EP1763687A2

EP1763687A2 - Method and device for a material-penetrative localisation of a measurement signal

Info

Publication number: EP1763687A2
Application number: EP05761136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Uwe Skultety-Betz; Bjoern Haase; Michael Mahler; Ulli Hoffmann; Reiner Krapf; Christoph Wieland; Felix Wewers
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2004-06-30
Filing date: 2005-06-13
Publication date: 2007-03-21
Also published as: CN1977187A; JP2008505332A; CN1977187B; US20080291076A1; US7605743B2; DE102004031627A1; WO2006003076A3; WO2006003076A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a material-penetrative localisation of a measurement signal, in particular a material-penetrative positioning method through a material workpiece on walls, ceilings and floors. According to the invention, a high-frequency emitter (20, 120) emits a measurement signal (22,122) in the gigahertz frequency range, which penetrates the material (10) at least once and is detected by a high-frequency receiver (24, 124) in order to localise the penetrative position (18). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out said method.

Description

Method and device for the material-penetrating location of a measuring signal

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the material-penetrating locating of a measuring signal, in particular a device and a method for a material-penetrating positioning method on walls, ceilings and floors.

State of the art

Material penetrating positioning methods are typically employed if from either side of a wall, floor, ceiling or the like

Positioning must be made. This is for example at a

Drill hole or core hole necessary. Another application is given when from one side of a material, such as a wall, a

Floor or a ceiling can not be drilled so that must be drilled from a äbgewandten side of the material, through the material to a predetermined position.

Tools are known from the prior art, which should make it possible to reliably perform such a bore. In this case, a small transmitter is typically mounted on one side of the material to be drilled and used on the other, äbgewandten surface of the workpiece, such as the back of a wall, a floor or a ceiling, a mobile receiver, the passage point of the emitted by the transmitter measuring signal to determine.

Inductive devices are known in which the transmitter generates a magnetic field and the associated receiver can detect the center of this magnetic field with a coil arrangement.

For example, US Pat. No. 5,434,500 discloses a magnetic field generator together with a detector with a position indicator, in which the magnetic field generator serves as a transmitting unit which is placed on a first side of a wall at the location to be located and generates a magnetic field at this point. The associated detector serves as a receiving unit and is guided over the side facing away from the transmitting unit surface of the wall. The receiving unit has two pairs of two detectors, which measure the relative strength of the magnetic field. By measuring this relative strength of the magnetic field for each of the individual detectors, it is possible to determine the position of the

Magnetic field generator or the projection of this position on the generator to locate the abgewaβten side of the wall. In the device of US Pat. No. 5,434,500, the strength of the detected magnetic field is visualized by means of an optical display. If the strength of the detected magnetic field is the same for all four detection elements, the receiving unit is arranged directly opposite the transmitting unit.

DE 3446 392 A1 discloses a method for identifying a test site present on one side of a wall on the other side of the wall. In this method, which is used in particular in metallic walls of a container, is provided to speed up the identification of the inspection body and to increase the reliability of the identification that at the test site on the

Wall a magnetic pole is placed and on the other, the magnetic pole side facing away from the wall, the magnetic field passing through the magnetic pole of the magnetic pole is detected. To detect the magnetic field, a Hall effect component is preferably used in the method of DE 3446 392 A1.

Known devices of the prior art have u. a. the disadvantage that located in the material, such as a wall, a ceiling or a floor metal parts, such as steel beams or reinforcing bars severely disturb the detection and mit¬ can even make impossible. In addition, the positioning accuracy of such devices is rather poor.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device which allows a fast, safe and precise localization of a defined point through a material.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. In addition, the Aufgäbe is achieved by a device having the features of claim 11th

Advantages of the invention

The inventive method for material-penetrating location of a Mess¬ signal, in particular the invention, material penetrating Positionierungs¬ method on walls, ceilings and floors uses a high-frequency transmitter that emits a measurement signal in the gigahertz frequency range, which is a material such For example, a wall, ceiling or floor penetrates at least once and is detected and localized by a radio-frequency receiver.

Due to the high-frequency method used, a more accurate localization of the penetration point of the measurement signal can be achieved since the claimed method is less sensitive to objects enclosed in the material.

In particular, breakthrough holes through concrete are now also possible through the claimed method since corresponding projections can be made through concrete walls. The reinforcing bars typically present in concrete walls form only a small potential for interference with regard to the high-frequency technology used. The frequency range used can also increase the positioning accuracy. The user can thus make holes through concrete and in particular through reinforced concrete, where he knows reliably where the drill on the opposite side of a wall will emerge from this.

