EP1728053A2

EP1728053A2 - Determination of the propagation time difference in an ultrasound flow sensor with multiple zero crossing detection

Info

Publication number: EP1728053A2
Application number: EP05701551A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tobias Lang
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2004-03-18
Filing date: 2005-01-19
Publication date: 2006-12-06
Also published as: JP2007529724A; WO2005090925A3; US20070162239A1; WO2005090925A2; KR20070004724A; DE102004013249A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an ultrasound flow sensor, particularly for measuring a volume or mass flow of a fluid (1), comprising two ultrasound converters (A,B), which are offset in the direction of flow (Z) and which respectively transmit a periodic ultrasound signal (S1,S2) to the other ultrasound converter (B,A), and a control and evaluation unit (4) which detects several reception moments (ti',tI ) per ultrasound signal (S1,S2) when an ultrasound signal (S1,S2) is received by an ultrasound converter (B,A), enabling a measuring variable (S) to be determined therefrom. The accuracy of the measurement can be improved substantially if the control and evaluation unit (4) comprises at least two counters (5a,5b), whereby the first counter counts a time period (Δt') from a first switching or reception moment (ti') of a signal (S2,P) at least until a first reception moment (tI ) of the ultrasound signal, and the second counter determines respectively the amount of time (Δt ) between a first and second moment in time (ti',tI ), which are combined in pairs, of the signals (S1,S2,P).

Description

description

Determining the transit time difference in an ultrasonic flow sensor with multiple zero-crossing detection

The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow sensor according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a method for evaluating the ultrasonic signals in such an ultrasonic flow sensor according to the preamble of patent claim 9.

Ultrasonic flow sensors are used to measure in particular the volume or mass flow or the flow velocity of a gaseous or liquid medium that flows through a pipeline. A known type of ultrasound flow sensors comprises two ultrasound transducers arranged offset in the flow direction, each of which generates ultrasound signals and transmits them to the other ultrasound transducer. The ultrasonic signals are received by the other transducer and evaluated using electronics. The transit time difference between the ultrasonic signal in the flow direction and the ultrasonic signal in the opposite direction is a measure of the flow speed. The desired measurement variable, e.g. a volume flow can be calculated.

Fig. 1 shows a typical arrangement of an ultrasonic flow sensor with two ultrasonic transducers A, B, which are arranged within a pipe 3 and face each other at a distance L. A fluid 1 flows in the pipeline 3 at a speed v in the direction of the Arrow 2. The measuring section L is inclined at an angle α with respect to the flow direction 2. During a measurement, the ultrasonic transducers A, B send ultrasonic pulses to one another, which depending on the direction are either slowed down or accelerated by the flow. The signal transit times are a measure of the flow rate to be determined.

FIG. 2 shows a greatly simplified schematic illustration of a converter arrangement with an associated control and evaluation electronics 4. The sensor works according to the so-called "sing-around" method. The reception of an ultrasound signal S1 or S2 at one of the transducers A, B triggers an ultrasound signal in the opposite direction.

A flow measurement essentially proceeds as follows: The electronics 4 outputs an electrical pulse to the converter A, which then generates an ultrasound signal S1 and sends it out to the second converter B. After a distance running time ti ₂ , the signal S1 is received by the second converter B. Immediately afterwards, "the second transducer B generates an ultrasound signal S2 which arrives at the first transducer A after a running time t ₂ ι. If tι ₂ and t _{2i are} the sound propagation times of the signals from A to B or vice versa, this results in a running time difference Ott = tι ₂ -t ₂ ι The flow velocity v can finally according to

2L Δt 1 v = - cosα (∑t) ² s

be calculated. Here αt = tι ₂ + t ₂ ι is the total running time for one round trip or round trip time, and s is a correction factor with s = l- (αt / αt) ² . 3 shows the signal curve of an individual ultrasound signal S1, S2 and the manner in which a reception time is determined for such a signal. The so-called zero crossing detection (zero crossing detection) is shown here. The "time of reception" of the signal is defined as the first zero crossing of the signal after the amplitude has exceeded a predetermined threshold value SW (the so-called pretrigger level). The reception time in this example would thus be the time t _o .

