Fill-level measurement device
AssigneeEndress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
InventorsMarkus Vogel, Harald Faber, Anton Kochetkov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an FMCW-based fill-level measurement device, the fill-level value can be compensated with regard to component tolerances. A diagnosis unit of the fill-level measurement device compares the clock rate of the signal-generating PLL with the sampling rate of the analog/digital converter and determines a first compensation factor. With the aid of the first compensation factor, the determined fill-level value can be compensated with regard to these sampling or clock rates without any external high-precision reference source having to be used for this purpose.
Claims12
1-11. (canceled)
A frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW)-based, fill-level measurement device for measuring a compensated fill level value of a filling material in a container, comprising:
- a transmission unit via which a high-frequency signal can be transmitted in a direction of the filling material and, after reflection at the filling material surface, can be received as a received signal;
- a signal generation unit designed to generate the high-frequency signal according to an FMCW principle and with reference to a defined clock rate;
- a receiving unit designed to:
- downmix the received signal into a low-frequency base signal in accordance with the FMCW principle;
- and
- sample the base signal at a defined sampling rate;
- an evaluation unit designed to:
- determine a distance value from the filling material by using the sampled base signal;
- compensate the distance value using a first compensation factor and/or a second compensation factor;
- and
- determine the compensated fill-level value with the aid of the compensated distance value;
- and
- a diagnosis unit designed to:
- determine the first compensation factor by comparing the clock rate with the sampling rate;
- determine the second compensation factor by comparing the clock rate and/or the sampling rate with a reference frequency and/or the first compensation factor;
- and
- transmit the first compensation factor or the second compensation factor to the evaluation unit.
A method for compensating a fill-level measurement device, the method comprising:
- providing the fill-level measurement device, including:
- a transmission unit via which a high-frequency signal can be transmitted in a direction of a filling material and, after reflection at the filling material surface, can be received as a received signal;
- a signal generation unit designed to generate the high-frequency signal according to an FMCW principle and with reference to a defined clock rate;
- a receiving unit designed to:
- downmix the received signal into a low-frequency base signal in accordance with the FMCW principle;
- and
- sample the base signal at a defined sampling rate;
- an evaluation unit designed to:
- determine a distance value from the filling material by using the sampled base signal;
- compensate the distance value using a first compensation factor and/or a second compensation factor;
- and
- determine the compensated fill-level value with the aid of the compensated distance value;
- and
- a diagnosis unit designed to:
- determine the first compensation factor by comparing the clock rate with the sampling rate;
- determine the second compensation factor by comparing the clock rate and/or the sampling rate with a reference frequency and/or the first compensation factor;
- and
- transmit the first compensation factor or the second compensation factor to the evaluation unit;
- determining the first compensation factor by comparing the clock rate with the sampling rate, and/or
- determining the second compensation factor by comparing the clock rate and/or the sampling rate with the reference frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.