Apparatus for Characterizing the Electrical Resistance of a Measurement Object

Abstract

The invention relates to a measuring apparatus for characterizing the electrical resistance of a measurement object, comprising an electric energy source having two poles, a voltage measuring device having two measuring inputs, four connecting contacts for the connection of four contact electrodes, and a switching device for the variable electrical pairwise connection of each one of the poles and measuring inputs to each one of the connecting contacts, forming different wiring configurations, wherein the measuring device is configured to carry out at least two measuring sequences with different wiring configurations and to determine the series resistance of the measurement object by incorporating the current and voltage signals acquired in these wiring configurations.

Claims

1. A measuring device for characterising an electrical resistance of a measurement object, the measuring device comprising: an electric power source having a first terminal and a second terminal for providing an electric current as an input current, a voltage measuring apparatus having a first measuring input and a second measuring input for detecting an electrical voltage as an output voltage, at least one first connection contact for connecting a first contact electrode, a second connection contact for connecting a second contact electrode, a third connection contact for connecting a third contact electrode, and a fourth connection contact for connecting a fourth contact electrode, wherein the first, second, third and fourth contact electrodes are provided for electrically contacting the measurement object, a switching apparatus designed for a variable pairwise electrical connection of in each case one of the first terminal, the second terminal, the first measuring input and the second measuring input, on the one hand, to one of the four connection contacts, on the other hand, such that the measuring device is designed to perform at least a first and a second measuring sequence, wherein in the first measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the first connection contact is electrically connected to one of the first and second terminals, the second connection contact is electrically connected to the other of the first and second terminals, the third connection contact is electrically connected to one of the first and the second measuring inputs, and the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the other of the first and the second measuring inputs, wherein the input current present between the first and second connection contacts is detected as a first input current signal, and wherein the voltage present between the third and the fourth connection contacts is detected as the first output voltage signal, in the second measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the third connection contact is electrically connected to one of the first and the second terminals, the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the other of the first and the second terminals, the first connection contact is electrically connected to one of the first and the second measuring inputs, and the second connection contact is electrically connected to the other of the first and the second measuring inputs, wherein the input current present between the third and the fourth connection contacts acts as a second input current signal, and wherein the voltage present between the first and second connection contacts is detected as the second output voltage signal, and wherein the measuring device is designed for determining the series resistance of the measurement object by incorporating the first and the second input current signals and the first and the second output voltage signals.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is designed for determining a cross resistance of the measuring object by incorporating the first and the second input current signals and the first and the second output voltage signals.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to the first and second measuring sequence, the measuring device is designed for performing at least one third and fourth measuring sequence such that in the first measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the first connection contact is electrically connected to the first terminal, the second connection contact is electrically connected to the second terminal, the third connection contact is electrically connected to the first measuring input, and the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the second measuring input, wherein the input current present between the first and the second connection contacts is detected as the first input current signal, and wherein the voltage present between the third and the fourth connection contacts is detected as the first output voltage signal, in the second measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the third connection contact is electrically connected to the first terminal, the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the second terminal, the second connection contact is electrically connected to the first measurement input, and the first connection contact is electrically connected to the second measuring input, wherein the input current present between the third and the fourth connection contacts is detected as the second input current signal, and wherein the voltage present between the second and the first connection contacts is detected as the second output voltage signal, in the third measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the second connection contact is electrically connected to the first terminal, the first connection contact is electrically connected to the second terminal, the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the first measuring input, and the third connection contact is electrically connected to the second measuring input, wherein the input current present between the second and the first connection contacts is detected as the third input current signal, and wherein the voltage present between the fourth and the third connection contacts is detected as the third output voltage signal, in the fourth measuring sequence, by means of the switching apparatus the fourth connection contact is electrically connected to the first terminal, the third connection contact is electrically connected to the second terminal, the first connection contact is electrically connected to the first measurement input, and the second connection contact is electrically connected to the second measuring input, wherein the input current present between the fourth and third terminal contacts is detected as the fourth input current signal, and the voltage present between the first and second connection contacts present is detected as the fourth output voltage signal, and wherein the measuring device is designed for determining the series resistance and/or the cross resistance of the measuring object by incorporating the first, second, third and fourth input current signals and the first, second, third and fourth output voltage signals.

4. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is designed for determining a first resistance value from the first output voltage signal and the first input current signal, for determining a second resistance value from the second output voltage signal and the second input current signal, and for determining the series resistance and/or the cross resistance of the measurement object on the basis of on the first and the second resistance value.

5. The measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the measuring device is designed for determining a first resistance value from the first output voltage signal and the first input current signal, for determining a second resistance value from the second output voltage signal and the second input current signal, for determining a third resistance value from the third output voltage signal and the third input current signal, for determining a fourth resistance value from the fourth output voltage signal and the fourth input current signal, and for determining the series resistance and/or the cross resistance of the measuring object on the basis of the first, second, third and fourth resistance values.

6. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device has a first contact electrode, a second contact electrode, a third contact electrode and a fourth contact electrode for electrically contacting the measurement object, wherein the first contact electrode is connected to the first connection contact, the second contact electrode is connected to the second connection contact, the third contact electrode is connected to the third connection contact and the fourth contact electrode is connected to the fourth connection contact.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the input current is an alternating current.

8. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is designed for a Fourier transformation of the input current signals and/or output voltage signals detected by the measuring device.

9. The measuring device according to claim 8, wherein the measuring device is designed for characterising the series resistance and/or the cross resistance of the measuring object on the basis of the Fourier-transformed input current signals and/or the Fourier-transformed output voltage signals.

10. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the switching apparatus has at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth electrical input contact and at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth electrical output contact, wherein the first input contact is electrically connected to the first terminal, the second input contact is electrically connected to the second terminal, the third input contact is electrically connected to the first measuring input, and the fourth input contact is electrically connected to the second measuring input, wherein the first output contact is electrically connected to the first connection contact, the second output contact is electrically connected to the second connection contact, the third output contact is electrically connected to the third connection contact, and the fourth output contact is electrically connected to the fourth connection contact, and wherein the switching apparatus is designed for the variable pairwise electrical connection of in each case one of the input contacts to one of the output contacts.

11. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical power source is an AC voltage source, and wherein the AC voltage source is designed for supplying AC voltages in phase opposition to the first and the second terminals.

12. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device has at least one resistance component connected in series with one of the two terminals of the power source between this terminal and the connection contacts.

13. The measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the measuring device has two resistance components of equal resistance, wherein a first of the two resistance components is connected in series with the first terminal of the power source between the first terminal and the connection contacts, and wherein a second of the two resistance components is connected in series with the second terminal of the power source between the second terminal and the connection contacts.

14. The measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the measuring device is designed for detecting the voltage dropping across at least one of the resistance components as a measuring voltage and for determining the input current signals on the basis of the detected measuring voltage.

Description

[0080] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, in which the same or similar features are given the same reference numerals; here are shown schematically:

[0081] FIG. 1 a measuring device according to an embodiment with an AC voltage source when characterizing a measurement object,

[0082] FIG. 2 an exemplary input current signal (FIG. 2A) and its Fourier transform (FIG. 2B), as well as an exemplary output voltage signal (FIG. 2C) and its Fourier transform (FIG. 2D), FIG.

[0083] FIG. 3 a contact member having contact electrode in a fixed geometry, and

[0084] FIG. 4 a measuring device according to an embodiment with a DC voltage source for characterizing a measuring object,

[0085] FIG. 1 shows a measuring device 1 according to one embodiment, characterizing the electrical resistance of a measuring object 3. The measuring object 3 is in the form of a material layer and is accommodated or stored in a measuring object receptacle 4 or measuring object holder 4 of the measuring device 1.

[0086] The measuring device 1 has an electrical power source 5 with a first terminal 7 and a second terminal 9. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the power source 5 is an electrical alternating voltage source 5, by means of which an electrical alternating voltage is provided, so that when there is an electrically conductive connection between the first 7 and the second 9 terminal from the alternating voltage source 5, an electric current is provided which is called the input current. Since, according to FIG. 1, the power source 5 is an alternating voltage source, the input current is an alternating current.

