Vega Grieshaber Kg

Christoph Mueller

Daniel Schultheiss

Michael Fischer

Josef Fehrenbach

Bernhard Corbe

Steffen Waelde

Roland Baur

Karl Griessbaum

Juergen Motzer

Winfried Rauer

Christian Weinzierle

A radar module for process automation including process measurement technology and the automation industry is provided, the radar module including: a radar signal source configured to generate and to transmit, and/or to receive, a radar signal; and a dielectric radar signal guide configured to receive the radar signal and then to transmit the radar signal to an antenna, a waveguide, and/or a dielectric lens, the dielectric radar signal guide being arranged at a predetermined distance from the radar signal source, forming an intermediate space, and an end face of the dielectric radar signal guide facing the radar signal source at least partially has a metallic layer.

Radar module

A radar module for level and/or limit level monitoring in plant automation, comprising a radar signal source that generates and transmit a radar signal, the radar signal source having a surface facing a filling material, a radar signal conductor that receives, conducts and emits the radar signal, the radar signal conductor being mounted on the surface of the radar signal source, and a potting compound that at least partially covers the surface of the radar signal source and at least partially covers the radar signal conductor.

A radar transceiver chip for transmitting a transmission signal and for receiving a received signal is proposed. The radar transceiver chip includes a transmitting branch, a receiving branch, a coupler, by means of which the transmitting branch is coupled to the receiving branch, and exactly one antenna terminal for connecting an external antenna to the radar transceiver chip. The coupler is coupled to the antenna terminal and is configured to output at least a portion of the transmission signal to the antenna terminal and to feed at least a portion of the received signal, received via the antenna terminal, into the receiving branch, the receiving branch comprising a receiving mixer which is configured to generate an intermediate frequency signal on the basis of the received signal.

Radar transceiver chip

A waveguide coupling for a fill level radar including a waveguide and a high-frequency chip, which projects at least in part into the waveguide and includes a coupling element for coupling the transmission signal into the waveguide.

Waveguide coupling for a fill level radar

A radar fill level measurement device can be provided, which comprises a frequency synthesizer configured to generate an oscillator signal, a high-frequency signal generation module configured to generate a transmission signal based on the oscillator signal, and an energy-supply module configured to supply electrical energy to the frequency synthesizer and the high-frequency signal generation module. Associated methods and computer-accessible medium can also be provided. The frequency synthesizer can comprise a control device, a reference oscillator and a phase-locked loop. The phase-locked loop can comprise a phase-locked device and an oscillator. The phase-locked loop can be configured to adjust a frequency of the oscillator signal to a target value, and the phase-locked device can be configured to provide a control signal for the control device when the frequency of the oscillator signal has reached the target value. The control device can also be configured to actuate the energy-supply module to supply the electrical energy to the high-frequency signal generation module before the control signal is provided by the phase-locked device.

Radar fill level measurement device

An exemplary fill level measurement device comprising a radar module can be provided, along with method, computer-executable instructions and computer-readable medium. The radar module can comprise a receiving channel for receiving a radar signal reflected by a filling medium. The fill level measurement device can also comprise a test module for testing the functionality of the receiving channel. The test module can comprise a test input (for feeding in a test signal having a test frequency, and a feeding-in apparatus configured to feed at least part of the test signal into the receiving channel. The feeding-in apparatus can be configured to superpose and/or combine the test signal with the radar signal reflected by the filling medium. The receiving channel of the radar module can further comprise a mixing device having an intermediate frequency output. The mixing device can be configured to output the test frequency of the test signal at the intermediate frequency output when the receiving channel is functioning correctly.

Radar fill level measurement device having a self-testing function

A printed circuit board for a radar level measurement device with a printed circuit board substrate is provided, wherein a microwave signal is coupled via a microwave conductor into a waveguide. A connection region on a front side of the printed circuit board substrate serves to receive the waveguide. A shape of a resonator shell is generated inversely by producing an annular peripheral recess whose wall has an electromagnetically reflecting coating on a rear side of the printed circuit board substrate. The annular peripheral recess on the rear side, together with a region surrounded by the recess, forms a resonator for the injected microwave signals.

