公开(公告)号：US11255714B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-22

申请号：US15747192

申请日：2016-07-26

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Thomas Blodt ,  Tobias Brengartner ,  Benjamin Mack ,  Peter Klofer

IPC: G01F23/296 ,  G01F23/284 ,  G01N9/00 ,  G01N11/16 ,  G01N27/02 ,  G01N33/03 ,  G01N33/28

Abstract: An Apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container, comprising: a mechanically oscillatable unit a driving/receiving unit for exciting the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations by means of an electrical, exciting signal and for receiving and transducing the mechanical oscillations into an electrical, received signal a control unit, which is embodied to produce the exciter signal starting from the received signal and to set a predeterminable phase shift between the exciter signal and the received signal, an electromagnetically oscillatable unit, an active element for producing and/or maintaining electromagnetic oscillations in the electromagnetically oscillatable unit, which active element forms together with the electromagnetically oscillatable unit an oscillator, a coupling unit, which is embodied to tap an output signal from the active element, and an evaluation unit, which evaluation unit is embodied to determine the at least one process variable from the received signal and/or from the output signal.

公开(公告)号：US11054512B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-06

申请号：US16335406

申请日：2017-08-24

Applicant: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co. KG

Inventor： Thomas Blödt ,  Peter Klöfer

IPC: G01S13/34 ,  G01F23/284 ,  G01S7/35 ,  H03K5/00 ,  G01S7/03 ,  G01S7/282

Abstract: The invention relates to a frequency converter circuit for a radar-based distance-measuring device. The core of the frequency converter circuit is a non-linear, high-frequency component, having a frequency connection point and a signal connection point, which serves as a signal input for a low-frequency input signal. On the reception side, the frequency converter circuit comprises at least one receiving antenna for receiving the high-frequency reception signal and a non-linear semiconductor component for downconverting the high-frequency reception signal. The frequency converter circuit therefore uses the effect that, by means of the low-frequency input signal, corresponding harmonic waves are induced at the non-linear, high-frequency component. Furthermore, the high-frequency reception signal is downconverted into a low-frequency evaluation signal, whereby the further determination of the distance can be performed on the basis of the low-frequency evaluation signal, which can be processed more easily.

公开(公告)号：US11022480B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-01

申请号：US15577910

申请日：2016-05-23

Applicant: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co. KG

Inventor： Ghislain Daufeld ,  Jens Merle ,  Markus Vogel ,  Alexey Malinovskiy ,  Stefan Gorenflo

IPC: G01F23/284 ,  G01F25/00 ,  G01S7/40 ,  G01S13/88

Abstract: A method for checking the functional ability of an FMCW-based fill-level measuring device, which serves for measuring the fill level of a fill substance located in a container, as well as to a fill-level measuring device suitable for performing this method. For checking the functional ability, a microwave signal is produced, whose frequency change differs from the frequency change of the measurement signal used during regular measurement operation. By comparing the frequency of the difference signal resulting from the microwave signal with a predetermined reference frequency, it is ascertained, whether the fill-level measuring device is functionally able. Thus, the fill-level measuring device detects, independently, whether it is functionally able, or whether an error is present, caused principally by device-internal disturbance signals. This offers, especially, a clear advantage as regards meeting safety standards for the field device.

公开(公告)号：US10712219B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-14

申请号：US15748529

申请日：2016-06-22

Applicant: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co. KG

Inventor： Max Jehle ,  Davide Parrotto ,  Thomas Uehlin

IPC: G01L9/00

Abstract: A pressure sensor for determining a pressure measurement variable includes a housing, a pressure sensor element arranged in the housing, a lighting means arranged in the housing and a control/evaluation unit, the pressure sensor element having a semiconductor material and a measuring membrane, which has at least one integrated resistance element. When the measuring membrane experiences a pressure dependent deflection, the control/evaluation unit ascertains using the integrated resistance element, an electrical signal for determining the pressure measurement variable, wherein the lighting means optically excites the integrated resistance element, and the control/evaluation unit ascertains, based on a change of the electrical signal caused by the optical excitation, whether a malfunction of the pressure sensor is present.

公开(公告)号：US10591443B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US14913418

申请日：2014-07-08

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Sergej Lopatin ,  Raphael Kuhnen ,  Dietmar Fruhauf

IPC: G01N29/036 ,  G01N11/16 ,  G01F23/296 ,  G01N9/00 ,  G01N9/24

Abstract: A vibration sensor comprising an oscillatable unit, which is composed of a membrane with an inner surface and an outer surface and, in given cases, at least one oscillatory element secured on the outer surface of the membrane. A transmitting/receiving unit is provided, which with a predetermined exciter frequency excites the oscillatable unit to execute oscillations and which receives oscillations of the oscillatable unit. A control/evaluation unit is provided, which signals reaching of the predetermined fill level or ascertains the density, respectively the viscosity, of the medium. In order to be able to apply the vibration sensor in high temperature applications, a disc shaped element of a magnetostrictive material is provided, which has a force transmitting connection with the inner surface of the membrane. The transmitting/receiving unit is an electromagnetic drive.

