Sample scanning and analysis system and methods for using the same
First Claim
1. A portable sample scanning and analysis system comprising:
- a sample housing including a human finger-sized housing for holding a sample to be scanned;
a scanner for scanning the sample, the scanner including a transmitter for transmitting a series of electromagnetic signals, each of the electromagnetic signals having a transmitted amplitude over a plurality of sample points within a range of frequencies, and a receiver for receiving the series of electromagnetic signals as the series of electromagnetic signals are reflected from or transmitted through the sample at substantially the same time as the series of electromagnetic signals are being transmitted, and generating a series of spectral data sets representing at least a scanned amplitude of each of the electromagnetic signals over the plurality of sample points;
magnets that produce a non-varying magnetic field around any portion of the sample to be scanned, the magnetic field representing substantially all of the magnetic field applied by the system around the sample at the same time the electromagnetic signals are transmitted and received, the transmitter and the receiver being held by the human finger-sized housing on either side of the sample and in close proximity to the magnets and the sample; and
an analyzer including a memory and a processor for generating one or more composite spectrograms from the series of spectral data sets, analyzing the composite spectrograms to recognize one or more patterns within the composite spectrograms representing one or more characteristics of the sample, and making a determination regarding the characteristics based on the patterns.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and methods for scanning and analyzing one or more characteristics of a sample utilizing electromagnetic radiation is described. More particularly, the system and methods utilize an electromagnetic radiation source connected to a transmitter and an analyzer connected to a receiver. A sample to be analyzed is placed between the transmitter and receiver and a frequency sweep of electromagnetic radiation is transmitted through the sample to create a series of spectral data sets, which are developed into a composite spectrogram by the analyzer and processed to determine one or more characteristics of the sample. A magnetic field can alternatively be applied around the transmitter, receiver and sample to enhance some characteristic analysis applications and to make other characteristic analysis applications possible. Samples include inert and living items and the characteristics include a wide variety of different applications. Although pattern recognition is utilized in some applications to match a present composite spectrogram with previously detected spectrograms, the present composite spectrogram can also be analyzed based on pattern components to make characteristic determinations without per-use calibration and without utilizing any pattern matching.
-
Citations
112 Claims
-
1. A portable sample scanning and analysis system comprising:
-
a sample housing including a human finger-sized housing for holding a sample to be scanned; a scanner for scanning the sample, the scanner including a transmitter for transmitting a series of electromagnetic signals, each of the electromagnetic signals having a transmitted amplitude over a plurality of sample points within a range of frequencies, and a receiver for receiving the series of electromagnetic signals as the series of electromagnetic signals are reflected from or transmitted through the sample at substantially the same time as the series of electromagnetic signals are being transmitted, and generating a series of spectral data sets representing at least a scanned amplitude of each of the electromagnetic signals over the plurality of sample points; magnets that produce a non-varying magnetic field around any portion of the sample to be scanned, the magnetic field representing substantially all of the magnetic field applied by the system around the sample at the same time the electromagnetic signals are transmitted and received, the transmitter and the receiver being held by the human finger-sized housing on either side of the sample and in close proximity to the magnets and the sample; and an analyzer including a memory and a processor for generating one or more composite spectrograms from the series of spectral data sets, analyzing the composite spectrograms to recognize one or more patterns within the composite spectrograms representing one or more characteristics of the sample, and making a determination regarding the characteristics based on the patterns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A portable sample scanning and analysis system comprising:
-
a sample housing having a human finger-sized housing for holding a sample to be scanned, including a base for positioning and orienting the sample and one or more pairs of magnets positioned so as to create a non-varying magnetic field surrounding at least a portion of the sample; a scanner for scanning the sample, the scanner including a transmitter having one or more transmitter nodes for transmitting a series of electromagnetic signals, each of the electromagnetic signals having a transmitted amplitude over a plurality of sample points within a range of frequencies, and a receiver having one or more receiver nodes for receiving the series of electromagnetic signals as the series of electromagnetic signals are reflected from or transmitted through the sample at substantially the same time as the series of electromagnetic signals are being transmitted and generating a series of spectral data sets representing at least a scanned amplitude of each of the electromagnetic signals over the plurality of sample points, the sample housing being formed to hold the transmitter nodes and the receiver nodes on either side of the sample and in fixed positions relative to the sample, the magnetic field further surrounding the transmitter nodes and the receiver nodes, wherein the magnetic field represents substantially all of the magnetic field applied by the system around the sample at the same time the electromagnetic signals are transmitted and received; and an analyzer including a memory and a processor for generating one or more composite spectrograms from the series of spectral data sets, analyzing the composite spectrograms to recognize one or more patterns within the composite spectrograms representing one or more characteristics of the sample, and making a determination regarding the characteristics based on the patterns. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
-
-
82. A method for scanning and analyzing a sample, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving the sample within a human finger-sized housing of a sample housing of a portable device for scanning and analysis; scanning the sample by transmitting a series of electromagnetic signals generated by a transmitter, each of the electromagnetic signals having a transmitted amplitude over a plurality of sample points within a range of frequencies, and receiving at substantially the same time as the series of signals are being transmitted each of the electromagnetic signals with a receiver as the electromagnetic signals are reflected from or transmitted through the sample in a non-varying magnetic field that surrounds any portion of the sample to be scanned, the magnetic field representing substantially all of the applied magnetic field at the same time the electromagnetic signals are transmitted and received, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are position on either side of and in close proximity to the sample; generating a series of spectral data sets representing at least a scanned amplitude of each of the electromagnetic signals over the plurality of sample points; generating a composite spectrogram from the series of spectral data sets; analyzing the composite spectrogram to recognize one or more patterns within the composite spectrogram representing a characteristic of the sample; and making a determination regarding the characteristic based on the patterns. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)
-
Specification