Method for measuring fill level of a fill substance located in a container by means of terahertz pulses
US10989584B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 13, 2017 |
| Grant date | Apr 27, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S13/88
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a method for measuring fill level of a fill substance using terahertz (THz) pulses or for determining distance to an object using terahertz pulses, as well as to a fill-level measuring device suitable for performing such method. The THz pulses are transmitted with a repetition frequency, wherein the repetition frequency according to the invention is controlled in such a manner as a function of travel time that the repetition frequency increases in the case of decreasing travel time and decreases in the case of increasing travel time. The separation or the fill level is determined not based on the measured travel time, but is based on repetition frequency. An exact fill level determination can be performed based on THz pulses, even when the frequency of the THz pulses significantly fluctuates. Consequently, very simply embodied pulse production units with comparatively small requirements for frequency stability of the THz pulses can be used.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.