Abstract: An automatic fluid sampler works in conjunction with a conventional oil well test system. The sampler utilizes a rotating platter which aligns the mouth of a sampling container with a conduit for delivery of a composite sample which is provided in incremental volumes over the duration of a well test event. Upon completion of the well test, a fresh container is rotated to be in position to receive a composite sample for a new well test event.

Abstract: A digital time base generator and method for providing a first clock signal and a second clock signal in which a base clock signal having a base frequency is generated to provide two clock signals of slightly different frequencies with defined time or phase delay. Here, the base frequency is divided by a first integer to produce a first auxiliary signal, the frequency of the first auxiliary signal is multiplied by a factor to obtain the first clock signal, the base frequency is further divided by a second integer to produce a second auxiliary signal, and the frequency of the second auxiliary signal is multiplied by the factor to obtain the second clock signal.

Abstract: A packaging container with a base and a cover hinged together is provided. Base and cover are hinged together by first and second cooperating formations formed integrally with the base and the cover. One of the first and second cooperating formations provide sockets and the other cooperating formations provide pin portions removably receivable in the sockets to be rotatable therein to allow the cover to be rotated relative to the base between an open position and a closed position. Number and locations of the first and second formations are such that one or more are used for hinging, while others provide structural support between the base and the cover when the container is in the closed position.

Abstract: A method of operating an acoustic pulse echo ranging system is provided. A series of acoustic energy pulses of successively increasing or decreasing burst frequencies are transmitted through a transducer assembly. For each transmitted energy pulse associated echoes are received and converted into an echo function over time. The obtained echo function is stored in a two-dimensional pattern whose first dimension is the burst frequency and whose second dimension is the time. Based upon the two-dimensional pattern a frequency response function is evaluated as a function of echo function values over burst frequency at a selected point of time.

Abstract: In a pulse radar ranging system, directional coupling means are configured to convey transmit pulses to be transmitted via an antenna to a target and to convey target echoes received by the antenna to a signal mixer that generates an intermediate frequency signal. To embed a reference measurement into the target measurement, the directional coupling means include a four-port circulator with an additional port arranged between a port receiving the transmit pulses and a port coupled to the antenna. A reference line is coupled to the additional port for generating reference echo pulses in response to input pulses. The circulator is configured to split a portion of the transmit pulses to the reference line and to convey there reference echo pulses to the antenna.

Abstract: Pulse echo signals containing false echoes are processed by forming tracks of multiple received echoes and monitoring these tracks by a recursive filter such as a Kalman filter. A track velocity is estimated for each track, and the position of each the next echo on the track is predicted.

Abstract: In a method for detecting an object with an FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) ranging system a superior accuracy and resolution is obtained by determining the strongest sinusoidal component in the frequency spectrum and removing the determined component from the spectrum, repeating the preceding step at least once, adding one of the components determined in the two preceding steps to the spectrum, re-determining the then strongest sinusoidal component in the spectrum and removing the re-determined component from the spectrum, repeating the preceding step for each remaining of the determined sinusoidal components, and repeating the last two steps until a desired degree of convergence is reached.

Abstract: A radar high frequency module having at least one distance piece mounted at the flat top wall of the shielding cover for supporting the shielding cover on the printed circuit board without mechanical contact of the downwardly extending side walls of the shielding cover with the printed circuit board to allow alignment of a rod antenna to a patch antenna arranged on the printed circuit board with greater precision. The side walls may be fixed to the printed circuit board by a conductive adhesive.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining olefin concentrations in olefin-containing fuels (e.g., gasoline) are described. Generally, a Raman spectrum from a linear-calibration reference sample (e.g., a pure hydrocarbon, such as toluene) and Raman spectra from multiple simulated fuel samples having known olefin concentrations are obtained. An area ratio for each simulated fuel sample is created by dividing the area in the olefin region of each fuel sample by the area in the chemical spectral region of the linear-calibration reference sample. The area ratio and the known olefin concentration for each simulated sample are used to create a linear olefin calibration. The olefin concentration of a fuel sample with an unknown olefin concentration is calculated by determining the area ratio between the olefin spectral region in the unknown sample and the chemical spectral region in a concentration-calculation reference sample (e.g., toluene) and placing the new area ratio into the linear olefin calibration.

Abstract: For measuring the filling level of a measuring medium, including detecting multiple medium layers and interfaces between them, a multi-sensor probe can be dipped into the measuring medium and longitudinally segmented into a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a sensor for measuring a predetermined physical parameter of the surrounding medium. To provide an accurate, reliable and robust measurement of multiple medium layers a measurement model is defined for modeling signals of the sensors as a function of positions of a number of interfaces between the medium layers and the physical parameters of the medium layers. Prior distributions of the number of the interfaces, the positions of the interfaces and the physical parameters of the medium layers are defined. Based on the measurement model and the prior distributions a joint posterior distribution of the number of the interfaces and the positions of the interfaces is determined.