公开(公告)号：US10557826B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15521625

申请日：2015-09-02

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Raphael Kuhnen ,  Ira Henkel ,  Peter Wimberger

IPC: G01F23/296 ,  G01N11/16 ,  G01N29/22 ,  G01N29/46 ,  G01N29/07 ,  G01N9/00 ,  G01N29/02

Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container, comprising at least an oscillatable unit having at least one membrane, and at least one oscillatory element, a driving/receiving unit embodied to excite the mechanically oscillatable unit by means of an electrical, exciter signal of adjustable excitation frequency to execute oscillations in an oscillation mode corresponding to the excitation frequency and to receive mechanical oscillations from the oscillatable unit and to convert such into an electrical received signal, and an electronics unit embodied, to produce the exciter signal, and to ascertain from the received signal the at least one process variable. The membrane is connected with the driving/receiving unit. The oscillatory element has the shape of an oscillatory rod, on which a paddle is terminally formed, and the oscillatory element is secured on the membrane in an end region remote from the paddle. Mass distribution, stiffness and/or geometry of the oscillatable unit is/are selected in such a manner that at least one of the oscillation modes of the oscillatable unit higher in reference to the oscillation mode corresponding to the excitation frequency lies in the range between two neighboring whole-numbered multiples of the excitation frequency.

公开(公告)号：US10422680B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-24

申请号：US14889255

申请日：2014-04-22

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Armin Wernet ,  Gerd Bechtel ,  Kaj Uppenkamp ,  Franco Ferraro

IPC: G01F23/26 ,  G01F23/24

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring at least one media-specific property of a medium in automation technology with a measuring probe, wherein the at least one media-specific property is ascertained in a conductive operating mode and in a capacitive operating mode of the measuring probe. The conductive operating mode and the capacitive operating mode are operated alternately, wherein based on the measured values, which are ascertained in at least one of the two operating modes, it is checked, whether the at least one media-specific property to be monitored lies within a predetermined tolerance band, and wherein a report and/or a switching signal is generated, when the at least one media-specific property to be monitored lies outside of the predetermined tolerance band.

公开(公告)号：US10416021B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-17

申请号：US14782541

申请日：2014-02-17

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Stefan Gorenflo ,  Alexey Malinovskiy

IPC: G01F25/00 ,  G01F23/284 ,  G01F23/296

Abstract: A method for measuring a fill level of a fill substance in a container with a fill-level measuring device working according to the travel time principle. The fill-level measuring device in measurement operation sends transmission signals toward the fill substance in the container and, based on their signal fractions reflected back in the container, derives echo functions, which give the amplitudes of the signal fractions as a function of their travel time. With the assistance of a table, whose rows correspond to discrete fill levels and whose columns correspond to discrete travel times, and in which are stored as historical measurement points, in each case, in that row, whose row index corresponds to the associated fill level, information derived from echo functions derived in the past concerning travel times of echo function maxima attributed to reflections on reflectors located in the container, that also delivers reliable measurement results, when measuring conditions at the location of use of the fill-level measuring device can change, wherein the table is continuously updated based on current echo functions derived in ongoing measurement operation, wherein current measurement points derived from current echo functions are stored.

公开(公告)号：US10401215B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US14881370

申请日：2015-10-13

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Tobias Brengartner ,  Lukas Gersbacher

IPC: G01H11/06 ,  G01F1/66 ,  G01F23/284 ,  G01F23/00 ,  G01F23/296 ,  G01N9/00 ,  G01F1/20

Abstract: A method to determine and/or monitor at least one process variable of a medium with at least one vibration-capable unit. The vibration-capable unit is excited to mechanical vibrations by means of an electrical excitation signal of an adjustable frequency; wherein the mechanical vibrations are transduced into a received electrical signal, which is characterized at least by a frequency and/or a phase and/or an amplitude. The excitation signal is generated based on the received signal; wherein the voltage values of the received signal are sampled at specified predetermined points in time, starting from the excitation signal. The real part and the imaginary part of the received signal are determined from the sampled voltage values of the received signal by means of a Goertzel algorithm; wherein at least one Goertzel coefficient—in particular the number of the sample values and/or an operating frequency and/or a sample frequency—is provided for performing the Goertzel algorithm. At least the current phase and/or the current amplitude of the received signal are calculated from the real part and the imaginary part of the received signal; wherein the frequency of the excitation signal is adjusted such that a predeterminable phase shift is present between the excitation signal and the received signal; and wherein the at least one process variable is determined.

公开(公告)号：US10371556B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-06

申请号：US15116255

申请日：2015-01-16

Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG

Inventor： Klaus Feisst ,  Eric Bergmann

IPC: G01S7/03 ,  G01F23/284 ,  G01S13/88

Abstract: A device for determining or monitoring the filling level of a filling material stored in a container in a process, comprising a signal generating unit, a coupling/decoupling unit which couples the high-frequency measurement signals to an antenna unit or decouples said high-frequency measurement signals from the antenna unit. The antenna unit has a wave guide and an antenna element which widens in the direction of the filling material. The antenna unit emits high-frequency measurement signals in the direction of the surface and receives the echo signals reflected by the surface of the filling material. A control/evaluation unit determines the filling level of the filling material in the container from the transit time of the measurement signals. At least one process separation device is thereby provided in or on the antenna unit, which process separation device protects the coupling/decoupling unit from influences of the process, wherein a first process separation device is produced at least partially from a dielectric material with a specified porosity, and wherein the first process separation device is configured to be at least approximately transparent to the high-frequency measurement signals.