ANTENNA DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ANTENNA DEVICE
First Claim
1. An antenna device, comprising:
- a controller; and
an antenna array comprising;
at least two transmission devices in first predeterminable positions,at least two receiving devices in second predeterminable positions,wherein the controller is configured to alternately individually excite the at least two transmission devices for transmission in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission devices,wherein the controller is further configured to excite the at least two transmission devices jointly for transmission at a predeterminable moment, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by a single virtual transmission device, andwherein the virtual transmission device is arranged in a predeterminable position which differs from the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices; and
wherein, when the at least two transmission devices are adjacent, the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals and/or when the at least two receiving devices are adjacent, the second predeterminable positions of the at least two receiving devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna device is disclosed, including a control means and at least two transmission means in predeterminable positions and at least two receiving means in predeterminable positions. The control means is set up in such a way that it alternately individually excites the at least two transmission means in transmission, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission means. The control means is further set up to excite the at least two transmission means jointly in transmission at a predeterminable moment in such a way that each of the at least two receiving means receives a transmission signal generated by a single virtual transmission means.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An antenna device, comprising:
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a controller; and an antenna array comprising; at least two transmission devices in first predeterminable positions, at least two receiving devices in second predeterminable positions, wherein the controller is configured to alternately individually excite the at least two transmission devices for transmission in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission devices, wherein the controller is further configured to excite the at least two transmission devices jointly for transmission at a predeterminable moment, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by a single virtual transmission device, and wherein the virtual transmission device is arranged in a predeterminable position which differs from the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices; and wherein, when the at least two transmission devices are adjacent, the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals and/or when the at least two receiving devices are adjacent, the second predeterminable positions of the at least two receiving devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
wherein the evaluation device is configured to form an echo curve for a predeterminable spatial direction from the first predeterminable positions of the transmission devices and/or from the second predeterminable positions of the receiving devices using the received signals received during the predeterminable first time scheme and during the predeterminable second time scheme.
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3. The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation device is configured to form a virtual array from the antenna array.
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4. The antenna device according to claim 1,
wherein the at least two transmission devices are arranged with respect to a reference point, and wherein the virtual transmission device appears to be positioned at the reference point. -
5. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted signals generated by the at least two transmission devices are each assignable to one of the at least two transmission devices by applying a time-multiplexing method and/or a coding method.
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6. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is set up to excite the at least two transmission devices using a frequency-modulated continuous wave signal.
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7. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least two transmission devices and one of the at least two receiving devices are formed as joint transceiver device which is configured to both transmit a signal and receive a signal.
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8. The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the total of durations from the predeterminable first time scheme and the predeterminable second time scheme determines the duration of a measurement cycle.
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9. The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation device is configured to weight the received signals;
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wherein the controller is configured to weight the transmitted signals.
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10. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna device is configured as a two-conductor instrument having a power supply line also used for transferring data.
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11. The antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine a level, a volume of an object, a mass of an object and/or a surface structure of an object.
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12. A level measuring instrument for determining a level and/or for determining a surface structure of an object, the level measuring instrument comprising an antenna device according to claim 1.
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13. A method for operating an antenna device, which comprises an antenna array having at least two transmission devices in first predeterminable positions and having at least two receiving devices in second predeterminable positions, the method comprising:
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exciting the at least two transmission devices alternately, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission devices; and exciting the at least two transmission devices in joint transmission at a predeterminable moment, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by a single virtual transmission device, wherein the virtual transmission device is arranged in a predeterminable position which differs from the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices; and wherein, when the at least two transmission devices are adjacent, the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals and/or when the at least two receiving devices are adjacent, the second predeterminable positions of the at least two receiving devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals.
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14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program element for operating an antenna device, which comprises at least two transmission devices in first predeterminable positions and having at least two receiving devices in second predeterminable positions, which, when it is executed by a processor, carries out the following method, comprising:
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exciting the at least two transmission devices alternately, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by each of the at least two transmission devices; and exciting the at least two transmission devices in joint transmission at a predeterminable moment, in such a way that each of the at least two receiving devices receives a transmitted signal generated by a single virtual transmission device, wherein the virtual transmission device is arranged in a predeterminable position which differs from the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices; and wherein, when the at least two transmission devices are adjacent, the first predeterminable positions of the at least two transmission devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals and/or when the at least two receiving devices are adjacent, the second predeterminable positions of the at least two receiving devices are arranged at a distance which is less than or equal to half the wavelength of used signals.
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Specification