Patents by Inventor Thomas Blodt
Thomas Blodt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220003687Abstract: Disclosed is a measuring device for measuring a dielectric constant of filling material in a container. The measuring device includes: a signal generating unit designed to drive a transmitter electrode with an AC voltage such that the transmitter electrode emits a radar signal in the direction of the filling material; a receiver electrode arrangeable in the container to receive the radar signal following passage through the filling material; and an evaluation unit configured to ascertain an amplitude, a phase shift, and/or a signal propagation time between transmitter electrode and receiver electrode on the basis of the received radar signal and to determine the dielectric constant on the basis of the ascertained signal propagation time, phase shift, and/or the amplitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2019Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Thomas Blödt, Stefan Pflüger
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Patent number: 11054512Abstract: The invention relates to a frequency converter circuit for a radar-based distance-measuring device. The core of the frequency converter circuit is a non-linear, high-frequency component, having a frequency connection point and a signal connection point, which serves as a signal input for a low-frequency input signal. On the reception side, the frequency converter circuit comprises at least one receiving antenna for receiving the high-frequency reception signal and a non-linear semiconductor component for downconverting the high-frequency reception signal. The frequency converter circuit therefore uses the effect that, by means of the low-frequency input signal, corresponding harmonic waves are induced at the non-linear, high-frequency component. Furthermore, the high-frequency reception signal is downconverted into a low-frequency evaluation signal, whereby the further determination of the distance can be performed on the basis of the low-frequency evaluation signal, which can be processed more easily.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KGInventors: Thomas Blödt, Peter Klöfer
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Patent number: 10989584Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Endress+HauserSE+Co. KGInventor: Thomas Blödt
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Patent number: 10983069Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measuring device for measuring a dielectric constant of fill substances in containers. The measuring device includes: a transmitting circuit for transmitting a first electromagnetic high-frequency signal and a second electromagnetic high-frequency signal; a receiving circuit for receiving the two high-frequency signals; and an evaluation circuit to ascertain a first phase shift between the transmitting and the receiving of the first high-frequency signal, to ascertain a second phase shift between the transmitting and the receiving of the second high-frequency signal, and to ascertain an amplitude of one of the received high-frequency signals. Based on these three values, the dielectric constant is determined. By determining phase shift at different frequencies, it is possible according to the present disclosure, especially in the case of solid-type fill substances, to determine their dielectric constant uncorrupted, thus without influence of air inclusions or moisture.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KGInventors: Thomas Blödt, Tobias Brengartner
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Patent number: 10768035Abstract: A radar fill-level measuring device for measuring a fill level of a fill substance in a container using the travel time principle, comprising a circuit board with a sending/receiving system for sending and receiving high-frequency radar waves, wherein the circuit board has at least two openings, a hollow conductor having at least two lateral edge projections, wherein lengths of the at least two projections are greater than the thickness of the circuit board, wherein the at least two projections are led through the at least two openings, so that the at least two projections extend partially out from a second side of the circuit board, a lid, which is secured to parts of the at least two projections, which extend out from the second side of the circuit board, such that the hollow conductor is secured to the circuit board by means of the lid.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO.KGInventors: Christian Seiler, Thomas Blodt, Jorg Fuglistaller
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Patent number: 10422683Abstract: An apparatus for determining the fill level of a fill substance in a container, comprising at least one antenna element. The at least one antenna element has a hollow conductor, wherein there is arranged at a first end region of the hollow conductor a coupling element for the out-coupling of transmission signals and for the in-coupling of received signals, wherein there is arranged at a second end region of the hollow conductor a radiating element directed toward the fill substance, a transmitting/receiving unit having a signal generator for producing the transmission signals. The transmitting/receiving unit determines the fill level of the fill substance in the container based on the travel time of the transmission- and received signals.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2015Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO.KGInventors: Thomas Blodt, Winfried Mayer, Christian Seiler
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Publication number: 20190271773Abstract: The invention relates to a frequency converter circuit for a radar-based distance-measuring device. The core of the frequency converter circuit is a non-linear, high-frequency component, having a frequency connection point and a signal connection point, which serves as a signal input for a low-frequency input signal. On the reception side, the frequency converter circuit comprises at least one receiving antenna for receiving the high-frequency reception signal and a non-linear semiconductor component for downconverting the high-frequency reception signal. The frequency converter circuit therefore uses the effect that, by means of the low-frequency input signal, corresponding harmonic waves are induced at the non-linear, high-frequency component. Furthermore, the high-frequency reception signal is downconverted into a low-frequency evaluation signal, whereby the further determination of the distance can be performed on the basis of the low-frequency evaluation signal, which can be processed more easily.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2017Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Thomas Blödt, Peter Klöfer