Abstract: A method for converting an N-bit digital value into an analog value is provided. N-M most significant bits of the digital value are converted into a first PWM signal whose period is a multiple of a base time period. M least significant bits of the digital value are converted into a second PWM signal whose period is a ½M fraction of the period of the first PWM signal. A third PWM signal is generated by inserting, during the pulse pause of the first PWM signal, the pulse of a selected single period of the second PWM signal into the first PWM signal. Further, the third PWM signal is low-pass filtered.

Abstract: To provide a simpler and less expensive system for multipoint level measurement, a level measurement system with at least two sensor devices operating in accordance with the pulse-echo principle and being connected via a communication network to a central signal processing device is provided. The computation-intensive evaluation of echo profiles for calculating distances or ranges is thus shifted from the sensor devices at the measurement locations or sites to the central signal processing device.

Abstract: A radar level gauge for measuring a level of a surface of a product in a container has an antenna for transmitting microwaves to the surface and receiving microwaves reflected by the surface, a measurement circuitry for generating said microwaves to be transmitted and for evaluating said received microwaves, a hollow waveguide between the antenna and the measurement circuitry, said waveguide being separated by a gap into a first waveguide member coupled to the antenna and a second waveguide member coupled to the measurement circuitry, and a dielectric barrier arranged in said gap. A dielectric barrier which is simpler in construction and less critical with respect to the wavelength of the microwaves is obtained in that the dielectric barrier comprises a shaft member inserted into the hollow waveguide and extending through at least a portion of the first waveguide member, through the gap and through at least a portion of the second waveguide member.

Abstract: A digital time base generator and method for providing a first clock signal and a second clock signal in which a base clock signal having a base frequency is generated to provide two clock signals of slightly different frequencies with defined time or phase delay. Here, the base frequency is divided by a first integer to produce a first auxiliary signal, the frequency of the first auxiliary signal is multiplied by a factor to obtain the first clock signal, the base frequency is further divided by a second integer to produce a second auxiliary signal, and the frequency of the second auxiliary signal is multiplied by the factor to obtain the second clock signal.

Abstract: A time-of-flight calibration system for a radar-based measurement device is provided. The time-of-flight calibration system includes a target antenna and a waveguide, e.g. a coaxial cable. The waveguide is coupled at one end to the target antenna and terminated at its other end by a wave-reflecting impedance.

Abstract: A pulse radar ranging system having a measurement channel and a reference channel is described. In the measurement channel containing an antenna and a measurement target, the normal measurement is performed by processing an echo from the target. In the reference channel containing signal delay means, a reference echo is processed to obtain temperature compensation information.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for coupling a coaxial cable to a planar circuit to provide galvanic isolation between the coaxial cable and the planar circuit while providing low transmission loss and reflections between the coaxial cable and the circuit. The mechanism comprises a co-planar waveguide coupled to the coaxial cable, a microstrip line connected to the circuit, a galvanic isolation component and a ground plane. The co-planar waveguide, the microstrip line and the galvanic isolation component are formed on one side of a two-sided substrate. The ground plane is formed on the other side of the substrate and underlies at least a portion of the co-planar waveguide to form a grounded co-planar waveguide. The ground plane includes a notch underlying a portion of the co-planar waveguide to provide a transition region from the co-planar waveguide to the grounded co-planar waveguide.

Abstract: A level sensing device with a high frequency radar system is provided. The radar system includes a radar high frequency module, a carrier board and a controller. The radar high frequency module is mounted on the carrier board using surface mount techniques. The controller includes a processor and the radar high frequency module has a plurality of components including one or more microwave integrated circuits, a radiating patch antenna, and coupling means for channeling a radiated signal from the patch antenna out of the module. The components are encapsulated to form the module and the coupling means includes a dielectric rod.

Abstract: A capacitive level sensor comprises a probe which is longitudinally segmented into a plurality of segments. Each segment comprises an electrode forming an electrical capacitor to a common ground electrode. Each electrode is connected to a measuring circuit via an associated one of a plurality of controllable switches. A control means controls said switches to successively and separately connect the capacitors to the measuring circuit. To simplify the design and manufacture of the level sensor, the controllable switches are individually arranged in the associated segments of the probe, and the control means is subdivided into control units respectively arranged in the segments and connected to a single control line.

Abstract: In a pulse radar system where received echo pulses are expanded in time by multiplication with sampling pulses and subsequent integration, the effect of disturbances on the integration is reduced by using a sample and hold circuit having a switch and a hold capacitor and wherein the switch is closed only when a sampling pulse is applied for the multiplication.