A distance measurement device includes an ultrasonic transmitter adapted to emit ultrasonic energy toward an object and a receiver positioned to receive a signal reflected from the object. The device also includes a controller that is programmed to analyze the signal. The controller includes a signal conditioner adapted to produce an output signal proportional to a logarithm of the reflected signal, a sampler adapted to periodically sample the output signal into a plurality of samples arranged time-wise, and an analyzer adapted to identify a peak sample from the plurality of samples. The peak sample has the greatest magnitude of the plurality of samples. The analyzer is further adapted to thereafter identify an intermediate sample having a magnitude approximately equal to a predetermined fraction of the magnitude of the peak sample and use the intermediate sample to determine a distance between the device and the object.