# US 12,000,786 B2 · Measuring device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,786 B2 - Document ID: US12000786B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/293,704 - Filed: 2019-10-31 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-21 - Assignees: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG - Inventors: Thomas Blödt; Stefan Pflüger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000786B2 ## CPC - G01F 23/284: Electromagnetic waves - G01N 22/00: Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more (G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Disclosed is a measuring device for measuring a dielectric constant of filling material in a container. The measuring device includes: a signal generating unit designed to drive a transmitter electrode with an AC voltage such that the transmitter electrode emits a radar signal in the direction of the filling material; a receiver electrode arrangeable in the container to receive the radar signal following passage through the filling material; and an evaluation unit configured to ascertain an amplitude, a phase shift, and/or a signal propagation time between transmitter electrode and receiver electrode on the basis of the received radar signal and to determine the dielectric constant on the basis of the ascertained signal propagation time, phase shift, and/or the amplitude. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A measuring device for measuring a dielectric value of a bulk material in a container, comprising: a signal generating unit designed to drive a transmitter electrode by means of an electrical AC voltage signal such that the transmitter electrode transmits a radar signal in a direction of the bulk material; a receiver electrode arranged in the container to receive the radar signal after passing through the bulk material; and an evaluation unit configured to: ascertain an amplitude, a phase shift, and/or a signal propagation time between the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode on the basis of the radar signal received by the receiver electrode, and determine the dielectric value on the basis of the ascertained signal propagation time, phase shift, and/or the ascertained amplitude, wherein the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode each includes: a dielectric resonator layer, and a metallic reflection layer mounted behind the dielectric resonator layer with respect to each other electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator layer is made of a material having a relative dielectric value between 2 and 30, and/or wherein the material from which the dielectric resonator layer is produced has a magnetic permeability between 0.5 and 10. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode each include an array of planar radiators arranged either on the front side on the dielectric resonator layer or in the interior of the dielectric resonator layer relative to the other electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric resonator layer has a depth which corresponds to one-quarter of the wavelength of the radar signal or a multiple thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generating unit is designed to generate the AC voltage signal with a varying frequency such that the evaluation unit determines the signal propagation time by using a frequency difference between the emitted radar signal and the received radar signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generating unit is designed to emit the AC voltage signal in a pulse such that the evaluation unit determines the signal propagation time by using a pulse propagation time between the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein signal generating unit is designed to generate the alternating voltage signal with a frequency between 0.4 GHz and 30 GHz. ### Claim 8 A method for measuring a dielectric value of a bulk material in a container, the method comprising: providing a measuring device for measuring the dielectric value of the bulk material in the container, including: a signal generating unit designed to drive a transmitter electrode by means of an electrical AC voltage signal such that the transmitter electrode transmits a radar signal in a direction of the bulk material; a receiver electrode arranged in the container to receive the radar signal after passing through the bulk material; and an evaluation unit configured to: ascertain an amplitude, a phase shift, and/or a signal propagation time between the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode on the basis of the radar signal received by the receiver electrode, and determine the dielectric value on the basis of the ascertained signal propagation time, phase shift, and/or the ascertained amplitude, wherein the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode each includes: a dielectric resonator layer, and a metallic reflection layer mounted behind the dielectric resonator layer with respect to each other electrode; emitting the radar signal via the transmitter electrode in the direction of the bulk material; receiving the radar signal via the receiver electrode after passing through the bulk material; determining the amplitude of the received radar signal and/or the signal propagation time between emission and reception of the radar signal; and determining the dielectric value by using the amplitude and/or the signal propagation time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the signal propagation time is determined by using a pulse propagation time method. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the signal propagation time is determined by using an FMCW method. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the signal propagation time is determined by using a phase evaluation method.