Radar Level Gauge Power Adjustment Circuit

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Radar level gauge systems with a common transceiver input/output terminal face challenges in achieving both low transmission power and high measurement accuracy, particularly in regulated environments where limited transmission power is required.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating power level adjusting circuitry between the transceiver input/output terminal and the propagation device, which allows for direction-dependent power level adjustment of electromagnetic signals, using active components to attenuate transmitted signals and amplify reflected signals, ensuring a lower transmission power while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If transmission power is reduced to comply with regulations, then regulatory compliance is achieved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission power levelVSAvoidfilling level measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the gain of the receiver branch based on the detected transmission power level. When transmission power is reduced to comply with regulations, the receiver gain is automatically increased to compensate, maintaining measurement accuracy despite the lower transmitted signal strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of receiver branch gain to compensate for the reduced transmission power. By adjusting the gain parameter dynamically, the system maintains sufficient signal strength for accurate measurement even when operating with limited transmission power as required by regulations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If a common transceiver input/output terminal is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to achieve low transmission power with high measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransceiver structureVSAvoidfilling level measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses dynamic gain adjustment in the receiver branch to compensate for the limitations of a common transceiver terminal. This dynamic adaptation allows the simple single-terminal structure to achieve both low transmission power and high measurement accuracy, which would otherwise require complex separated transmitter and receiver systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Power

If transmission power is limited, then regulatory compliance is achieved, but signal strength for accurate measurement deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission powerVSAvoidmeasurement quality
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the receiver gain parameter to compensate for limited transmission power. By increasing the receiver sensitivity through gain adjustment, the system maintains reliable measurement quality even when operating with reduced transmission power levels required for regulatory compliance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach enables a radar level gauge system to achieve the necessary low transmission power while maintaining high measurement accuracy, complying with regulatory requirements and ensuring sufficient isolation of the receiver branch.

Implementation Method 1

power level amplifying circuitry connected between the transceiver input/output terminal and the propagation device in such a way that the transmitted electromagnetic signals are attenuated and the reflected electromagnetic signals are amplified

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSignal attenuation and amplification:

Implementation Method 2

propagation device for allowing transmitted electromagnetic signals to propagate towards a surface of the product inside the tank, where signals are reflected, and for returning reflected electromagnetic signals back from the surface of the product

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic wave propagation and reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP1992922B1Radar level gauge system having limited transmission power
Publication Date: 2012.07.11 ROSEMOUNT TANK RADAR
  • EP1992922B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1992922B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1992922B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A radar level gauge system, for determining a filling level of a product contained in a tank, the radar level gauge system comprising a transceiver including a signal generator for generating electromagnetic signals for transmission; a transmitter branch for transmitting the electromagnetic signals; and a receiver branch for receiving electromagnetic signals, the transmitter branch and the receiver branch each being connected to a transceiver input/output terminal. The radar level gauge system further comprises a propagation device for allowing transmitted electromagnetic signals to propagate towards a surface of the product inside the tank, where signals are reflected, and for returning reflected electromagnetic signals back from the surface of the product; processing circuitry connected to the transceiver and configured to determine the filling level based on the reflected electromagnetic signals; and power level adjusting circuitry connected between the transceiver input/output terminal and the propagation device, and configured to adjust a power level of the transmitted electromagnetic signals by a transmission gain factor, and to adjust a power level of the returned reflected electromagnetic signals by a reception gain factor, the transmission gain factor being smaller than the reception gain factor, wherein the power level adjusting circuitry comprises at least one active component.