of the predetermined number of ultrasonic pulse transmissions, the processor is configured to measure the time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer, to determine a measured time duration for each of the predetermined number of ultrasonic pulse transmissions, and   wherein the distance between the ground surface and the target surface is determined based on at least a plurality of the measured time durations for the predetermined number of ultrasonic pulse transmissions.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of the device between the first and second transducers and a base surface of the device to be placed on the ground surface is no greater than approximately 0.65 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to communicate one or more of the measurements of air temperature, time duration and distance to a mobile device or computer. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the target surface is a surface of the automobile chassis. 
     
     
         12 . A device for measuring the height of an automobile chassis comprising:
 a housing comprising a circuit board comprising a processor;   a first transducer arranged on a surface of the housing and configured to transmit an ultrasonic pulse towards a target surface; and   a second transducer arranged adjacent to the first transducer configured to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic pulse off of the target surface;   wherein the processor of the device is configured to measure a time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer, and a distance between a ground surface upon which the device is resting and the target surface is determined based at least upon the measured time duration, wherein the distance corresponds to the height of the automobile chassis.   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a thermistor arranged on the surface of the housing adjacent to the first and second transducers and configured to measure air temperature surrounding the device;
 wherein the distance between the ground surface and the target surface is further determined based at least upon the measured air temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a laser pointer arranged on the surface of the housing proximal to the first and second transducers and configured to generate a visible laser directed towards the target surface. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a user interface button arranged on the surface of the housing configured to control one or more operations of the device. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein a height of the device between the first and second transducers and a base surface of the device to be placed on the ground surface is no greater than approximately 0.65 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the second transducer is physically separated from the first transducer to reduce vibrations from the transmission of the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer affecting the second transducer. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of measurement devices for measuring the height of an automobile chassis, each measurement device comprising:
 a housing comprising a circuit board comprising a processor; 
 a first transducer arranged on a surface of the housing and configured to transmit an ultrasonic pulse towards a target surface; 
 a second transducer arranged adjacent to the first transducer configured to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic pulse off of the target surface; and 
 a thermistor arranged on the surface of the housing adjacent to the first and second transducers and configured to measure air temperature surrounding the measurement device; 
 wherein the processor of each of the measurement devices is configured to measure a time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer, and 
   a mobile device or computer in communication with the each of the plurality of measurement devices and comprising a memory, a processor and a display screen;   wherein the measurement devices and/or the mobile device or computer are further configured to determine a distance between a ground surface upon which each measurement device is resting and the target surface based at least upon the measured time duration and the measured air temperature, wherein the distance corresponds to the height of the automobile chassis.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of measurement devices comprises four measurement devices and each measurement device is configured to measure the height of the automobile chassis at one of four corners of the automobile; and
 wherein actuation of a user interface button of the mobile device or computer is configured to initiate the transmission of the predetermined number of ultrasonic pulses.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the processor of each of the plurality of measurement devices is configured to measure time duration between transmitting the ultrasonic pulse by the first transducer of the respective measurement device and receiving the reflection of the ultrasonic pulse by the second transducer of the respective measurement device, and is further configured to determine the distance between the ground surface upon which the respective measurement device is resting and the target surface, based at least upon the measured time duration and the measured air temperature;
 wherein each of the plurality of measurement devices is configured to transmit the determined distances to the mobile device or computer; and   wherein the memory of the mobile device or computer is configured to store the determined distances together with associated information including one or more of a date of measurement, a location of measurement and an identification of the automobile.