[0087] The measuring device 1 has a voltage measuring device 11 with a first measuring input 13 and a second measuring input 15. The voltage measuring device 11 is designed to detect the electrical voltage present between the first 13 and the second 15 measuring inputs, which is referred to as the output voltage. Since, according to FIG. 1, the input current is an alternating current, the output voltage is an alternating voltage.

[0088] The measuring device 1 also has a first contact electrode 17, a second contact electrode 19, a third contact electrode 21 and a fourth contact electrode 23. The contact electrodes are provided for physically and electrically contacting the measurement object 3. In the intended use of the measuring device 1as shown in FIG. 1the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21 and 23 are in physical contact with the measuring object 3, so that the measuring object 3 is electrically contacted by means of the contact electrodes.

[0089] The measuring device 1 has a switching device 27, which is connected between the power source 5 and the voltage measuring device 11 on the one hand and the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23 on the other hand. The measuring device 1 has a first connection contact 16, a second connection contact 18, a third connection contact 20, and a fourth connection contact 22, wherein the connection contacts 16, 18, 20, 22 can be formed, for example, on the switching device 27. The connection contacts 16, 18, 20, 22 may be formed, for example, as connection sockets. The switching device 27 is designed for the variable pairwise electrical connection of in each case one of the first pole 7, the second pole 9, the first measuring input 13 and the second measuring input 15 on the one hand with one of the four connection contacts 16, 18, 20, 22 on the other hand. Each of the connection contacts is connected with one of the contact electrodes by means of a releasable electrical connection (eg a plug connection). The first connection contact 16 is electrically connected to the first contact electrode 17, the second connection contact 18 is electrically connected to the second contact electrode 19, the third connection contact 20 is electrically connected to the third contact electrode 21, and the fourth connection contact 22 is electrically connected to the fourth contact electrode 23. The measuring device 1 or the switching device 27 is thus designed for the variable pairwise electrical connection of in each case one of the first terminal 7, the second terminal 9, the first measuring input 13 and the second measuring input 15 on the one hand and with one of the four contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23rd on the other hand.

[0090] The switching device 27 has four electrical input contacts and four electrical output contacts, namely a first input contact 29, a second input contact 31, a third input contact 33, a fourth input contact 35, a first output contact 37, a second output contact 39, a third output contact 41 and a fourth output contact 43. The first input contact 29 is connected to the first terminal 7, the second input contact 31 is connected to the second terminal 9, the third input contact 33 is connected to the first measuring input 13, and the fourth input contact 35 is electrically connected to the second measuring input 15. The first output contact 37 is connected to the first connection contact 16 (and thus to the first contact electrode 17), the second output contact 39 is connected to the second connection contact 18 (and thus to the second contact electrode 19), the third output contact 41 is connected to the third connection contact 20 (and thus to the third contact electrode 21), and the fourth output contact 43 is electrically connected to the fourth connection contact 22 (and thus to the fourth contact electrode 23). The switching device 27 is designed for variable pairwise electrical connection of in each case one of the input contacts 29, 31, 33, 35 with one of the output contacts 37, 39, 41, 43 (illustrated in FIG. 1 by the intersecting dashed lines, which illustrate the operation of the switching device 27 as a switching matrix).

[0091] The measuring device 1 is designed in such a way that from it the electrical current which, when the first terminal 7 is electrically connected to the ith connection contact or the ith contact electrode and the second terminal 9 is electrically connected to the jth connection contact or the jth contact electrode between the first terminal 7 and the second terminal 9, is detected as an input current signal I ij (where i, j=1, 2, 3, 4 and ij). For this purpose, the measuring device 1 has an electrical resistance component 45, which also functions as and is designated as a measuring resistor 45. The measuring resistor 45 is connected in series with the first terminal 7 between the first terminal 7 and the connection contacts 16, 18, 20, 22 (and thus also between the first terminal 7 and the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23), in particular between the first terminal 7 and the switching device 27. In the present case, the measuring resistor 45 is connected as an example between the first terminal 7 of the power source 5 and the first input contact 29 of the switching device 27.