Advantageous developments of the device according to the invention or the method according to the invention will become apparent from the features listed in the dependent claims

To increase the accuracy of measurement, it is advantageous to use a measurement signal in the gigahertz high-frequency range, which has more than one measurement frequency. The high-frequency transmitter couples microwaves in the gigahertz range, for example by means of FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) or

Pulse radar method in the wall. This transmitter can thus generate one or more individual frequencies (FMCW) or also radiate broadband (pulsed radar).

For the penetration of the material, it is advantageous to one or more

Measuring frequencies in an interval from one gigahertz to five gigahertz to use. Preferably, frequencies in an interval of 1.5 GHz to 3.5 GHz are used.

On the side of the material facing away from the radio-frequency transmitter, a suitable mobile receiver then locates the signals generated by the transmitter. In an alternative embodiment of the method according to the invention it can be provided that the high-frequency transmitter and the high-frequency receiver are operated on a common, first surface of the material. In this method, the measurement signal of the high-frequency transmitter after penetration of the

Material by means of a reflector means, which is movable on the second surface remote from the high-frequency transmitter surface of the material, fed back to the high-frequency receiver.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of this alternative method, it is provided to operate the high-frequency receiver and the high-frequency transmitter in a common device.

In order to display the measurement signal penetrating the material, localization by means of a method is advantageously carried out in the method according to the invention

Signal strength display on the high-frequency receiver and / or made on the reflector means. In this way, the radio frequency receiver or the

Reflector means defined to be positioned at the location of maximum signal strength. By means of a corresponding marking device, a marking can subsequently be set to the localized penetration point of the measuring signal.

The device according to the invention for carrying out the claimed method comprises at least one high-frequency transmitter which can be placed on a surface of a material and generates a measurement signal penetrating the material in the gigahertz frequency range and a high-frequency receiver.

In a special embodiment of the device according to the invention, radio-frequency transmitters and radio-frequency receivers are arranged in a common device.

Further advantages of the method or the invention

Device are shown in the following drawings and the associated description of the embodiments.

drawing In the drawings, embodiments of the method according to the invention for the material-penetrating location of a measuring signal are shown, which will be explained in more detail in the following description. The figures of the drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will also consider these features individually and to other, meaningful

Combine combinations, which are thus to be regarded as also disclosed in the description.

Show it

1 is a schematic representation of the method according to the invention underlying measurement situation,

2 shows a schematic representation of essential process steps of the method according to the invention,

3 shows an alternative embodiment of the inventive method, set forth in a schematic representation of essential process steps,

4 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the essential electronic components of a transponder for the method according to the invention,

5 an alternative realization possibility of a transponder for the method according to the invention,

Fig. 6 shows a further realization of the transponder of the method according to the invention in a schematic representation.

Fig. 1 shows a typical, the method according to the invention underlying measurement situation. Material penetrating positioning methods are used when positioning has to be performed from both sides of a wall, floor or ceiling. Such walls, floors, ceilings or the like. Be referred to in the following as the wall or generally as a material 10.

Starting from a first defined point 12 on a first side 14 of a wall

10 is on the first side facing away from the second side 16 of the wall one, the vertical projection of the defined location 12 corresponding location 18 are localized. In this way, the user can, for example, make holes through the wall 10, where he knows in advance, where the drill on the opposite side 16 of the wall 10 exits.

In the method according to the invention, a high-frequency transmitter is held on the wall 10 on one side 14 and fixed thereto. For this purpose, for example, a wall mount, an adhesive device or a tripod for the high-frequency transmitter can be provided. Furthermore, it is possible to fix the high-frequency sensor in a hole of a pilot hole via appropriate adapter means.

The high-frequency transmitter has a high-frequency transmitter 20 with a transmitting antenna, which preferably points in the direction of the wall and radiates a high-frequency measuring signal 22 into the wall 10. The measurement signal 22 is in the gigahertz frequency range, with measurement frequencies that are typically in an interval of 1 GHz to 5 GHz.

Preferably, one or more measurement frequencies from a frequency interval of 1.5 GHz to 3.5 GHz are used in the method according to the invention. The directed high-frequency signal 22 of the high-frequency transmitter 20 is subsequently detected on the first side 14 of the wall 10 facing away from the second side 16 of a high-frequency receiver 24. The high-frequency receiver 24 has a

Receiving unit with one or more receiving antennas, which receive the measuring signal 22 and forward to an evaluation of the meter 24. The high-frequency receiver 24 is typically moved over the second surface 16 of the wall 10 in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

By optical or acoustic output means 26, such as a signal strength display 28, the maximum of the measurement signal 22 can be located. Due to the selected frequency range of the method according to the invention, the positioning accuracy of the high-frequency receiver and thus the accuracy of the localization of the projection 30 of the defined point 12 on the second surface 16 of

Wall can be increased significantly.