However, because of the noise component R, which is superimposed on the signal, zero-crossing detection leads to a relatively high temporal unsharpness αt _j in the pulse edge detection. Normally the unsharpness αt _{j is} so large that with a single measurement, especially at low flow velocities, no usable measurement accuracy can be achieved.

To increase the measuring accuracy, an elongated ultrasound signal is therefore preferably generated at the ultrasound transducers, as shown in FIG. 4. When such a signal S1, S2 is received at the other transducer, a plurality of reception times per ultrasonic signal are then detected. In the case of a measurement, there are therefore several runtime information items from which a measurement value can be determined with greater accuracy, the measurement duration being significantly shorter in comparison to several individual measurements.

4 shows the signals P, S1, S2 again in enlarged form

Representation, wherein the excitation signal P is shown in the upper part and the ultrasound signal S1 or S2 generated thereby in the lower part of the figure. As can be seen, the frequency of the ultrasound signal A1, B1 corresponds to that of the excitation signal P. The ultrasound signal A1, B1 also has a substantially constant maximum amplitude over several periods.

With regard to the detection of the signals S1, S2, the control and evaluation circuit 4 is implemented, for example, such that each time an ultrasound signal S1 or S2 crosses zero (after the amplitude of the signal has exceeded a predetermined threshold value SW), a reception time t-t _n is detected.

FIG. 5 shows the reception times of the signals S1, S2 in the order in which they arrive at the ultrasonic transducers A, B. In this example, the signal S2 arrives at the converter A several signal periods earlier than the signal S1 at the converter B. The associated reception times ti ', ti ^" .... t _n ^' , t _n " each result in a transit time difference αtι .. ..αt _n determined. For this purpose, n counters are usually required, with which the runtime differences ti of reception events belonging together are counted. This is relatively time-consuming and complicated.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic flow sensor or a corresponding method with which the transit times of two elongated ultrasonic signals can be determined with the least possible technical effort. The determination of the

Running times may also be possible in unfavorable flow conditions or when the flow direction is reversed.

This object is achieved by those specified in claim 1 and in claim 9

Features solved. Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of dependent claims.

An essential aspect of the invention is to provide a control and evaluation unit with two counters, the first of which is the number of full intervals of a first Signal (for example a reference signal or a first ultrasound signal) counts at least until the first reception time of an ultrasound signal, and the second counter counts the time period between a first and a second of several switching or reception times of the two signals combined in pairs. Because the transit time or transit time difference of the ultrasound signals is determined from a plurality of time periods that do not overlap in time, the transit time or transit time difference can be determined with only two counters and consequently with very little technical effort.

An ultrasonic flow sensor, which works according to the measurement principle described above, can be operated in different ways. A first possibility is to send an ultrasonic signal to the two ultrasonic transducers at the same time and to measure the transit time difference of the ultrasonic signals using the two counters. A second possibility is to first transmit an ultrasonic signal to only one of the transducers and to measure its transit time taking into account a clock signal, and then to carry out the same transit time measurement on the other transducer.

In the following, the operating mode of the

Flow sensor received, in which the ultrasonic signals are emitted simultaneously by the transducers. In this case, the first counter counts the number of full intervals (defined by two successive reception times in each case) of the ultrasound signal arriving first at least until the first reception time of the ultrasound signal arriving later, and the second counter in each case the period between a first and a second of several reception times of different ultrasound signals combined in pairs. The reception times (reception pairs) combined in pairs, the time span of which is measured by the second counter, preferably each include a reception time of the one ultrasound signal and a reception time of the other ultrasound signal immediately following. The receiving pairs are preferably selected such that they follow one another directly, without omitting individual reception times. The evaluation and control unit preferably forms an average value from the measured time periods between the receiving pairs. A relatively precise value for the transit time difference of the ultrasound signals can thus be determined from the counter reading of the first counter and the averaged counter reading of the second counter.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pairing assignment of two reception times is carried out according to the following rule: The control and evaluation unit first checks whether the first reception time of the signal arriving later is closer in time to the previous one or closer to the following

The time of reception of the ultrasound signal that first arrived is a predetermined time threshold, the first counter in the first case representing the length of time (or number of full intervals) from the first time of reception of the first signal to the time of reception of the first

Determines signal that precedes the first reception time of the ultrasound signal arriving later, and in the other case counts up to that reception time of the first ultrasound signal that follows the first reception time of the ultrasound signal arriving later. The first counter therefore counts the number of full intervals of the first ultrasound signal up to the first reception time of the later arriving ultrasound signal or one more interval, depending on the position of the first reception time of the later arriving ultrasound signal in the interval of the first ultrasound signal. The second counter preferably counts the time periods between two successive reception times of different signals. (The order of the reception times from which a reception pair is formed can change due to signal shift during the measurement).