Printed circuit board for a radar level measurement device with waveguide coupling

A fill level measuring device designed for the generation and emission of a transmission signal, wherein the transmission signal includes at least one frequency ramp. In order to determine the level of a filling material in a vessel, only frequencies within a fundamental frequency interval are used. In this case, the minimal frequency of the fundamental frequency interval is greater than the minimal frequency of the frequency ramp and/or the maximal frequency of the fundamental frequency interval is smaller than the maximal frequency of the frequency ramp. The approach provides a reduction of power peaks in the frequency spectrum of the mean power of fill level measuring devices, which peaks result from times in which the fill level measuring device emits a constant frequency before the beginning of or after a frequency ramp.

Reduction of power peaks in the spectrum of the mean power of fill level measuring devices

A housing for a high-frequency chip in a radar device for level measurement is provided, including a high-frequency chip having a high-frequency terminal and a supply terminal; horizontal metal layers; vertical metal connecting lines; and an external supply terminal configured to connect the chip to a circuit board of the device, the chip being attached to one of the horizontal metal layers in an electrically conductive manner, and being embedded in a polymer compound, which is located between the horizontal metal layers, the supply terminal being connected to the external supply terminal via at least one of the horizontal metal layers and via at least one of the vertical metal connecting lines, and the high-frequency terminal being connected to an antenna configured to decouple and receive radar waves, via at least one of the horizontal metal layers and/or via at least one of the vertical metal connections.

Housing for a high-frequency chip

A radar fill level measurement device for determining a fill level of a medium is provided, including a radar module to generate a transmission signal of at least 60 GHz; and an antenna coupled to the module and to transmit the signal to a surface of the medium and to receive a reflected signal, the module including a phase-locked loop including a push-push oscillator and a phase detector, the oscillator including a first and second outputs, a duplexer coupled between the push-push oscillator and the antenna, and a frequency multiplier coupled between the oscillator second output and the duplexer, the oscillator first output being directly wired to the phase detector input, the duplexer being coupled to the antenna, the phase detector including a reference input and a phase detector output coupled to an oscillator control input. A method for operating a radar fill level measurement device is also provided.

Radar fill level measurement device comprising a phase-locked loop

A level radar is switchable between pulsed and FMCW radar methods. For example, the radar device may include two separate front ends which can be activated selectively via a logic control system. Upon switching to the respective other measurement principle, the evaluation software is also adapted accordingly. In this way, it is possible to use advantageous properties of both measurement methods in a targeted manner.

Multi-system radar for measuring filling levels

The transmission power of a fill level radar is varied in that the transmission power is switched, by a signal switch, from a first transmission power to a second transmission power. This switching takes place, for example, by bypassing the high-frequency amplifier or by switching off a drain voltage.

Variable transmission power for fill level measuring

A circuit for a fill-level measuring device is for the fast switching-on of a high-frequency element on a ground port is disclosed. The circuit comprises a switching unit with a circuit mass; a high-frequency element with a high-frequency mass; and a coupling element that couples the two masses together and at the same time insulates them from each other in a direct-current manner. In this way the switching unit can be arranged on the GND port of the HF-element, without influencing the HF characteristics of said HF element.

Mass coupling at clocked HF-elements

A level measuring instrument has a variable transmitting power for measuring a filling level in a tank. The level measuring instrument includes a generator unit generating one of a first oscillator signal and a second oscillator signal. The generator unit generates a transmit signal from one of the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal. The level measuring instrument includes further a controller controlling the generator unit. The generator unit generates one of first and second transmitting powers for the transmit signal.

Filling level radar with variable transmitting power

In fill-level measuring devices according to the pulse-transit-time method, a reflection that is generated internally in a microwave module is used as a reference for transit time measuring. For generating the reference pulse, the microwave module comprises its own sampling mixer or its own oscillator. Subsequently, the echo signal and the reference pulse can be further processed separately or together. No delay line is necessary on the transmission frequency of the radar sensor. Interference as a result of leakage signals is largely prevented.

Growing community of inventors

Oppenau, Germany

Christoph Mueller