As a high-frequency receiver 24 are various types of receivers, in particular radar or microwave receiver, either broadband or narrowband - matched to the transmitter frequency (s) - the sent

Receive frequency signals. In addition, capacitive receivers can also be used whose capacitively generated high-frequency field is disturbed by the transmitter signals 22 and which allow the localization of the projection point 18 by measuring the intensity of this interference. The receiver 24 may, for example, also be a high-frequency locating device which can be switched into the pure receive mode by means of suitable software or hardware circuitry.

FIG. 2 illustrates some of the significant steps of the high frequency frequency material penetrating positioning method of the present invention. A radio frequency unit 32 of a radio frequency transmitter 20 generates microwaves in the gigahertz range, such as by FMCW or pulsed radar techniques. The transmitter can therefore generate one or more individual frequencies (FMCW method) or a broadband pulse spectrum (pulse radar). The micro-wave signals thus generated, which form the measuring signal 22 of the method according to the invention, are emitted via an antenna arrangement 34, which comprises at least one antenna. If the high-frequency transmitter 20 on one side 14 of a workpiece, for example a

Wall 10, placed at a defined location, the microwaves penetrate as directed radio frequency signal 22 the wall and can be detected by a Hoch¬ frequency receiver 24 on the other side 16 of the wall. For this purpose, the radio-frequency receiver 24 has a receiving antenna arrangement 36 and a radio-frequency receiving section 38, which processes the received radio-frequency signal and displays it in an intuitively catchy manner, for example by means of a display device. With the aid of the high-frequency receiver 24, the penetration site or the projection point 18 of the measurement signal can thus be located on the second side 16 of the wall 10 facing away from the high-frequency transmitter 20 and marked by suitable means on the wall surface. For example, under too

With the help of the method according to the invention bores are made by reinforced concrete, in which the user knows in advance, where the drill exits on the side facing away from the wall to be drilled. Due to the frequency range used, the method according to the invention enables the localization of the projection position with high accuracy.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the method according to the invention. In the method according to FIG. 3, a measuring device 100 is used which is both high-frequency transmitter 120 and high-frequency receiver 124. In this case, this device 100 generates a high-frequency signal 122, which penetrates a wall 10 as described above. As a transmitting and receiving antenna can be with appropriate wiring use a single antenna element 134. In other embodiments of the inventive method, however, a separate arrangement of transmitter antenna and receiving antenna for the one measuring device 100 may be provided. On the side facing away from the transmitter and receiver 16 of the wall 10 is in the inventive method of FIG. 3, a reflector means 126, for example, a passive or even an active reflector, which reflects the received signals of the transmitter and thus forwards to the high-frequency receiver. Such a reflector means may be formed as a SAW element (Surface Acoustic Wave). The measurement signal 122 returned by the reflector means 126 can be arranged in the same frequency range or else in a shifted frequency range.

In addition, so-called transponders can be used as reflector means 126, which detect and process the measurement signal 122 penetrating the wall and, after an internal delay time, send a response signal 123 correlated with the detected original measurement signal 122 back through the wall 10. Both passive and active transponders can be used, i. those without or with independent energy supply.

4 shows a possible embodiment of such a transponder for the method according to the invention. The high-frequency generated by the meter 100

Alternating field penetrates a material, such as a wall to be examined. On the side of the wall opposite the measuring device 100 there is a transponder 128, which locates, detects and, in a manner to be described, sends back the signals generated by the measuring device to the measuring device.

Such a transponder generates after a certain internal runtime, which is known, a new signal, which it emits via its own antenna, for example in the ISM band at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. This newly generated signal in turn penetrates the wall and can be detected by the high-frequency receiver 124 of the measuring device 100.

In this way, with the aid of the measuring device 100, which forms a pulse reflectometer, a transit time minimum of the new transmission signal of the transponder can be found and the corresponding position on the wall can be marked. A marking unit can be located both on the measuring device 100 and on the transponder 128. By evaluating the transit time between the reflectometer, ie the measuring device 100, and the Transponder 128 can also be advantageously carried out a wall thickness determination.

In the following, the basic structure of such a transponder will be explained. As a receiver in the transponder, various types of Hoch¬ frequency receivers, such as power detectors that evaluate the power level of the characteristic measurement signal of the meter 100 or even pulse detectors that can detect typical field changes of the meter 100 are suitable.

