Endress+hauserse+co. Kg

Endress + Hauser Gmbh + Co. Kg

Endress + Hauser Flowtec Ag

Winfried Mayer

Alexey Malinovskiy

Christian Seiler

Ralf Reimelt

Thomas Blödt

Martin Hitzler

Manuel Sautermeister

Christian Waldschmidt

Stefan Pflüger

Peter Klofer

Thomas Blodt

Roland Grozinger

Manfred Eckert

Peter Klöfer

Harald Faber

Qi Chen

Pablo Ottersbach

Michael Mirbach

Lukas Schwörer

Klaus Feißt

Rolf Gluth

Philipp Hügler

Stefan PFLÜGER

A measuring system for determining a filling volume of a filling material in a container comprises a 3D camera and a radar-based fill-level measurement device. The 3D camera is used to initially record at least one 3D image of at least one partial region of the empty container interior. Based on the 3D images, a data set or a digital spatial model is created by which at least such partial region the geometry of the empty container interior is represented. To create the required, three-dimensional surface or level profile, the fill-level measurement device is based on a principle of digital beam shaping, such as the MIMO principle. Thus, based on the data set reflecting the geometry in the container interior and based on the fill-level profile, the filling volume in the container can be determined.

Filling volume measurement

The relates to a measuring device neck of a radar based, fill level measuring device for determining a fill level profile (L(α,β)) of a fill substance. In the measuring device neck, the waveguides for contacting the antenna arrangement are aligned along a contour (k, k), which surrounds the device neck axis radially symmetrically and adjoins the measuring device neck. Such is advantageous, since the waveguides can be made together as a monolithic, basic body, which can be inserted easily into the measuring device neck. Furthermore, the arrangement of the waveguides in the measuring device neck favors the thermal management in the transmitting/receiving electronics of the fill level measuring device, since its thermally critical radar chips can be spaced maximally from one another.

Fill-level measuring device

A method for radar-based measurement of a filling level of a filling material in a container includes, in successive measurement cycles, generating an evaluation curve, and the relevant current evaluation curve is stored; a first difference curve is formed based on the evaluation curve of the current measurement cycle and a stored evaluation curve of a preceding measurement cycle; and the filling level is determined based on a maximum in the current first difference curve. The filling level is thus established from the difference curve rather than from the evaluation curve, and the filling level can be determined with greater certainty—in particular in the case of filling material having rippled surfaces.

Method for radar measurement of a filling level in a container

Disclosed is a method and a corresponding distance-measuring device for measuring a distance to an object using FMCW radar. The method includes the frequency-dependent determination of the amplitude of the radar signal, i.e. the frequency response in the output path and in the input path of the distance-measuring device. The standard windowing of the evaluation signal can be corrected using a correction factor dependent on the frequency responses. Thus the frequency dependence of the radar signal is compensated independently of device-internal or external interferences by adapting the window function. The result is more accurate and reliable distance measurement using FMCW radar. Because the distance can be determined by the disclosed method very accurately and without distortion, it is advantageous to use the distance-measuring device as a fill-level measuring device to measure the fill level of a filling material in a container.

Method for FMCW-based distance measurement

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

Disclosed is a method for detecting a faulty state of an FMCW-based fill level measuring device. For this, a correlation coefficient is ascertained by correlation, especially cross correlation, of the measurement signal with a reference signal. The faulty state is accordingly detected when the correlation coefficient subceeds a predefined minimum value. In this way, the functioning of the fill level measuring device can be monitored with a degree of safety allowing the fill level measuring device to be applied also in process plants and measuring environments, which require extremely reliable measuring apparatuses, and measurement data.

Method for detecting potential faulty states on an FMCW-based filling level measuring apparatus

Disclosed is a device for measuring fill level of a liquid comprising: a measuring tube having a tube wall extending between first and second terminal openings and which surrounds a volume for guiding the liquid, wherein a tube axis extends between the two tube openings; a first conductor extending at least sectionally around the volume and is electrically insulated from the volume; a second conductor extending at least sectionally around the volume and is electrically insulated from the first conductor and from the volume, wherein the two conductors extend essentially in parallel with one another and form a waveguide for microwaves; an HF circuit for in-coupling a microwave signal into the waveguide and for receiving reflected microwave signals out-coupled from the waveguide; an operating and evaluating circuit for determining fill level of the liquid in the measuring tube based on received microwave signals.