[0092] The measuring device 1 is designed to detect the voltage drop across the measuring resistor 45 as a measuring voltage and to determine the input current signal l.sub.ij based on the detected measuring voltage. The measuring device 1 has, as an example, a current signal generating device 47 which is designed to pick up or detect the electrical voltage drop across the measuring resistor 45 and determine the electrical current corresponding to this voltage as the input current l.sub.ij (eg by forming the input current signal as the quotient of the measuring voltage and the known resistance of the measuring resistor 45). The input current signal l.sub.ij describes the input current as a function of time and is therefore also expressed as l.sub.ij=l.sub.ij(t) written, where t denotes the time.

[0093] According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the measuring device 1 also has a second electrical resistance component 49 which is connected in series with the second terminal 9 between the second terminal 9 and the connection contacts 16, 18, 20, 22 (and thus also between the second terminal 7 and the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23), in particular between the second terminal 9 and the switching device 27. In the present case, as an example, the second resistance component 49 is connected between the second terminal 9 of the power source 5 and the second input contact 31 of the switching device 27. The resistance of the second resistance device 49 is the same as the resistance of the first resistance device 45, for example, the first resistance device 45 and the second resistance device 49 are made to be identical to each other. The second resistance component 49 can also act as a measuring resistor for detecting the input current signal, wherein the measuring device 1 for detecting the voltage drop across the second resistance component 49 can be designed as a measuring voltage and determining the input current signal l.sub.ij based on the detected measuring voltage (not shown in FIG. 1). However, provision may also be made for the second resistance component 49 to be introduced in addition to the measuring resistor 45 for reasons of symmetry alone.

[0094] Due to the electrical input current l.sub.ij between the i-th and the j-th contact electrode, an electrical voltage is induced between the two remaining contact electrodes, ie between the k-th and the l-th contact electrode (where k, l=1, 2, 3, 4 and kl). One of these two remaining contact electrodes is electrically connected to the first measuring input 13 of the voltage measuring device 11, and the other of these two remaining contact electrodes is electrically connected to the second measuring input 15. The measuring device 1 is designed such that it measures the electrical voltage which is present upon electrical connection of the first measuring input 13 with the kth contact electrode and electrical connection of the second measuring input 15 with the lth contact electrode between the first measuring input 13 and the second measuring input 15, as an output voltage signal U.sub.kl. The output voltage signal U.sub.kl describes the output voltage as a function of time and is therefore also written as U.sub.kl=U.sub.kl(t), where t denotes the time.

[0095] The measuring device 1 is designed by means of the switching device 27 for carrying out a first, second, third and fourth measuring sequence as follows.

[0096] In the first measurement sequence: [0097] the first connection contact 16 (and thus also the first contact electrode 17) is electrically connected to the first terminal 7, in that the first input contact 29 is electrically connected to the first output contact 37 by the switching device 27, [0098] the second connection contact 18 (and therefore also the second contact electrode 19) is electrically connected to the second terminal 9, in that the second input contact 31 is electrically connected to the second output contact 39 by the switching device 27, [0099] the third connection contact 20 (and thus also the third contact electrode 21) is electrically connected to the first measuring input 13, while the third input contact 33 is electrically connected to the third output contact 41 of the switching device 27, and [0100] the fourth connection contact 22 (and thus also the fourth contact electrode 23) is electrically connected to the second measurement input 15, in that the fourth input contact 35 is electrically connected to the fourth output contact 43 by the switching device 27, [0101] wherein the input current present between the first 16 and the second 18 connection contact (or between the first 17 and the second 19 contact electrode) is detected as a first input current signal l.sub.12, and wherein the voltage present between the third 20 and the fourth 22 connection contact (or between the third 21 and the fourth 23 contact electrode) is detected as the first output voltage signal U.sub.34.