Fig. 4 shows the possible structure of such a transponder 128 on the basis of a

Block diagram. The signal received via an antenna device 140 from the transponder 128 is passed via a coupler 142 or a circulator to a receiving amplifier 144. After amplification, the signal passes through an RF switch 146, which is through-connected in the idle state, to a pulse detector 148. This delivers an output voltage which is proportional to the input power. The tension of the

Pulse detector 148 is amplified in a LF amplifier 150. In a subsequent comparator, a digital signal is again generated from the analog voltage signal. In a monoflop 154, the relatively short comparator signal is brought to a defined length. This signal is used by means of the delay elements 156 and 158 to blank the receiving stage and transmit pulse generation. The from the

Transmit pulse generator 160 generated signal is brought back to the antenna device 140 via the coupler 142 and a circulator and sent back to the measuring device 100 through the examined wall.

Fig. 5 shows an alternative realization possibility of the transponder 128. Here, a scanner is used. Via a microcontroller 164, the clock in which the sampler is controlled, regulated such that sets a maximum voltage at the output of the scanner. Once this maximum of the output signal has been reached, the clock of the microcontroller and the clock of the measuring device 100 run synchronously with one another, but shifted by the transit time of the measuring signal. In this way it is possible to localize the Durchdringungsort of the measuring signal and also, if desired, also make a wall thickness measurement. Since the signal that controls the scanner is also sent directly, the response of the transponder takes place with minimal delay. A further alternative for the basic structure of a transponder for the method according to the invention is shown in a simplified manner in FIG. In the concept shown in Fig. 6, the received measurement signal in the transponder 128 is amplified by an amplifier 170 and, after a certain time delay, which is realized via a delay element 142, again via the coupler 142 and the

Antenna device 140 emitted in the manner of a ring amplifier.

In addition to the previously described structure and the operation of a transponder for the method according to the invention, the extension of the transponder by, for example, an AC sensor (50 Hz sensor) and / or an inductive sensor is also possible. Such an additional function of the transponder allows the user to exclude damage to, for example, a power line, even on the side facing away from the measuring device 100, for example a wall.

The evaluation of the information takes place in an advantageous manner by the

High-frequency locating device 100, which can be switched by means of suitable software or hardware circuit in the receiving mode and so can indicate, for example, the position of the hole and the wall thickness.

As a receiving device for the method according to the invention can be advantageously use a locating device on a high frequency basis, as described for example in the application DE 10207 424 Al the applicant.

The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention for carrying out this method are not limited to the embodiments shown in the exemplary embodiments.

In particular, the method according to the invention is not limited to the prediction of drilling channels in a wall.

Advantageously, the method according to the invention can already be integrated into corresponding devices, such as a drilling tool.

In addition, it is possible to carry out the described method according to the invention by means of corresponding additional software or hardware by means of already existing high-frequency receivers and / or high-frequency transmitters.

Claims

claims

1. A method for material-penetrating location of a measurement signal, in particular a material-penetrating positioning method on walls, ceilings and floors, characterized in that a high-frequency transmitter (20,120) is a measurement signal

(22,122) in the gigahertz frequency range, which penetrates the material (10) at least once and is detected by a high-frequency receiver (24,124) for locating the penetration position (18).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring signal (22,122) has more than one measuring frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring signal (22,122) is directed.

4. The method according Anspruch1, 2 or 3, characterized in that one or more measuring frequency (s) are used in an interval of 1000 MHz to 5000 MHz, and preferably in an interval of 1500 MHz to 3500 MHz.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the

Measuring signal (22,122) is generated by means of FMCW method in the gigahertz frequency range.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the measurement signal in the gigahertz frequency range is generated by means of pulse radar method and coupled into the material.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the high-frequency transmitter (20) and the high-frequency receiver (24) on two different, mutually associated surfaces (14,16) of the material (10) are operated.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the high-frequency transmitter (120) and the Hochfrequenzempfönger (124) on a common first surface (14) of the material (10) are operated, wherein the measuring signal (122,123) of the high-frequency transmitter ( 120) by means of a reflector means (126), which is movable on a second surface (16) of the workpiece (10) is directed to the high-frequency receiver (124).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the reflector means (126) has a SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) element.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the reflector means (126) comprises a transponder (128).

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the high-frequency transmitter

(120) and the high-frequency receiver (124) in a common device (100), in particular a hand-held device operated.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1, 7 or 8, characterized in that the localization of the workpiece (10) penetrated measuring signal (22,122,123) by means of a signal strength display of the high-frequency receiver (24,124) and / or a reflector means (126) can be made ,

13. Device for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the device at least one on a surface

(14) of a material (10) attachable high-frequency transmitter (20,120) and a high-frequency receiver (24,124).

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the high-frequency transmitter (120) and the high-frequency receiver (124) in a common device (100) are arranged.

15. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that at least the high-frequency receiver (124) has a marking device for generating a mark on a surface (14,16).