Dielectric resonator thermometer and a method of using the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A thermometer, comprising:
- a housing having at least one opening therein and an inner surface;
a dielectric element disposed in said housing, the dielectric element having an outer surface spaced from the inner surface of the housing to establish a cavity surrounding the dielectric element;
at least one microwave guide coupled to said at least one opening for providing a signal into said dielectric element for propagation at a resonant frequency around the outer surface of the dielectric element and for receiving the signal from said dielectric element; and
a temperature determination unit operatively associated with said housing for receiving the signal from said at least one microwave guide, measuring the resonant frequency of the dielectric element, and determining a temperature of the dielectric element based on a predetermined relationship between resonant frequency and temperature of the dielectric element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thermometer is provided. A housing has at least one opening. A dielectric element is disposed in the housing. At least one microwave guide is coupled to the at least one opening for providing a signal into the dielectric element for propagation at a resonant frequency and for receiving the signal from the dielectric element. A temperature determination unit receives the signal from the at least one microwave guide, measures the resonant frequency of the dielectric element, and determines the temperature of the dielectric element based on a relationship between resonant frequency and temperature of the dielectric element.
26 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A thermometer, comprising:
-
a housing having at least one opening therein and an inner surface; a dielectric element disposed in said housing, the dielectric element having an outer surface spaced from the inner surface of the housing to establish a cavity surrounding the dielectric element; at least one microwave guide coupled to said at least one opening for providing a signal into said dielectric element for propagation at a resonant frequency around the outer surface of the dielectric element and for receiving the signal from said dielectric element; and a temperature determination unit operatively associated with said housing for receiving the signal from said at least one microwave guide, measuring the resonant frequency of the dielectric element, and determining a temperature of the dielectric element based on a predetermined relationship between resonant frequency and temperature of the dielectric element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A thermometer, comprising:
-
a housing having at least one opening therein and an inner surface; a dielectric disc disposed in said housing, the dielectric disc having an outer surface spaced from the inner surface of the housing to establish a cavity surrounding the circumference of the dielectric element; an input microwave guide coupled to said at least one opening, said input microwave guide providing a signal to said dielectric disc for propagation at a resonant frequency around a circumference of said dielectric disc, the resonant frequency depending on a temperature of the dielectric disc; an output microwave guide coupled to said at least one opening, said output microwave guide receiving the signal from said dielectric disc; and a temperature determination unit for receiving the signal from said output microwave guide, measuring a center frequency of the signal to determine the resonant frequency of the dielectric disc, and determining the temperature of the dielectric disc based on a predetermined relationship between resonant frequency and temperature of the dielectric disc.
-
-
21. A thermometer, comprising:
-
a housing having at least one opening therein and an interior surface; a dielectric element disposed in said housing, the dielectric element having an outer surface spaced from the inner surface of the housing to establish a cavity surrounding the dielectric element; at least one microwave guide coupled to said at least one opening for providing a signal into said dielectric element for propagation at a resonant frequency around the outer surface of the dielectric element and for receiving the signal from said dielectric element; at least one antenna coupling the at least one microwave guide to said dielectric element; and a temperature determination unit operatively associated with said housing for receiving the signal from said at least one microwave guide, measuring the resonant frequency of the dielectric element, and determining a temperature of the dielectric element based on a predetermined relationship between resonant frequency and temperature of the dielectric element.
-
Specification