Echo curve determination at a resolution that differs on area-by-area basis
First Claim
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1. A method for determining an echo curve using a fill level measurement device which operates according to a distance measurement method and carries out a spectral analysis of a measurement signal, which has been received by the fill level measurement device during the fill level determination, comprising the steps of:
- detecting the measurement signal, which is a transmission signal transmitted by the fill level measurement device and reflected at least at the surface of a medium;
converting the detected transmission signal into an intermediate frequency signal;
sampling the intermediate frequency signal at discrete times, resulting in sampling values;
transforming the sampling values, obtained by the sampling, from a time range into a frequency range and calculating first points of an echo curve from the sampling values at a first spacing, and using the calculated first points to form the echo curve;
calculating second, additional points on a portion of the echo curve within a defined region of the echo curve at a second spacing which is smaller than the first spacing, and using the calculated second, additional points to form a portion of the echo curve;
determining a distance value from the surface of the medium using the second, additional points; and
providing the distance value to an external interface of the fill level measurement device.
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Abstract
To determine an echo curve using a fill level measurement device operating according to the FMCW principle, the echo curve is calculated from corresponding sampling values at a first resolution. After this, a particular portion of the echo curve is calculated at a second, higher resolution using the DTFT algorithm. This can reduce the complexity required for calculating the echo curve.
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10 Claims
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1. A method for determining an echo curve using a fill level measurement device which operates according to a distance measurement method and carries out a spectral analysis of a measurement signal, which has been received by the fill level measurement device during the fill level determination, comprising the steps of:
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detecting the measurement signal, which is a transmission signal transmitted by the fill level measurement device and reflected at least at the surface of a medium; converting the detected transmission signal into an intermediate frequency signal; sampling the intermediate frequency signal at discrete times, resulting in sampling values; transforming the sampling values, obtained by the sampling, from a time range into a frequency range and calculating first points of an echo curve from the sampling values at a first spacing, and using the calculated first points to form the echo curve; calculating second, additional points on a portion of the echo curve within a defined region of the echo curve at a second spacing which is smaller than the first spacing, and using the calculated second, additional points to form a portion of the echo curve; determining a distance value from the surface of the medium using the second, additional points; and providing the distance value to an external interface of the fill level measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A high-resolution fill level measurement device which operates according to a distance measurement method and carries out a spectral analysis of a measurement signal, which has been received by the device during the fill level determination, comprising:
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an antenna configured to detect a measurement signal, which is a transmission signal transmitted by the device and reflected at least at the surface of a medium; a high-frequency unit configured to convert the detected transmission signal into an intermediate frequency signal; an external interface; a sampling unit configured to sample the intermediate frequency signal at discrete times resulting in sampling values; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which a program element is stored which, when executed by a processor, causes the fill level measurement device to; calculate first points from the sampling values at a first spacing, and using the calculated points to form an echo curve; calculate second, additional points from the sampling values at a second spacing which is smaller than the first spacing, and using the calculated second, additional points to form a portion of the echo curve; determine a distance value from the surface of the medium using the second, additional points; and providing the distance value to the external interface of the fill level measurement device.
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Specification