[0102] In the second measurement sequence: [0103] the third connection contact 20 (and thus also the third contact electrode 21) is electrically connected to the first terminal 7, in that the first input contact 29 is electrically connected to the third output contact 41 by the switching device 27, [0104] the fourth connection contact 22 (and thus also the fourth contact electrode 23) is electrically connected to the second terminal 9, in that the second input contact 31 is electrically connected to the fourth output contact 43 by the switching device 27, [0105] the second connection contact 18 (and thus also the second contact electrode 19) is electrically connected to the first measuring input 13 in that the third input contact 33 is electrically connected to the second output contact 39 by the switching device 27, and [0106] the first connection contact 16 (and therefore also the first contact electrode 17) is electrically connected to the second measurement input 15, in that the fourth input contact 35 is electrically connected to the first output contact 37 by the switching device 27, [0107] wherein the input current present between the third 20 and the fourth 22 connection contact (or between the third 21 and the fourth 23 contact electrode) is detected as a second input current signal l.sub.34, and wherein the voltage present between the first 16 and the second 18 connection contact (or between the first 17 and the second 19 contact electrode) is detected as the second output voltage signal U.sub.21.

[0108] In the third measurement sequence: [0109] the second connection contact 18 (and therefore also the second contact electrode 19) is electrically connected to the first terminal 7, in that the first input contact 29 is electrically connected to the second output contact 39 by the switching device 27, [0110] the first connection contact 16 (and thus also the first contact electrode 17) is electrically connected to the second pole 9, in that the second input contact 31 is electrically connected to the first output contact 37 by the switching device 27, [0111] the fourth connection contact 22 (and thus also the fourth contact electrode 23) is electrically connected to the first measuring input 13 in that the third input contact 33 is electrically connected to the fourth output contact 43 by the switching device 27, and [0112] the third connection contact 20 (and therefore also the third contact electrode 21) is electrically connected to the second measurement input 15 in that the fourth input contact 35 is electrically connected to the third output contact 41 by the switching device 27, [0113] wherein the input current present between the second 18 and the first 16 connection contacts (or between the second 19 and first 17 contact electrode) is detected as a third input current signal l.sub.21, and wherein the voltage present between the fourth 22 and the third 20 connection contact (or between the fourth 23 and the third 21 contact electrode) is detected as a third output voltage signal U.sub.43.

[0114] In the fourth measurement sequence: [0115] the fourth connection contact 22 (and thus also the fourth contact electrode 23) is electrically connected to the first terminal 7, in that the first input contact 29 is electrically connected to the fourth output contact 43 by the switching device 27, [0116] the third connection contact 20 (and therefore also the third contact electrode 21) is electrically connected to the second pole 9, in that the second input contact 31 is electrically connected to the third output contact 41 by the switching device 27, [0117] the first connection contact 16 (and thus also the first contact electrode 17) is electrically connected to the first measuring input 13, in that the third input contact 33 is electrically connected to the first output contact 37 by the switching device 27, and [0118] the second connection contact 18 (and therefore also the second contact electrode 19) is electrically connected to the second measuring input 15, in that the fourth input contact 35 is electrically connected to the second output contact 39 by the switching device 27, [0119] wherein the input current present between the fourth 22 and the third 20 connection contact (or between the fourth 23 and the third 21 contact electrode) is detected as a fourth input current signal l.sub.43, and wherein the voltage present between the first 16 and the second 18 connection contact (or between the first 17 and second 19 contact electrode) is detected as the fourth output voltage signal U.sub.12.

[0120] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the power source 5 is designed to provide an alternating voltage, the alternating voltage source 5 being designed as an example for providing a harmonic or sinusoidal alternating voltage. As an example, the AC voltage source 5 is designed such that the first terminal 7 and the second terminal 9 are acted upon with antiphase AC voltages or AC potentials, so that for the AC voltage applied to the first terminal 7 U 1 (t) and the AC voltage applied at the second terminal 9 U 2 (t, U 1 (t)=U 2 (t) applies (as illustrated in FIG. 1 by the sinusoids phase-shifted by 180). Alternatively, the AC voltage source 5 may be made (not shown) such that one of the two terminals (eg, the first terminal 7) is connected to the ground potential of the measuring device 1, and that to the other of the two terminals (eg, the second terminal 9) an alternating voltage potential or an alternating voltage is applied (not shown).