Magneto-inductive flow meter including a device for continuous quantitative determination of the degree of filling

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

The present disclosure relates to a method for detecting a fault state at an FMCW-based fill level measuring device, including performing two reference measurements successively in time, a first reference measurement signal and a second reference measurement signal, using the filling level measuring device under a predefined reference measurement condition. In each of the two reference measurement signals a characteristic parameter is determined, wherein a change in the characteristic parameter over time is determined by comparing the two reference measurement signals. A fault state is detected when the change in the characteristic parameter exceeds a predefined maximum characteristic parameter change.

Method for detecting a fault state at an FMCW-based filling level measuring device

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.

Frequency generator with two voltage controlled oscillators

An apparatus for determining the fill level of a fill substance in a container, comprising at least one antenna element. The at least one antenna element has a hollow conductor, wherein there is arranged at a first end region of the hollow conductor a coupling element for the out-coupling of transmission signals and for the in-coupling of received signals, wherein there is arranged at a second end region of the hollow conductor a radiating element directed toward the fill substance, a transmitting/receiving unit having a signal generator for producing the transmission signals. The transmitting/receiving unit determines the fill level of the fill substance in the container based on the travel time of the transmission- and received signals. The connecting line and/or the hollow conductor are/is embodied in such a way that the transmission signals are transmitted time delayed, so that the distance between the at least one antenna element and the surface of the fill substance is virtually increased and the received signal is isolated in time from disturbances of the transmitting/receiving unit, which arise in the case of producing the transmission signals.

Apparatus for determining fill level of a fill substance

The invention relates to a frequency generator for generating two pulse repetition frequency signals with slightly different frequencies for a radar measuring device. The frequency generator comprises an oscillator, which generates an oscillator signal, a first signal path for generating a first pulse repetition frequency signal from the oscillator signal, and a second signal path for generating a second pulse repetition frequency signal from the oscillator signal. The first signal path comprises a frequency divider or a first DDS module which is designed to generate a first frequency signal on the basis of the oscillator signal, a first mixer which is designed to upmix the first frequency signal or a signal derived therefrom to an intermediate frequency band and to generate a first intermediate frequency signal, and a first ceramic bandpass filter which is designed to filter out a selected frequency component of the first intermediate frequency signal and to generate a bandpass-filtered first intermediate frequency signal. The second signal path comprises a second DDS component which is designed to generate a second frequency signal on the basis of the oscillator signal, said second frequency signal differing from the first frequency signal by a specified frequency offset, a second mixer which is designed to upmix the second frequency signal or a signal derived therefrom to an intermediate frequency band and to generate a second intermediate frequency signal, and a second ceramic bandpass filter which is designed to filter out a selected frequency component of the second intermediate frequency signal and to generate a bandpass-filtered second intermediate frequency signal.

PRF frequency generator for a fill level measuring device

A radar measurement apparatus works according to the FMCW principle and includes a radar transmission unit, and a radar receiving unit, which is designed to receive a radar received signal reflected on a surface of the medium or other target in a pipe or tube, to convert the received signal into an intermediate frequency signal by mixing with the transmission signal, or a signal derived therefrom, and based on an intermediate signal to determine distance to the surface of the medium or other target. The radar receiving unit applies a phase correction to the intermediate signal produces a phase corrected, intermediate frequency signal, wherein the phase correction lessens or removes a dispersion dependent phase fraction in the phase of the intermediate signal and adds a non-dispersion effects dependent phase fraction. The radar receiving unit is designed based on the phase corrected intermediate signal to determine the target frequency components in the intermediate frequency signal and based on the target frequency components to determine distance to the surface of the medium or other radar.

Growing community of inventors

Buch, Germany

Winfried Mayer