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Patent number: 10345350Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting high-frequency signals (22), comprising method steps as follows: dividing a high-frequency signal (22) into a raw signal (3) and a reference signal (4), attenuating the raw signal (3) into an attenuated signal (9), wherein the attenuating happens as a function of frequency of the raw signal (3) in accordance with an attenuation characteristic, rectifying the attenuated signal (9), so that a first direct voltage (15) is generated, rectifying the reference signal (4), so that a second direct voltage (16) is generated, ascertaining an attenuation from the ratio of the first and second direct voltages (15, 16), wherein the ratio corresponds to an attenuation factor for the attenuation of the raw signal (3), determining the frequency of the high-frequency signal (22) from the attenuation factor and an attenuation characteristic (17).Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO.KGInventors: Thomas Blodt, Timo Schwall
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Publication number: 20190187071Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measuring device for measuring a dielectric constant of fill substances in containers. The measuring device includes: a transmitting circuit for transmitting a first electromagnetic high-frequency signal and a second electromagnetic high-frequency signal; a receiving circuit for receiving the two high-frequency signals; and an evaluation circuit to ascertain a first phase shift between the transmitting and the receiving of the first high-frequency signal, to ascertain a second phase shift between the transmitting and the receiving of the second high-frequency signal, and to ascertain an amplitude of one of the received high-frequency signals. Based on these three values, the dielectric constant is determined. By determining phase shift at different frequencies, it is possible according to the present disclosure, especially in the case of solid-type fill substances, to determine their dielectric constant uncorrupted, thus without influence of air inclusions or moisture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2018Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Thomas Blödt, Tobias Brengartner
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Publication number: 20190094060Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventor: Thomas Blödt
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Patent number: 10236555Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for transferring signals from at least one housing opening of a housing, which is metallic at least in part, by means of electromagnetic waves of at least one specific wavelength. The device includes a transmitting/receiving unit arranged in the housing; at least one primary antenna arranged in the housing; a first secondary antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves decoupled from the primary antenna; and a second secondary antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves transferred from outside the housing, wherein the second secondary antenna is arranged outside the housing on the housing opening, wherein a reflection point is arranged between the first and second secondary antennas, such that an impedance jump occurs between the first and second secondary antennas.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KGInventor: Thomas Blödt
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Patent number: 10224597Abstract: Antenna arrangement for a fill-level measuring device for ascertaining and monitoring a fill level of a medium in a container by means of a microwave, travel-time measurement method, comprising a horn antenna having a horn shaped component for focusing microwaves and a microwave transmissive, process isolating element, which is provided in the region of the exit opening of the horn shaped component facing the medium and which isolates the interior of the horn shaped component from the interior of the container. There is provided for additional focusing of the microwaves a lengthening component, which lengthens the horn shaped component in the radiated direction of the microwaves. The process isolating element is embodied and arranged in such a manner that it isolates the horn shaped component and the lengthening component galvanically from one another.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2014Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO. KGInventor: Thomas Blodt
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Patent number: 10215610Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves (EM waves) for ascertaining and monitoring a fill level of a medium in a container, comprising a first hollow conductor with a first coupling element for the out- and in-coupling of EM waves, a second hollow conductor with a second coupling element for the out- and in-coupling of EM waves, a horn radiator for radiating and focusing of EM waves, wherein the first and second hollow conductors are dimensioned such that EM waves out-coupled from the first and second coupling elements radiate from the horn radiator scattered and with weak intensity, or scattered and weak intensity EM waves, which are received from the horn radiator, couple to the first and second coupling elements, and EM waves out-coupled only from the first coupling element radiate from the horn radiator focused and with strong intensity, or focused and strong intensity EM waves, which are received from the horn radiator couple only to the first coupling eType: GrantFiled: January 27, 2016Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KGInventor: Thomas Blödt
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Patent number: 10168197Abstract: A fill-level measuring device working according to the pulse radar principle for measuring a fill level of a fill substance in a container, comprising: a transmission system a pulse producing system, which, comprises, in each case, at least two measurements, for each measurement, produces a transmission signal composed of at least one microwave pulse periodically following one another, of center frequency predetermined for the particular measurement. The center frequencies of the transmission signals of at least two of the measurement are different from one another.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO. KGInventor: Thomas Blodt
