Digital Evaluation Unit for Vibration Detector Fill Level Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vibration detectors for fill level, phase boundary, and density monitoring in containers lack flexibility, compactness, and protection against reverse engineering, with high development time and costs due to specialized electronic components and analog circuitry.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a digital control/evaluation unit that uses frequency scanning to determine the oscillation frequency with a predetermined phase shift, allowing for a universal platform capable of equipping different types of vibration detectors with identical components, and incorporating a microcontroller for flexible operation and copy protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized electronic components and analog circuitry are used in vibration detectors, then the detectors can be optimized for specific applications, but the development time and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal evaluation unit with a microcontroller that can handle multiple vibration detector types and applications through software configuration rather than hardware redesign. The system uses a standardized interface and signal processing algorithm that adapts to different oscillatory elements (rod, fork, membrane) and measurement purposes (fill level, phase boundary, density) without requiring specialized electronic components for each application.
2Reliability
If specialized electronic components are used in vibration detectors, then application-specific performance is improved, but the device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation unit employs a single microcontroller that performs all evaluation functions through programmable logic. The system accepts signals from various oscillatory elements and adapts its processing based on configuration parameters stored in memory, eliminating the need for multiple specialized electronic circuits. The standardized analog-to-digital converter and universal signal processing algorithm further reduce component diversity while maintaining application-specific performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves application-specific optimization by changing software parameters and configuration settings rather than hardware components. The microcontroller can be programmed with different frequency ranges, threshold values, and evaluation algorithms suitable for different applications (fill level monitoring, phase boundary detection, density measurement) without modifying the physical electronic circuitry.
3Reliability
If analog components are used in vibration detectors, then the detectors can be tailored to specific applications, but flexibility and compactness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog electronic circuitry with a digital microcontroller-based system. The analog-to-digital converter transforms continuous analog signals from the oscillatory element into discrete digital values that can be processed by the microcontroller. This substitution enables flexible reconfiguration through software updates and reduces the physical space required for electronic components while maintaining the ability to tailor the detector to specific applications through programmable parameters.
4Measurement precision
If analog components with strict component tolerances are used, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but the device becomes more sensitive to component variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces analog signal processing with digital processing, where the microcontroller reads digital values from the analog-to-digital converter and performs all calculations and evaluations in the digital domain. This eliminates the propagation of analog component tolerances and drift through the signal chain. The digital system can implement precise threshold comparisons and frequency measurements that are not affected by component variations, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while reducing sensitivity to component tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides high flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness by using digital signal processing, reducing the need for specialized components and enabling secure reverse engineering protection, while maintaining compactness and accuracy in fill level and density measurements.
Implementation Method 1
The excitation of the oscillatable unit occurs at the resonance frequency—thus here a so called fundamental wave excitation—wherein the phase shift between the transmission signal and the received signal usually lies in a defined range.
Implementation Method 2
The oscillatory element is excited to oscillations with successive discrete exciter frequencies, following one another in time, by means of a frequency scanning operation within a predeterminable frequency band in the working range of the oscillatable unit
Implementation Method 3
While the oscillatory element can execute its oscillations freely and undamped in air, as soon as it becomes immersed partially or completely in the medium, the oscillatory element experiences a frequency and amplitude change
Implementation Method 4
the oscillation of the oscillatory element is also influenced by the respective density of the medium, since the mass moved changes with density
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for determining or monitoring a predetermined fill level, a phase boundary or a density of a medium in a container with an oscillatable unit. The oscillatable unit is placed at the height of the predetermined fill level and is excited to oscillate successively with discrete exciter frequencies following one another in a frequency scanning operation (sweep) within a predeterminable frequency band in the working range of the oscillatable unit. The corresponding oscillations of the oscillatable unit are received in the form of received signals; wherein that exciter frequency is ascertained in the frequency scanning operation, at which the oscillatable unit oscillates with an oscillation frequency, which has a predetermined phase shift between the transmission signal and the received signal; and wherein the transmitting/receiving unit excites the oscillatable unit to oscillate with the ascertained oscillation frequency.