[0121] The measuring device 1 is formed by means of the evaluation device 51 for determining the longitudinal resistance R.sub.long and the transverse resistance R.sub.trans of the measuring object 3 based on the first, second, third and fourth input current signals and based on the first, second, third and fourth output voltage signals, as explained in more detail below.

[0122] According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the measuring device 1 is designed to Fourier-transform the first, second, third and fourth input current signals l.sub.ij(t) and to Fourier-transform the first, second, third and fourth output voltage signals U.sub.kl(t). In addition, the measuring device 1 is designed to determine the longitudinal resistance R.sub.long and the transverse resistance R.sub.trans of the measuring object 3 based on the Fourier-transformed input current signals and the Fourier-transformed output voltage signals. In the present case, for example, the input current signals l.sub.ij(t) and the output voltage signals U.sub.kl(t) are detected as analogue signals, these analogue signals are digitized and thus converted into digital signals, and these digital signals are Fourier-transformed by means of discrete Fourier transformation (also referred to as DFT). This can be realized, for example, by the measuring device 1 having a first analogue-to-digital converter ADC1 for converting the input current signals l.sub.ij(t) into digital signals and a first Fourier analyser DFT1 for Fourier-transforming the digitized input current signals by means of DFT, and by the measuring device 1 having a second analogue-to-digital converter ADC2 for converting the output voltage signals U.sub.kl(t) into digital signals and a second Fourier analyser DFT2 for Fourier-transforming the digitized output voltage signals by means of DFT. It can also be provided that the analogue-to-digital converters ADC1 and ADC2 as well as the Fourier analysers DFT1 and DFT2 (or their functionality) are implemented in the evaluation device 51.

[0123] The harmonic alternating voltage provided by the power source 5 leads to harmonic or sinusoidal input current signals l.sub.ij(t) according to equation (11), ie the first input current signal l.sub.12, the second input current signal l.sub.34, the third input current signal l.sub.21 and the fourth input current signal l.sub.43 can be written in a form according to equation (11).

[0124] FIG. 2A shows the time profile of an exemplary harmonic input current signal l.sub.ij(t) of the form

l.sub.ij(t)=A.sub.ij sin(.sub.1 t)

according to equation (11). FIG. 2B shows the associated Fourier-transformed input current signal l.sub.ij(), which is in the form of a frequency domain signal. FIG. 2C shows the time profile of an exemplary output voltage signal l.sub.ij(t) produced by the input current signal U.sub.kl(t), FIG. 2D showing the associated Fourier transform output voltage signal U.sub.kl(), which is in the form of a frequency domain signal and according to equation (12) can be written as a weighted sum of several harmonic orders n. In the present example, n=1, 2, 3, so that the output voltage signal can be written as

U.sub.kl(t)=B.sub.kl.sup.1.Math.sin(.sub.1.Math.t)+B.sub.kl.sup.2.Math.sin(2.Math..sub.1.Math.t)+B.sub.kl.sup.3.Math.sin(3.Math..sub.1.Math.t),

where for the sake of simplicity it has been assumed that the phases .sub.kl.sup.n are zero.