The transit time difference is in the first case from the counter reading of the first counter and an average of the counter reading of the second counter by addition, in the second case by

Subtraction is formed, taking into account the different values of the two counters. The different selection of the first pair of receivers depending on the relative position of the first time of reception of the ultrasound signal arriving later has the significant advantage that the evaluation is very robust against signal jitter (noise or trembling of the signal) or turbulent flow. The frequency of errors is thus significantly reduced.

The second counter is preferably implemented as an up / down counter, which changes the counting direction depending on the order of the reception times combined in pairs and counts either upwards or downwards. In this way, in particular, shifts in the elongated ultrasonic signals, e.g. due to turbulent flow.

An explicit addition or subtraction of both counter readings can preferably be dispensed with, in that the first counter is also implemented as an up / down counter, which receives a transfer in the positive or negative direction from the second counter when the counter limits of the second counter are exceeded.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second counter accumulates the time spans of p pairs of reception times, where p is a power of two. The mean value of the counter reading of the second counter is then obtained after division by p. If p was chosen as the power of two, the mean value can be easily formed by a shift register operation in which the decimal place is shifted by log ₂ p places.

The operating mode of the flow sensor in which the ultrasound signals are emitted one after the other and the signal propagation times are determined taking into account a reference signal will now be discussed below. As in the first mode of operation, an elongated ultrasound signal is generated by means of a clock signal (excitation signal). This clock signal can itself serve as a reference signal. Alternatively, the reference signal can be derived from the clock signal by generating a voltage pulse with a defined edge (e.g. positive) on both the positive and negative edges of the clock signal. The ultrasonic signal is initially only transmitted by one of the transducers and received by the other transducer.

The first counter then counts the number of full intervals of the reference signal at least until the first reception time of the incoming ultrasound signal, and the second counter in each case the time period between a first and a second of several switching or reception times of the signals combined in pairs. The first counter therefore counts the number of full clock periods, and the second counter the remaining time until the ultrasound signal arrives, taking into account several pairs of clock edges and reception times (reception pairs). The result of this measurement is the transit time of the ultrasound signal in one direction. The transit time of an ultrasonic signal is then measured in the other direction and the measured variable sought is calculated from the two transit times. The design options listed above with regard to the first operating mode also apply in a corresponding manner to the second operating mode.

When a reception event (e.g. zero crossing) of an ultrasonic signal is detected, the

Evaluation circuit usually set a digital signal (e.g. from low to high) that indicates the exact time of reception of the reception event. The edge of this signal is subject to newspaper inaccuracy (jitter). Aliasing effects occur when the signal is sampled if the clock rate of the sampling signal is not chosen to be sufficiently high (Nyquist criterion). According to the invention, it is proposed to sample the electrical signal at a sampling rate that is significantly higher than the reciprocal of the newspaper inaccuracy of a reception event. This can significantly increase the accuracy of the flow measurement.

The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Figure 1 shows a typical example of an ultrasonic flow sensor with two ultrasonic transducers according to the prior art.

2 shows an ultrasonic flow sensor with an associated control and evaluation circuit;

3 shows a typical ultrasound signal according to the prior art and the detection of the reception time;

4 shows an elongated ultrasound signal with several zero crossings used for time measurement;

5 the determination of n differential running times by means of n counters; Fig. 6 the determination of the differential term

Ultrasonic signals using two counters according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a control and evaluation circuit for determining the transit time difference according to FIG. 6;

8 the determination of the transit time difference between two ultrasound signals according to another embodiment of the invention;

9 shows a control and evaluation unit for determining the transit time difference between two ultrasonic signals according to the method of FIG. 8;

10 shows an example of an incorrect evaluation of the transit time difference in the case of shifting reception times;

11 shows the evaluation of the transit time difference in the case of two non-uniform ultrasonic signals according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 shows a control and evaluation circuit for determining the transit time difference between two ultrasound signals according to the method from FIG. 11;

