BR-102025005747-A2 - RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE, USE OF A RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE, METHOD FOR PERFORMING A MEASUREMENT AND COMPUTER-READABLE NON-VOLATILE STORAGE MEDIUM

BR102025005747A2BR 102025005747 A2BR102025005747 A2BR 102025005747A2BR-102025005747-A2

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a radar level measuring device (100) configured to perform a measurement (210, 220, 230) to determine a level (194). The level (194) is determined by means of an FMCW measurement method. The radar level measuring device (100) comprises a transmitting device (110) configured to transmit a radar signal (114) towards a filler material surface (194); a receiving device (120) configured to receive the radar signal (124) reflected from the filler material surface (194); a control device (160) configured to control the transmitting device (110) and the receiving device (120); and a selection device (140) configured to select a set of parameters (150.1) to control the transmitting device (110) and the receiving device (120). The parameter set (150.1) comprises at least one measurement duration (td) of the measurement (210), a minimum measurement frequency (fmin) and a maximum measurement frequency (fmax) of the measurement (210) and a number of consecutive measurements (210, 220, 230).

Inventors

Christian Hoferer
Manuel Kaufmann
René Herrmann

Assignees

VEGA GRIESHABER KG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260317
Application Date: 20250325
Priority Date: 20240326

Claims (12)

