Examining objects using electric fields
AssigneeZedsen Limited
InventorHrand Mami Mamigonians
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Non-biological objects, biological specimens and living tissues are examined using electric fields to identify regions of differing permittivity and conductivity. Substantially parallel electrodes are deployed in capacitive alignment with an object and energization pulses are generated for application to any of the electrodes as a transmitter. Output signals from any remaining electrode are monitored, in which a peak value of an output signal is indicative of permittivity and a decay rate of an output signal is indicative of conductivity. A first set of n electrodes (one to fifteen) is selected, each of which is capacitively coupled with a second set of m electrodes (two to eight) that are the nearest neighbouring electrodes to an electrode selected from the first set.
Claims15
An apparatus for examining an object using electric fields to identify regions in said object of differing permittivity and conductivity, comprising:
- a plurality of substantially parallel electrodes mounted on a substrate, wherein said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes are coated with an insulator allowing said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes to be brought into contact with said object and thereby be in capacitive alignment with said object;
- a generator for generating energization pulses and a de-multiplexer for applying said energization pulses to any of said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes as a transmitter electrode;
- a monitor for monitoring output signals and a multiplexer for connecting any one of said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes to said monitor;
- and
- a processor, wherein said processor is configured to:
- select a first set of n electrodes from said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes;
- and
- establish capacitively coupled electrode pairs, in which each of said first set of n electrodes is capacitively coupled with a second set of m electrodes from said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes, wherein:
- each said second set of m electrodes are nearest neighbouring electrodes to an electrode selected from said first set of n electrodes;
- and
- the number of electrodes present in said second set of m electrodes represents a degree of layering.
A method of examining an object using electric fields to identify regions in said object of differing permittivity and conductivity, comprising the steps of:
- deploying a plurality of substantially parallel electrodes in capacitive alignment with said object;
- generating energization pulses for application to any of said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes as a transmitter electrode;
- monitoring output signals from any remaining one of said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes as a receiver electrode, wherein a peak value of an output signal is indicative of permittivity and a decay rate of said output signal is indicative of conductivity, such that during each energization operation, an energized transmitter electrode and a monitored receiver electrode define a capacitively coupled electrode pair;
- selecting a first set of n electrodes from said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes;
- and
- establishing capacitively coupled electrode pairs, in which each of said first set of n electrodes is capacitively coupled with a second set of m electrodes from said plurality of substantially parallel electrodes, wherein:
- each said second set of m electrodes are nearest neighbouring electrodes to an electrode selected from said first set of n electrodes;
- and
- the number of electrodes present in said second set of m electrodes represents a degree of layering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.