13 is a schematic representation of a single receive event;

14 shows a scanning signal with lower and higher frequency; and

15 shows the normal distribution of the newspaper inaccuracy when detecting individual reception events. With regard to the explanation of FIGS. 1 to 5, reference is made to the introduction to the description.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the time profile of the ultrasonic signals S1, S2 received at the ultrasonic transducers A, B, which were emitted simultaneously at the other transducer B, A. The positive edges of the digital pulses AI-An or Bl-Bn each indicate the reception of a zero crossing of the ultrasound signals S1 or S2 at the times ti 'or ti ". The difference in transit time αt of the two ultrasound signals S1, S2 is equal to the time period from Pulse AI up to pulse Bl.

The transit time difference can be expressed as a time period αt 'from pulse AI to A3 plus a residual value αt between the pulses A3 and B1, where αt = αt' + αt ". To reduce the statistical measurement error, as many zero crossings of the signals as possible S1, S2 are taken into account and several remaining time periods αt ″ are measured, which are finally averaged. The transit time difference αt of the ultrasonic signals S1, S2 thus results from the value of αt ′ and the mean of the times αtj ^″ .

The duration of the times αt 'or ti can be measured in a simple manner by means of two counters 5a, 5b. The first counter 5a counts the duration of the full intervals (an interval corresponds to the duration between two successive pulses, e.g. A1, A2, of the same ultrasound signal) until the arrival of the first pulse B1 of the ultrasound signal S1 arriving later. The counter reading of the first counter 5a forms a rough estimate of the transit time difference αt of the two ultrasound signals S1, S2.

A second counter continuously measures the time periods αtj _. "between two pulses A4, B2; A5, B3; etc., which are combined in pairs, thereby adding up the

Readings. The pulse pairs are directly on top of each other chosen below. Finally, an average value is formed from the final counter value, which is added to the counter reading of the first counter 5a. When using digital counters 5a, 5b, the counter reading of the first counter 5a preferably forms the high-order bits (hsb: high significant bits) and the counter reading of the second counter the low-order bits (lsb: least significant bits). Under the two conditions that firstly the bit widths of the first counter 5a and the second counter 5b are correctly matched to one another and secondly the ultrasound frequency was generated by division by a power of 2 from the counter clock of the lsb counter, the lsb bits of the second Counter directly attached to the hsb bits of the first counter and assembled into a single binary number that is proportional to the transit time difference αt.

The counter reading of the second counter 5b can also be averaged particularly easily if a total of p measurements of p intervals αti "are carried out and the number p is a power of two. In this case, the averaging of the binary counter value (division by p) corresponds to a shift register operation by log ₂ p, in which the decimal place is shifted to the left by log ₂ p digits. In the example shown in FIG. 6, p = 2 ⁵ = 32 measurements of αti "are carried out and the decimal place is thus shifted to the left by 5 bits. The final transit time difference αt thus results from the counter reading of the first counter. 5a and the high-order bits (here 10 bits) of the second counter 5b in units of the period of the lsb counter clock, the 5 low-order bits of the second counter being corresponding decimal places.

As an alternative to the representation of FIG. 6, the transit time difference αt of the signals S1, S2 could also be represented as the difference between the time spans [AI to A4] and [B1 to A4]. The first counter 5a would have to count an interval more than until the arrival of the first pulse B1, i.e. from AI to A4, and the second counter 5b each the intervals between B2, A5; B3, A6; etc. The following applies: αt = t [Al, A4] - t [Bl, A4].

In a second operating mode of the ultrasonic flow sensor, in which the ultrasonic signals S1, S2 are not emitted simultaneously but in succession, the same principles apply as are described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 15. In this case, however, the transit time αt of an ultrasonic signal (e.g. S1) is measured in one direction and then the transit time αt of an ultrasonic signal (e.g. S2) in the opposite direction, taking into account a reference signal (P). 6, 8, 10 or 11, the signal S2 should be regarded as the reference signal P, which was derived from the same clock signal with which the elongated ultrasound signal S1 was generated, with the reception times AI in this case switching times (e.g. positive edges ) of the reference signal P. (A separate illustration was therefore omitted).