[0125] The harmonic-dependent resistance elements R.sub.ijkl.sup.n result from the equations (13) to (15), where in the present case due to the vanishing initial phases .sub.kl.sup.n the imaginary part of the harmonic-dependent resistance elements R.sub.ijkl.sup.n disappears and the resistance elements R.sub.ijkl.sup.n for n=1, 2, 3 are thus given by R.sub.ijkl.sup.1=B.sub.kl.sup.1/A.sub.ij, R.sub.ijkl.sup.2=B.sub.kl.sup.2/A.sub.ij and R.sub.ijkl.sup.3=B.sub.kl.sup.3/A.sub.ij. From these harmonic-dependent resistance elements R.sub.ijkl.sup.n in turn, according to equations (16) and (17) or according to equations (18) and (19), the longitudinal resistance R.sub.long.sup.n and the transverse resistance R.sub.trans.sup.n can be determined for different harmonic orders n. Accordingly, in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the evaluation device 51 is designed as an example for evaluating the detected Fourier transform input current signals and the Fourier transform output voltage signals according to equations (11) to (15), the longitudinal resistance and the transverse resistance being determined either according to equations (16) and (17) or according to equations (18) and (19). Since equations (11) to (19) correspond to equations (2) to (10) for n=1, the embodiment according to FIG. 1 is designed in particular for evaluating the detected signals in accordance with equations (2) to (10). The measuring device 1 is also designed (eg by means of the evaluation device 51 or a data memory implemented therein) for storing the detected input current signals, the detected output voltage signals, and the determined resistance values.

[0126] The measuring device 1 has a measurement object receptacle 4 for storing the measurement object 3. Each of the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23 is formed with a tip, the tip functioning as a contact point for contacting the measurement object 3. The measuring device 1 is designed such that the first 17, second 19, third 21 and fourth 23 contact electrodes (or their contact points) are movable relative to the measurement object receptacle 4 and the measurement object 3 (illustrated in FIG. 1 by the double arrow 53). In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the measuring device 1 has a contact element 55, wherein the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23 are fixed in a fixed predetermined geometry on the contact element 55. The contact element 55 can be moved together with the contact electrodes along the direction of movement indicated by the double arrow 55 relative to the measurement object receptacle 4. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the contact electrodes are fixed in such a geometry on the contact member 55 that the connecting line between the first 17 and the second 19 contact electrode is not parallel and not perpendicular to the connecting line between the third 21 and the fourth 23 contact electrode. In the present case, the contact electrodes are arranged as an example such that the contact electrodes (or their contact points) form the vertices of a scalene rectangle, with the first 17 and second 19 contact electrodes facing each other diagonally, and with the third 21 and fourth 23 contact electrodes facing each other diagonally. FIG. 3 illustrates the contact element 55 with the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21 and 23, which are in the form of a scalene rectangle.

[0127] FIG. 4 shows a measuring device 1 according to a further embodiment. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, in the embodiment according to FIG. 4 the power source 5 is designed as a DC voltage source 5, from which a direct electrical voltage is provided between the terminals 7 and 9. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the input current is a direct current. The measuring device according to FIG. 4 is designed for carrying out the first, second, third and fourth measuring sequences with the corresponding wiring configurations already described with reference to FIG. 1, in particular for detecting the associated first, second, third and fourth input current signals l.sub.ij(t) and for detecting the first, second, third and fourth output voltage signals U.sub.kl(t).

[0128] Since the measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4 is operated with a DC voltage, evaluation of the detected input current signals and output voltage signals without Fourier transformation can take place here. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, in particular the analogue-to-digital converters ADC1 and ADC2 as well as the Fourier analysers DFT1 and DFT2 can be dispensed with in the measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4. In addition, the measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4 is designed without the second resistance component 49.

[0129] The measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4 is designed as an example in such a way that with this in the respective measurement sequence using the current signal generating device 47, the first input current signal I 12, the second input current signal I 34, the third input current signal I 21, the fourth input current signal I 43 and by means of voltage measuring device 11, the first output voltage signal U 34, the second output voltage signal U 21, the third output voltage signal U 43 and the fourth output voltage signal U 12 are detected. Since according to FIG. 4 the input current is a DC current, the output voltage is a DC voltage.

[0130] The measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4 is designed to determine the longitudinal resistance R.sub.long and the transverse resistance R.sub.trans of the measuring object 3 based on the first, second, third and fourth input current signals and based on the first, second, third and fourth output voltage signals, as explained in more detail below.

