Endress+hauserse+co. Kg

Martin Hitzler

Winfried Mayer

Christian Waldschmidt

Andreas Weier

Gerald Burgeth

Disclosed is a high frequency module for producing or processing radar signals for use in radar-based fill-level measuring devices. The high frequency module includes: a semiconductor component to produce or to process electrical, high frequency signals; a dielectric coupling element contacted with the semiconductor component to couple the high frequency signals as radar signals into a dielectric waveguide or in order to couple radar signals from the waveguide as electrical, high frequency signals into the semiconductor component. The coupling element and the waveguide form a plug contact. In the case of appropriate design of the plug contact there results upon plug-in a self-centering, so that need for a complex adjustment during manufacturing is absent. Since radar frequencies of above 100 GHz can be produced by the semiconductor component, corresponding fill level measuring devices are characterized by a high measuring resolution and compact structures.

High-frequency module

A high-frequency component for radar-based distance measurement comprises: a semiconductor component configured to generate electrical high-frequency signals; and coupling element configured as a substrate-integrated waveguide and electrically contacted by the semiconductor component as to couple the high-frequency signals as radar signals into a hollow waveguide of the high-frequency component, the hollow waveguide being in galvanic contact with the coupling element such that no defined distance between the hollow waveguide and the coupling element must be set to achieve an efficient coupling out of the high-frequency signal into the hollow waveguide. The galvanic contact thereby enables a simple manufacture of the high-frequency component and a compact and accurate distance measuring device using the high-frequency component.

High-frequency component

A radar based, fill-level sensor comprising at least one semiconductor element, including at least a semiconductor chip and a chip package, in which the at least one semiconductor chip is arranged, wherein the at least one semiconductor chip has at least one coupling element, which serves as a signal gate for electromagnetic waves, preferably in the millimeter wave region, characterized in that at least one first resonator structure is arranged on a surface portion of the chip package.

Radar based fill-level sensor

The present disclosure relates to an electronic component for the bunched emitting and/or receiving of radar signals. For this, the electronic component comprises: a semiconductor chip, which is embodied to emit and/or to receive the radar signal by means of a primary radiator, and a support, on whose surface the semiconductor chip is arranged for electrical contacting. According to the present disclosure, the surface of the support has at least a first step embodied in such a manner that the radar signal in the case of the emitting and/or receiving is bunched approximately perpendicularly to the surface of the support. In this way, the electronic component-of the present disclosure is suited especially for those applications of radar based distance measurement, which benefit from bunched emitted and received radar signals.

Electronic component for emitting and receiving radar signals

A frequency generator includes two voltage controlled oscillators, which have a plurality of switchable sub-bands, each, and which are designed to produce respective frequency signals, wherein a switching from one sub-band to a neighboring sub-band occurs at predetermined switching locations. The sub-bands of the second oscillator are arranged offset in frequency relative to the sub-bands of the first oscillator. The frequency generator includes an electronic switch element, which is designed to switch either the first or the second frequency signal through to the output of the electronic switch element, and to switch the switch element such that during the producing of the frequency ramp alternately either the first or the second frequency signal is switched through to the output. When at one of the oscillators the switching between two neighboring sub-bands is occurring, the frequency signal produced by the other oscillator is switched through to the output.

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Dillingen, Germany

Martin Hitzler