As in the first operating mode, the first counter 5a counts the number of full intervals of the reference signal P at least up to the first reception time B1 of the incoming one

Ultrasonic signal Sl, and the second counter 5b each measure the time period αti between a first and a second of a plurality of switching or reception times Ai, Bi of the signals P, S1 combined in pairs. The first counter therefore counts the number of full periods of the reference signal and the second counter the remaining time αti "until the ultrasound signal arrives. The result of this measurement is

Transit time αt of the ultrasound signal Sl. Then the transit time of the ultrasound signal S2 is measured in the other direction and the sought from the two transit times αt

Measured variable calculated.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of a control and evaluation circuit 4 with two digital counters 5a, 5b

Determination of the transit time difference αt. The circuit has that Inputs input A for signal S2 and input B for signal S1. The circuit module 6 receives the pulses Ai and Bi from the converters A, B at the inputs "Input A" and "Input B", passes the first arriving pulses (here A1-A3) except for the first pulse at all (ie here : A2-A3) and passes this on to the first counter 5a until the first pulse (here B1) of the later arriving ultrasound signal S1 arrives at the other input "Input B". The first counter thus counts to 2 (two full intervals) and then stops counting. The counter reading hsb of the first counter 5a is identified by reference numeral 14. The counting rate of the first

Counter 5a corresponds to the frequency of the ultrasonic signals S1, S2.

After the arrival of the first pulse B1 of the signal S1, the module 6 activates a second module 7 by means of a

"Enable" signal. The second module 7 also receives the pulses Ai, Bi at the inputs "Input A" and "Input B" and activates the second counter 5b during the periods A4, B2; A5, B3, etc. (the output "Cnt enable "then goes high). The "cnt enable" output is connected to an AND gate 10, the output of which is connected to the clock input Clk of the second counter 5b. The second counter 5b thus counts up with the clock rate "clock" supplied at the input 16, as long as the "cnt enable" output of the second module 7 is high and the number of measured intervals αti "is smaller than a predetermined number of intervals, αti" , which can be specified at input 11. The number of the intervals αti "already measured is counted by the counter 12, which is connected to the" cnt enable "output of the second module 7. The inverted output of a flip-flop 9 is high until the measured number of intervals αti" is equal is the number of intervals specified at input 11. The equality of the number is recognized by a logic gate 8, which sets the flip-flop 9. The inverted output IQ thus goes low and the second counter 5b stops counting. The counter reading lsb des second counter 5b is finally read out at output 13 and, as described above, can be averaged by a shift register operation. The circuit is reset via the "start" input so that a new measurement can begin.

If the measurement is carried out according to the second operating mode described above, the modules 6, 7 receive e.g. at the input "Input A" instead of the converter output signal S2, the reference signal P. The circuit of FIG. 7 otherwise works in the same way as in the first operating mode.

8 shows two ultrasonic signals S1, S2 received at the transducers A, B, the reception times A1-A8 and B1-B6 of which shift relative to one another in the course of the signals S1, S2. Such a signal shift can be caused in particular by turbulent flow conditions which cause a signal jitter (temporal noise or tremors) in the signal S1, S2. As a result, the sequence of the individual pulses A1-A8 can be exchanged for pulses B1-B6. When evaluating the

Intervals αti "according to the method of FIG. 6, the second counter 5b would evaluate the intervals A4, B2; A5, B4; A6, B5, etc. and thus incorrect intervals, which would result in a considerable measurement error.

According to the method shown in FIG. 8, it is therefore proposed to combine the pulses Ai of the first signal S2 and the pulses Bi of the second signal S1 in pairs, so that a pulse pair is formed from two successive pulses Ai, Bi of different signals. and each pulse pair A4, B2; B3, A5; etc. assign a sign (+/-) according to the order in which the two pulses Ai, Bi occur. The second counter 5b is then counted up or down depending on this sign (+/-) during the associated time period αti "of a pulse pair Ai, Bi. The individual count values for the times αti are preferably accumulated by the second counter 5b. If the counter reading of the second counter 5b exceeds the counter limits of counter 5b (either 0 or the maximum counter reading given by the bit width of the counter), a transfer to the first counter 5a takes place, ie the first counter 5a is counted up or down by one.