[0131] According to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the measuring device 1 according to R ijkl=U kl/I ij according to equation (1) for determining the quotient U 34/I 12 from the first output voltage signal U 34 and the first input current signal I 12 as the first resistance value R 1234 for determining the quotient U 21/I 34 from the second output voltage signal U 21 and the second input current signal I 34 as the second resistance R 3421, for determining the quotient U 43/I 21 from the third output voltage signal U 43 and the third input current signal I 21 third resistance value R 2143, and for determining the quotient U 12/I 43 of the fourth output voltage signal U 12 and the fourth input current signal I 43 as a fourth resistance R 4312 are formed.

[0132] From these resistance elements R.sub.ijkl, the longitudinal resistance R.sub.long and the transverse resistance R.sub.trans can in turn be determined according to equations (7) and (8) or according to equations (9) and (10). Accordingly, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the evaluation device 51 is formed as an example for evaluating the detected input current signals and output voltage signals according to equations (1) and (7) to (10), wherein the longitudinal resistance and the transverse resistance are determined either according to equations (7) and (8) or according to equations (9) and (10).

[0133] In contrast to the measuring device according to FIG. 1, in the measuring device according to FIG. 4 the contact electrodes 17, 19, 21, 23 are not fixed by means of a contact element, but are movable relative to one another (whereby also according to FIG. 4 the contact electrodes are movable relative to the measuring object receptacle 4 and the measuring object 3).

[0134] Otherwise, the embodiment of the measuring device 1 according to FIG. 4 is identical to that according to FIG. 1, so that in this regard reference is made to the explanations made for the embodiment according to FIG. 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS USED

[0135] 1 Measuring device [0136] 3 Measurement object [0137] 4 Measuring object receptacle/measuring object holder [0138] 5 Electrical power source [0139] 7 First terminal of the power source [0140] 9 Second terminal of the power source [0141] 11 Voltage measuring device [0142] 13 First measuring input of the voltage measuring device [0143] 15 Second measuring input of the voltage measuring device [0144] 16 First connection contact [0145] 17 First contact electrode [0146] 18 Second connection contact [0147] 19 Second contact electrode [0148] 20 Third connection contact [0149] 21 Third contact electrode [0150] 22 Fourth connection contact [0151] 23 Fourth contact electrode [0152] 27 Switching device [0153] 29 First input contact of the switching device [0154] 31 Second input contact of the switching device [0155] 33 Third input contact of the switching device [0156] 35 Fourth input contact of the switching device [0157] 37 First output contact of the switching device [0158] 39 Second output contact of the switching device [0159] 41 Third output contact of the switching device [0160] 43 Fourth output contact of the switching device [0161] 45 First electrical resistance component/measuring resistor [0162] 47 Current signal generator [0163] 49 Second electrical resistance component/measuring resistor [0164] 51 Evaluation device [0165] 53 Freedom of movement of the contact electrodes/the contact element [0166] 55 Contact element with contact electrodes fixed thereto [0167] I.sub.12 First input current signal [0168] I.sub.34 Second input current signal [0169] I.sub.21 Third input current signal [0170] I.sub.43 Fourth input current signal [0171] U.sub.34 First output voltage signal [0172] U.sub.21 Second output voltage signal [0173] U.sub.43 Third output voltage signal [0174] U.sub.12 Fourth output voltage signal [0175] U.sub.1, U.sub.2 Antiphase AC voltages/AC potentials [0176] R.sub.1234 First resistance element [0177] R.sub.3421 Second resistance element [0178] R.sub.2143 Third resistance element [0179] R.sub.4312 Fourth resistance element [0180] R.sub.ijkl.sup.n Resistance element for harmonic order n [0181] R.sub.trans Transverse resistance/cross resistance [0182] R.sub.long Longitudinal resistance/Series resistance [0183] R.sub.long.sup.n Longitudinal resistance to harmonic order n [0184] R.sub.trans.sup.n Transverse resistance to harmonic order n [0185] ADC1 First analogue-to-digital converter [0186] ADC2 Second analogue-to-digital converter [0187] DFT1 First Fourier analyser [0188] DFT2 Second Fourier analyser