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Publication number: 20180224318Abstract: An Apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container, comprising: a mechanically oscillatable unit a driving/receiving unit for exciting the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations by means of an electrical, exciting signal and for receiving and transducing the mechanical oscillations into an electrical, received signal a control unit, which is embodied to produce the exciter signal starting from the received signal and to set a predeterminable phase shift between the exciter signal and the received signal, an electromagnetically oscillatable unit, an active element for producing and/or maintaining electromagnetic oscillations in the electromagnetically oscillatable unit, which active element forms together with the electromagnetically oscillatable unit an oscillator, a coupling unit, which is embodied to tap an output signal from the active element, and an evaluation unit, which evaluation unit is embodied to determine the at leastType: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2016Publication date: August 9, 2018Inventors: Thomas Blodt, Tobias Brentgartner, Benjamin Mack, Peter Klofer
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Publication number: 20180216984Abstract: A radar fill-level measuring device for measuring a fill level of a fill substance in a container using the travel time principle, comprising a circuit board with a sending/receiving system for sending and receiving high-frequency radar waves, wherein the circuit board has at least two openings, a hollow conductor having at least two lateral edge projections, wherein lengths of the at least two projections are greater than the thickness of the circuit board, wherein the at least two projections are led through the at least two openings, so that the at least two projections extend partially out from a second side of the circuit board, a lid, which is secured to parts of the at least two projections, which extend out from the second side of the circuit board, such that the hollow conductor is secured to the circuit board by means of the lid.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2016Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Christian Seiler, Thomas Blodt, Jorg Fuglistaller
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Publication number: 20180209835Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring fill level of a substance in a container. The method is based on pulse radar in which the repetition frequency of the microwave pulse is not constant but is controlled as a function of travel time. The repetition frequency increases as the travel time becomes shorter and lessens as the travel time becomes longer. The fill level is not based on the measured travel time, but is determined based on the resulting repetition frequency. The invention provides a pulse radar-based method for fill level measurement that can be implemented with reduced circuit complexity. This results from the fact that only the repetition frequency needs to be registered for fill level measurement. Neither a complex analog evaluating circuit nor a highly accurate time measurement are required. Complex digital data processing, such as the FMCW-based method required for fill level measurement, is absent.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2016Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Thomas Blödt, Peter Klöfer, Maik Weishaar
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Patent number: 10001398Abstract: A fill-level measuring device for determining the fill level of a process medium in a container by means of a travel-time method. The fill-level measuring device is distinguished by features including that the fill-level measuring device has structure for determining the dielectric constant of a second medium, which is located between the measuring device and the process medium. The structure for determining the dielectric constant comprises at least one waveguide for a high-frequency measuring signal, wherein such waveguide is filled at least sectionally with a dielectric and embodied and arrangeable in such a manner that the dielectric forms with the second medium an interface, at which a significant fraction of the measuring signal supplied to the second medium via the waveguide is reflected. Furthermore, an apparatus for determining the dielectric constant and a system of such an apparatus and a fill-level measuring device are proposed.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2013Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER GMBH + CO. KGInventors: Thomas Blodt, Peter Klofer
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Publication number: 20180156849Abstract: A method for detecting high-frequency signals, comprising: dividing a high-frequency signal into a raw signal and a reference signal; attenuating the raw signal into an attenuated signal, wherein the attenuating happens as a function of frequency of the raw signal in accordance with an attenuation characteristic; rectifying the attenuated signal, so that a first direct voltage is generated; rectifying the reference signal, so that a second direct voltage is generated; ascertaining an attenuation from the ratio of the first and second direct voltages, wherein the ratio corresponds to an attenuation factor for the attenuation of the raw signal; and determining the frequency of the high-frequency signal from the attenuation factor and an attenuation characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2016Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: Thomas Blodt, Timo Schwall
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Publication number: 20180034129Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for transferring signals from at least one housing opening of a housing, which is metallic at least in part, by means of electromagnetic waves of at least one specific wavelength. The device includes a transmitting/receiving unit arranged in the housing; at least one primary antenna arranged in the housing; a first secondary antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves decoupled from the primary antenna; and a second secondary antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves transferred from outside the housing, wherein the second secondary antenna is arranged outside the housing on the housing opening, wherein a reflection point is arranged between the first and second secondary antennas, such that an impedance jump occurs between the first and second secondary antennas.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2015Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventor: Thomas Blödt