After evaluating p time intervals αti ", the counter reading lsb of the second counter 5b is again averaged. If p is a power of two, the counter readings of the hsb counter 5a and the lsb counter 5b can simply be combined into a single binary number without further arithmetic operation, as shown in Fig. 8 below, the binary number then being proportional to the transit time difference or flow rate.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of an evaluation unit 4 for carrying out the method described above with reference to FIG. 8. The generation of the ultrasonic signals S1, S2 from the clock of a quartz oscillator and the sequence control of the entire measuring process have been omitted for reasons of clarity.

The evaluation circuit is essentially identical to the evaluation circuit of FIG. 7, to which reference is made here. The electrical pulses Ai, Bi generated by the converters A, B are fed in at the inputs "Input A" and "Input B" of the modules 6 and 7. The circuit module 7 passes the pulses arriving first except for the very first (here A2-A3) and passes on corresponding signals to the first counter 5a until the first pulse B1 of the other ultrasound signal S1 arrives. The counting direction of the first counter 5a is specified by the module 6 via the output +/-. (The counting direction is positive or negative, depending on which signal S1, S2 arrives first). The module 7 also recognizes the sequence of the pulses Ai, Bi of a pair of pulses Ai, Bi and accordingly outputs either a positive or a negative sign at the output +/- for each pair of pulses. The sign is passed via an XOR gate 17 and an NOT gate 18 to the second counter 5b, which counts up or down accordingly. 7, the clock "clock" at input 16 only reaches the second counter 5b via the AND gate 10 during the time intervals αti ". The clock" clock "is received by the module 7 during the time intervals αti" released at the "Cnt enable" output and thus reaches the second counter 5b.

10 shows two ultrasonic signals S2 and S1 arriving one after the other at the ultrasonic transducers A and B, the zero crossings of which do not arrive evenly at the transducers A, B, but are shifted relative to one another. The pulses A1-A8 and B1-B8 arrive at the ultrasonic transducers A, B in such a way that the intervals αti "of the pulse pairs A5, B3 and A6, B4 overlap in time. However, time-overlapping intervals αti" cannot be from one only counters can be counted. An evaluation error therefore occurs, as can be seen from the counter readings hsb and lsb of the first 5a and second counter 5b.

As before, the first counter 5a counts the number of full intervals (from AI-A3) of the first arriving signal S2 until the first pulse B1 arrives and then stops counting. The final count of the first counter 5a is therefore hsb = 2. The second counter 5b then counts during the interval A4, B2 e.g. by 8 counters, during the interval

A5, B3 by a further 9 counters, skips pulse A6 and then counts up again in interval A7, B4 by 2 counters, so that the total counter reading lsb = 19.

In this case, the reason for the incorrect evaluation is that the first pulse B1 of the signal S1 is only briefly present the next signal A4 of the other signal S2 arrives and overlapping time periods (A5, B3 and A6, B4) are already generated by a slight signal shift.

11 shows an improved evaluation method in which such temporal overlaps can be avoided.

For this purpose, the evaluation unit 4 checks whether the first pulse B1 of the ultrasound signal S1 arriving later is closer in time to the previous pulse A3 or closer to the subsequent pulse A4 of the other signal S2. A time threshold ts, which in this example lies in the middle of the interval A3, A4, serves as a benchmark in this case. Depending on the position of the first reception time B1 of the ultrasound signal S1 arriving later in the interval of the first ultrasound signal S2, the first counter 5a counts the number of full intervals up to the first reception time B1 or one more interval. Either αt = αti '+ αti "(not shown, comparable to FIG. 6, for example) or αt = αt' - αt ^" applies to the evaluation, where αt 'would comprise three intervals.

In the first case (the pulse B1 is before ts, not shown, comparable, for example, with FIG. 8), the first counter 5a counts the number of full intervals until the first pulse B1 arrives. Thereafter, all subsequent pulses are in the order of their On arrival, interpreted as pulse pairs Ai, Bi, whose assigned time intervals [Ai, Bi] are measured by the second counter 5b. In Fig. 8 e.g. A4, B2 is the first of these pulse pairs. This method corresponds to the method of FIG. 8 or FIG. 10. The counter reading of the first counter 5a and the second counter 5b are finally added (after averaging), taking into account the different values of the two counters, or simply put together.

