digital signal processor dsp 310 with an integrated analog to digital converter adc dsp 310 applies programmable methods to measure the actuation period of the transducer during the transmission of a pulse including the ensuing reverberation or u201c ringing u201d period and to detect and measure the lengths of any received pulses or u201c echoes u201d such methods may employ threshold comparisons minimum intervals peak detections zero crossing detection and counting noise level determinations and other customizable techniques tailored for improving reliability and accuracy the dsp 310 may further process the amplified receive signal to analyze characteristics of the transducer such as resonance frequency and decay rate and may further detect error conditions such as an excessively short actuation period which may be due to a disconnected or defective transducer suppressed vibration or the like or an excessively long actuation period defective mounting inadequate damping resistance or the like commands received via the i o line trigger the core logic 304 to operate the transmitter and receiver and provide the measurement results to the ecu 202 via the i o line as explained further below in addition to the error conditions that may be detected by the dsp 310 the core logic may monitor other error conditions such as having the supply voltage u201c under voltage u201d or u201c over voltage u201d while transmitting an ultrasonic pulse thermal shutdown of transmitter a hardware error an incomplete power on reset or the like any error conditions may be noted.