SENSOR DEVICE
First Claim
1. Sensor device (1) for detecting the fill level of a collection container (2), havingan ultrasound transducer (4),an activation device (6), which is structured in such a manner that the activation device (6) causes the ultrasound transducer (4) to switch to an active operating state in response to an external signal that reaches the activation device (6), wherein the ultrasound transducer (4) carries out at least one measurement in the operating state,wherein the sensor device (1) is configured in such a manner that before the measurements, the sensor device (1) can be configured with regard to defined general conditions for a specific collection container type, and wherein the sensor device (1) has a control input (13) that is structured in such a manner that signals that come from the activation device (6) can be detected by the control input (13), wherein the general conditions comprise trigger conditions as well as limit values for the fill level, and wherein the trigger signals relate to at least one environmental signal, and wherein the activation device (6) comprises a light sensor, a movement sensor, an electrical contact or a vibration measurement device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor device for detecting the fill level in a collection container includes an ultrasound transducer and is designed such that the sensor device, and thus the ultrasound transducer, can switch between an active operating mode and a power-saving mode. The sensor device and the ultrasound transducer arranged therein require less energy in the power-saving mode than in the operating mode. In the power-saving mode, the sensor device can be brought into the active operating mode using environmental signals and external trigger conditions, which can be configured specifically for a given collection container type. An activation device is provided, which is designed such that, based on an external signal, the activation device causes the sensor device to switch into the active operating mode, wherein the ultrasound transducer performs at least one measurement in the active operating mode. The sensor device has a low-power interface for wireless transfer of data.
10 Citations
11 Claims
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1. Sensor device (1) for detecting the fill level of a collection container (2), having
an ultrasound transducer (4), an activation device (6), which is structured in such a manner that the activation device (6) causes the ultrasound transducer (4) to switch to an active operating state in response to an external signal that reaches the activation device (6), wherein the ultrasound transducer (4) carries out at least one measurement in the operating state, wherein the sensor device (1) is configured in such a manner that before the measurements, the sensor device (1) can be configured with regard to defined general conditions for a specific collection container type, and wherein the sensor device (1) has a control input (13) that is structured in such a manner that signals that come from the activation device (6) can be detected by the control input (13), wherein the general conditions comprise trigger conditions as well as limit values for the fill level, and wherein the trigger signals relate to at least one environmental signal, and wherein the activation device (6) comprises a light sensor, a movement sensor, an electrical contact or a vibration measurement device.
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11. Method for switching a sensor device (1) that is in the idle state to an active operating state, wherein the sensor device (1) carries out multiple measurements in the active operating state, containing the following steps:
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a) an activation device (6) configured as a light sensor, an electrical contact or a vibration measurement device is addressed by at least one external environmental signal, in accordance with a trigger condition for a specific collection container type; b) the activation device (6) transmits a signal to a control input (13) of the sensor device (1); c) a control unit (15) is activated in the sensor device (1); d) the control unit (15) addresses an ultrasound transducer (4) that emits an ultrasound signal for a specific detection region, which signal is reflected in the interior of a collection container (2), wherein the reflected signal is received back by the ultrasound transducer (4); e) the signal is converted to an electrical signal in the ultrasound transducer (4), and passed on to the control unit (15); f) a distance value for the detection region is determined from the electrical signal in the control unit (15); g) the distance value determined is transmitted to a higher-level controller (9); h) steps d) to g) are repeated for every one of the detection regions to be measured; i) the higher-level controller (9) calculates the fill level of the collection container (2) for the different detection regions from the distance values determined.
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Specification