In the second case (the first pulse B1 arrives after the time threshold ts), the first counter 5a counts an interval further, ie all full intervals [Ai, A _{i +} ι] up to and including the interval [A ₃ , A ₄ ] of the signal S2, in which the first pulse B1 of the later ultrasonic signal S1 falls. The counter reading hsb of the first counter 5a thus counts to three. From this point in time, all further pulses are assigned to one another in the order of their arrival as pairs Ai, Bi. In the example in FIG. 11, B2, A5 is the first of these pulse pairs. The second counter 5b then counts again during the period of a pulse pair Ai, Bi, the counter reading being counted up or down depending on the sequence of the pulses Ai, Bi

Pulse pairs in the order Bi, Ai are counted downwards and pulse pairs in the order Ai, Bi upwards. The counter reading lsb of the second counter 5b therefore initially becomes negative (e.g. lsb = -2), then counts down to 0 during the second interval A6, B3 and upwards by 2 counters during the third interval A7, B4 e.g. lsb = 2. When the counter limits of the second counter 5b are exceeded, the first counter 5a receives a carry and thus counts back to a counter reading hsb = 2 and then back to a counter reading hsb = 3.

Fig. 12 shows an embodiment of a control and evaluation circuit 4, which is almost identical to the evaluation circuit of Fig. 9. As with Figs. 7 and 9, the generation of the ultrasonic signals S1, S2 from the clock of a crystal oscillator, and the sequence control is omitted for reasons of clarity. Identical components are provided with the same reference symbols.

In contrast to FIG. 9, the module 6 of the evaluation circuit of FIG. 12 comprises an additional clock input "clock", which enables an additional time measurement in order to decide whether the first pulse B1 of the ultrasound signal S1 arriving later before or after that in FIG. 11 shown time threshold ts arrives. For the purposes of Time measurement, for example, can again be a counter that can be integrated in module 6. The output "enable" of the module 6 thus becomes active sooner or later, depending on the position of the first reception time B1 of the signal S1.

13 shows an internal signal of the evaluation circuit 4, which is switched from low to high when a received event (eg a zero crossing) of a received ultrasound signal S1, S2 is detected. The time of the rising signal edge has a certain newspaper inaccuracy αt _j due to signal jitter (signal jitter or noise).

FIG. 15 shows the jitter-related frequency distribution of the detected point in time for the zero crossing in the case of several measurements carried out in succession. The

The standard deviation is given as +/- αt _j . The frequency distribution can, for example, correspond to a normal distribution with the corresponding characteristic of a Gaussian function.

The internal detection signal of FIG. 13 is usually sampled with a high-frequency clock, as shown in FIG. 14 above. This clock corresponds to the clock at the clock input in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12. If a clock signal with a relatively low frequency f 1 is selected, a relatively high aliasing error can result in the runtime measurement. In this case, the reception event is only detected by the evaluation circuit 4 after a time αt _a . In order to avoid aliasing errors, it is proposed to use a scanning signal with a frequency f2 (see FIG. 14 below) which is significantly higher than the reciprocal value of the newspaper inaccuracy (jitter) when detecting individual reception events. The accuracy of the measurement can be further increased by this oversampling, although the spread is +/- αt _{j of} the frequency distribution of the

15 remains unchanged. The above-described methods for pulse evaluation can significantly improve the measurement accuracy of an ultrasonic flow sensor and, in particular, prevent incorrect measurements.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 fluid

2 flow direction

3 pipeline 4 control and evaluation circuit

5a first counter

5b second counter

6 Module for controlling the first counter

7 module for controlling the second counter 8 comparison gate

9 RS flip-flop

10 AND gates

11 Number of pulse pairs

12 pulse pair counters 13 counter reading lsb

14 counter reading hsb

15 Ready output

16 clock input

17 XOR gates 18 NOT gates

19 OR gates

20 zero crossing signal tl 'reception time of the first arriving signal S2 ti "reception times of the later arriving signal Sl αt' rough estimate of the transit time difference αti" time interval of a pair of pulses αt transit time difference Ai pulses of the first arriving signal S2

Bi pulses of the later arriving signal Sl

Claims

claims

1. Ultrasonic flow sensor, in particular for measuring the volume or mass flow of a fluid (1) flowing through a pipe (3), with two ultrasonic transducers (A, B) arranged offset in the direction of flow (2), each of which has a periodic ultrasonic signal ( S1, S2) to the other ultrasound transducer (A, B), and a control and evaluation circuit (4) which, when receiving an ultrasound signal (S1, S2) at one of the ultrasound transducers (A, B), receives several times (ti ', ti ^" ) per ultrasonic signal (S1, S2), from which a measured variable (S) is formed, characterized in that the control and evaluation unit (4) comprises at least two counters (5a, 5b), of which the first (5a ) the full intervals ([ti ', ti + i']) of a first signal (S2, P) at least up to the first

Receiving time (t ₂ ") of an ultrasound signal (Sl) counts, and the second counter (5b) each have a time period (αt ^" ) between a first (A4) and a second (B2) of several switching or reception times combined in pairs (tι ', ti ") of the signals (S1, S2, P) determined.

2. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the first signal (S2, P) is an ultrasonic signal (S2) in a first operating mode, which is emitted simultaneously with the other ultrasonic signal (S1), or a second operating mode Reference signal (P), which is generated from the same clock signal from which the ultrasound signal (Sl) is generated.

3. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the paired reception times (ti ', ti ") each have a switching or reception time (Ai) of the signal (S2, P) and a subsequent reception time (Bi ) of the ultrasonic signal (Sl).

4. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the control and evaluation circuit (4) checks whether the first time of reception (ti) of the ultrasonic signal (Sl) is closer in time to the previous one (t ₃ ') or on following switching or reception time (t ^' ) of the signal (S2, P) is a predetermined time threshold (tO), in the first case the first counter (5a) the time period (αt') from the first switching or reception time ( ti ') counts up to that switching or reception time (t ₃ ) of the signal (S2, P) that precedes the reception time (ti ") of the ultrasound signal (Sl), and in the other case up to that switching or reception time (t ₄ ) counts, which follows the first reception time (ti ") of the ultrasound signal (Sl).

5. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second counter (5b) is an up / down counter, which is combined in pairs depending on the order

Receiving times (ti ', ti) or (ti', ti ') either count up or down.

6. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that the first counter (5a)

Up / down counter, which can receive both a positive and a negative carry from the second counter (5b).

7. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second counter Duration (αt ") of the intervals accumulated, which are formed by p pairs of reception times (ti ^' , ti ^" ), where p is a power of two.

8. Ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 7, characterized in that after a measurement of the duration of the intervals formed from p pairs, the counter reading of the second counter (5b) is averaged by means of a shift register operation or by omitting binary positions or by changing the interpretation of the value of the binary positions becomes.

9. Method for determining the transit time difference (αt) of two ultrasound signals (S1, S2) of an ultrasound flow sensor with two ultrasound transducers (A, B) arranged offset in the direction of flow (2), each of which sends an ultrasound signal (S1, S2) to the other ultrasound transducer ( B, A), and a control and evaluation circuit (4) which, when receiving an ultrasound signal (S1, S2) at one of the ultrasound transducers (A, B), receives several reception times (ti ', ti ") per ultrasound signal (S1, S2 ), from which a measured variable (S) is formed, characterized in that by means of a first counter (5a) a time period (αt ') of the full intervals ([ti', ti ₊ i ']) of a signal (S2, P ) until at least the first reception time (ti ") of an ultrasound signal (Sl) is counted, and by means of a second counter (5b) the time spans (αt") between a first and a second of several reception times (ti ', ti ^" combined in pairs ⁾ ) determines who the .

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the second counter (5b) measures the time periods (αti ") between several paired times (ti ', ti), each a switching or reception time (ti ^' ) of the signal (S2, P) and a reception time (ti ") of the ultrasonic signal (Sl).

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it is checked whether the first reception time (ti ") of the ultrasound signal (Sl) closer in time to the previous (t ₃ ') or the following switching or reception time (t) of Signal (S2, P) as a predetermined time threshold (tO), in the first case the first counter (5a) the time period (αt ^' ) from the first switching or reception time (t) to that switching or reception time ( t ₃ ') of the signal (S2, P) that precedes the reception time (ti ") of the ultrasonic signal (Sl), and in the other case up to that switching or. Receive time (t ^' ) counts, which follows the first receive time (ti ") of the ultrasonic signal (Sl).

12. The method according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that a digital signal of the evaluation circuit (4), the reception of a

Receiving event (Ai, Bi) indicates, is sampled with a scanning signal whose frequency is significantly higher than the reciprocal of the newspaper inaccuracy (αt _j ) of the signal (20).