Device and method for determining media characteristics and container characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354100-B2
Application number	US-201213454715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2012
Priority date	May 27, 2011
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A fill-level measuring device includes a self-learn device that is able to automatically determine the length of the dome shaft of the container. To this effect the self-learn device uses a multiple echo classified as such by a multiple-echo detection device. In this manner the result of fill level measuring may be improved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fill-level measuring device for determining a position of a fill level of at least one of (a) a feed material and (b) an interface between two feed materials in a container using electromagnetic or acoustic waves which are emitted in a direction of a surface of at least one of the feed material and the interface, comprising:
an echo-curve acquisition device configured to acquire at least one echo curve from reflections of the waves;
an echo identification device configured to evaluate the at least one echo curve;
a multiple-echo detection device configured to classify at least one echo of a multiple reflection from at least one of (a) a feed material surface and (b) a bottom of the container as a multiple echo; and
a self-learn device configured to automatically determine a length of a dome shaft of a dome arranged in an apex region of the container with the use of at least two multiple echoes classified by the multiple-echo detection device.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a position determination device;
wherein the echo identification device is configured to identify a plurality of echoes in the echo curve;
wherein the multiple-echo detection device is configured to classify at least two of the echoes as multiple echoes;
wherein the position determination device is configured to determine positions of the at least two multiple echoes; and
wherein the self-learn device is configured to determine the length of the dome shaft by calculating the positions of the at least two multiple echoes.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the self-learn device is configured to determine the length of the dome shaft as a function of the order of the at least two multiple echoes.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the echo identification device is configured to identify a plurality of echoes in the echo curve;
wherein the multiple-echo detection device is configured to classify two of the echoes as multiple echoes;
wherein the device is further configured to (a) group echoes of a first multiple echo and a second multiple echo into first and second tracks; (b) convert the tracks into track segments; and (c) identify a segment pair caused by the same reflection position in the container; and
wherein the device further comprises:
a speed determination device configured to determine at least two speed vectors of the at least two multiple echoes; and
wherein the self-learn device is configured to determine the length of the dome shaft by calculating an intersection of at least two speed vectors of the at least two multiple echoes as a function of straight-line equations of the identified segment pair.

5. A method for determining, in a container, a position of a fill level in the container of at least one of (a) a feed material and (b) an interface between two feed materials, comprising the steps of:
acquiring, using an echo-curve acquisition device, at least one echo curve from reflections of electromagnetic or acoustic waves, the waves emitted in a direction of a surface of at least one of the feed material and the interface;
evaluating, using an echo identification device, the at least one echo curve;
classifying, using a multiple-echo detection device, at least one echo of a multiple reflection from at least one of (a) the feed material surface and (b) a bottom of the container as a multiple echo; and
automatically determining, using a self-learn device, a length of a dome shaft of a dome arranged in an apex region of the container with the use of at least two multiple echoes classified by the multiple-echo detection device.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing a program element which, when executed on a processor of a fill-level measuring device, instructs the processor to initiate the following steps:
acquiring, using an echo-curve acquisition device, at least one echo curve from reflections of electromagnetic or acoustic waves, the waves emitted in a direction of a surface of at least one of the feed material and an interface between two feed materials;
evaluating, using an echo identification device, the at least one echo curve;
classifying, using a multiple-echo detection device, at least one echo of a multiple reflection from at least one of (a) a feed material surface and (b) a bottom of a container as a multiple echo; and
automatically determining, using a self-learn device, a length of a dome shaft of a dome arranged in an apex region of the container with the use of at least two multiple echoes classified by the multiple-echo detection device.

7. A fill-level measuring device for determining a position of a fill level of at least one of (a) a feed material and (b) an interface between two feed materials in a container using electromagnetic or acoustic waves which are emitted in a direction of a surface of at least one of the feed material and the interface, comprising:
an echo-curve acquisition device configured to acquire at least one echo curve from reflections of the waves;
an echo identification device configured to evaluate the at least one echo curve;
a multiple-echo detection device configured to classify at least one echo of a multiple reflection from at least one of (a) a feed material surface and (b) a bottom of the container as a multiple echo; and
a self-learn device configured to automatically determine a length of a dome shaft of a dome arranged in an apex region of the container with the use of a multiple echo in the echo curve, classified by the multiple-echo detection device, and a feed material echo in the echo curve.

Assignees

• Griessbaum Karl
• Welle Roland
• Grieshaber Vega Kg

Inventors

• Griessbaum Karl
• Welle Roland

Classifications

• G01F23/2962

  Measuring transit time of reflected waves · CPC title

• G01F23/296

  Acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01S7/292

  Extracting wanted echo-signals · CPC title

• G01S13/103

  particularities of the measurement of the distance (G01S13/12, G01S13/14, G01S13/16, G01S13/18 and G01S13/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/292

  Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet} · CPC title