1. RADAR LEVEL MEASURING DEVICE (100) configured to perform a measurement (210, 220, 230) to determine a level (194) of a filler material (192), wherein the determination of the level (194) is performed by means of an FMCW measurement method, characterized by the radar level measuring device (100) comprising: a transmitting device (110) configured to transmit a radar signal (114) towards a filler material surface (194) to perform the measurement (210); a receiving device (120) configured to receive the radar signal (124) reflected from the filler material surface (194) and to evaluate the measurement (210); a control device (160) configured to control the transmitting device (110) and the receiving device (120); and a selection device (140) configured to select a set of parameters (150.1) to control the transmitting device (110) and the receiving device (120), wherein the set of parameters (150.1) comprises at least one measurement duration (td) of the measurement (210), a minimum measurement frequency (fmin) and a maximum measurement frequency (fmax) of the measurement (210), and a number of consecutive measurements (210, 220, 230).
2. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) depends on a signal-to-noise ratio of the reflected radar signal (124), wherein the signal-to-noise ratio was determined by the receiving device (120) from an evaluation of at least one previous measurement (210).
3. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized by the parameter set (150.1) further comprising the following set of partial parameters for the transmission device (110): an amplitude of the radar signal to be transmitted (114), a slope ramp (Δf / td) of the measurement (210), and/or a pause length (tp) between each two measurements (210, 220, 230).
4. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the parameter set (150.1) further comprises the following set of partial parameters for the receiving device (120): a number of sampling points during the measurement period (td) of the measurement (210), a bit width of an A/D converter, and/or a successive measurement evaluation strategy (210, 220, 230), wherein the evaluation strategy comprises evaluating each of the successive measurements (210, 220, 230) individually or evaluating the measurements (210, 220, 230) cumulatively.
5. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) further depends on: an amplitude of the reflected radar signal (124), the bit width of the A/D converter of the receiving device (120), an energy currently available in an energy storage (170), and/or a rate of change in the filling level (194) of the filling material (192).
6. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) is carried out based on a table (150), or in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) is carried out based on the determination of each individual parameter of the parameter set (150.1).
7. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) is carried out by means of a neural network (ANN).
8. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the selection of the parameter set (150.1) comprises a selection of a predefined set of parameters.
9. RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a subset of the parameter set (150.1) is determined to be invariant.
10. USE OF A RADAR LEVEL MEASUREMENT DEVICE (100), as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is for level measurement, for topology determination and/or for limit level determination.
11. METHOD FOR PERFORMING A MEASUREMENT (210), characterized in that it is by means of a radar level measuring device (100), as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9, to determine a level (194) of a filler material (192), comprising the steps of: performing a first measurement (210), wherein performing the first measurement (210) comprises: - transmitting a first radar signal (114) in the direction of a filler material surface (194), - receiving the first radar signal (124) reflected from the filler material surface (194), and - evaluating the measurement (210), wherein evaluating the measurement (210) comprises at least determining a signal-to-noise ratio of the first reflected radar signal (124); and perform a second measurement (220), wherein performing the second measurement (220) comprises: - selecting a set of parameters (150.1) for the second measurement (220), - transmitting a second radar signal (114) towards the surface of the filler material (194) according to a set of partial parameters for the transmission device (110), - receiving the second radar signal (124) reflected from the surface of the filler material (194) according to a set of partial parameters for the transmission device (110), and - evaluating the second measurement (220), wherein evaluating the second measurement (220) comprises determining the filler level (194).
12. COMPUTER-READABLE NON-VOLATILE STORAGE MEDIUM, characterized in that it has a program stored thereon which, when executed on a processor of a radar level measuring device (100), as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9, instructs the device to execute the steps according to the method, as defined in claim 11.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS [001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of German Patent Application No. 10 2024 202 862.2, filed on March 26, 2024, the full content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [002] The disclosure relates to a fill level measuring device for performing a measurement, in particular a fill level measuring device whose parameters for performing the measurement can be selected by means of a selection device. The disclosure also relates to a use, a method and a means of non-volatile, computer-readable storage. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [003] A level measurement can be performed for a variety of measurement situations. A measurement situation may, for example, include a specific filling material/product, a specific product dynamic, i.e., its filling and/or emptying behavior, a maximum distance between a minimum and maximum filling level, optimization criteria, such as a measurement that is as accurate as possible or as economical as possible, and/or other measurement circumstances. In at least some cases, it may be necessary to adapt the filling level measuring device to the specific measurement situation. Therefore, it would be desirable for the filling level measuring device to be able to perform at least some of the adaptations for a specific measurement situation automatically. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [004] It is an object of the disclosure to provide a device and/or a method that can automatically perform at least part of the adjustments of a fill level measuring device for a specific measuring situation. This object is resolved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Other embodiments of the disclosure result from the dependent claims and the description that follows. [005] One aspect relates to a radar level measuring device configured to perform a measurement to determine the level of a filler material, wherein the level determination is performed by means of an FMCW measurement method. The radar level measuring device comprises: a transmitting device configured to transmit a radar signal towards a filler material surface to perform the measurement; a receiving device configured to receive the radar signal reflected from the filler material surface and to evaluate the measurement; a control device configured to control the transmitting device and the receiving device; a selection device configured to select a set of parameters to control the transmitting device and the receiving device, wherein the set of parameters comprises at least a measurement duration, a minimum measurement frequency and a maximum measurement frequency, and a number of consecutive measurements. [006] The radar level measuring device can, for example, be configured to perform a measurement to determine a fill level, to determine a topology and/or to determine a limit level of a fill material. The fill material can be, for example, a liquid, including an emulsion or suspension, or a bulk material, in particular a granulated or powdered bulk material. The medium or fill material can be, for example, a liquid, for example, water, juice, milk, alcohols, oils, paint, ketchup, or a bulk material such as flour, sand, coffee powder, plastic granules and/or other type of medium or product. The medium can be in a container. The container can be, for example, a measuring container or tank, process tank, storage tank or silo of any shape. For example, the container can be an intermediate bulk container (IBC). The container can also be a channel, such as a stream or riverbed. The filling level, topology, or threshold level is determined using a measurement method called FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar). The radar waves used for this can cover a frequency range of 1 to 300 GHz, for example, 50 to 100 GHz. [007] The radar level measuring device comprises a transmitting device configured to transmit a radar signal towards a filler material surface to perform the measurement. The transmitting device comprises a radar sensor unit with a radar antenna of any shape, for example, a horn antenna, a planar antenna and/or any other radar antenna shape. The type and/or shape of the radar antenna may depend on the frequency range used for the measurement. [008] The radar level measuring device also comprises a receiving device configured to receive the radar signal reflected by the surface of the filler material. In addition, the receiving device is configured to evaluate the measurement. The evaluation of the measurement may include, for example, determining the filler level, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the evaluation may include the determination of measurement parameters, for example, a signal-to-noise ratio of the reflected radar signal. [009] The radar level measuring device further comprises a control device configured to control the transmitting device and the receiving device. The control of the transmitting device and the