# US 2019/0170664 A1 · Microwave moisture meter and sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170664 A1 - Document ID: US20190170664A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/154,195 - Filed: 2018-10-08 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-14 - Assignees: TSI Incorporated - Applicants: TSI, Incorporated - Inventors: Amit Vasant ITAGI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170664A1 ## CPC - G01N 22/04: Investigating moisture content - G01N 24/081: {Making measurements of geologic samples, e.g. measurements of moisture, pH, porosity, permeability, tortuosity or viscosity} - G01N 33/025: {Fruits or vegetables} - G01N 22/00: Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more (G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence) - G01N 24/00: Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance or other spin effects - G01N 24/08: by using nuclear magnetic resonance (G01N24/12 takes precedence) - G01N 33/0098: {Plants or trees (wood G01N33/46)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A microwave moisture sensor for agricultural materials, such as grains and nuts, is disclosed herein that includes a material sample holder having a substantially cylindrical cavity formed therein. The meter assembly further includes a transmitting antenna on a side of the sample holder and a receiving antenna on a side of sample holder directly opposite the transmitting antenna wherein the sample holder is located between the two antennas, the receiving antenna configured to receive a transmitted microwave through the sample holder. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-18. (canceled) ### Claim 19 A method of measuring moisture in a sample material located within a material sample holder assembly by measuring attenuation and phase changes in a signal transmitted through the sample of material being measured, the method comprising: providing an inner cylindrical holder member disposed within an outer holder member, the inner cylindrical holder member having a longitudinal axis along a length of the cylindrical holder and configured to be rotated axially about the longitudinal axis within the outer holder member, wherein the outer holder member is configured from a material that approximates a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the sample holder assembly; rotating axially the inner cylindrical holder within the outer holder member; transmitting from a side of the material sample holder assembly a polarized microwave signal; and receiving from an opposite side of the material sample holder assembly the polarized microwave signal transmitted through the material sample holder assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a mode of polarization of the microwave signal is circular. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing antennas to transmit and receive the polarized signal, each of the antennas with a height substantially similar to a height of the cylindrically shaped sample holder. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing the outer holder substantially in the shape of a block to support the cylindrically shaped holder between a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a mode of polarization is linear in either the horizontal or vertical direction. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a mode of polarization is elliptical. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising selecting the permittivity of the inner and outer holder members to be in a midrange of a percent moisture content of the individual particles of the sampled material. ### Claim 26 A method of measuring moisture in a sample material located within a material sample holder assembly by measuring attenuation and phase changes in a signal transmitted through the sample of material being measured, the method comprising: configuring the material sample holder assembly with a holder member having a longitudinal axis along a length of the holder member and an outer holder member disposed outside and about the holder member, wherein the outer holder member is configured from a material that approximates a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the material sample holder assembly; transmitting from a side of the material sample holder assembly a polarized microwave signal; and receiving from an opposite side of the material sample holder assembly the microwave signal transmitted through the material sample holder assembly. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of axially rotating the holder member. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the holder member is configured as a substantially cylindrical holder member capable of rotating axially within the outer holder member. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein a mode of polarization is selected from a group consisting of circular, elliptical, linear in a horizontal direction and linear in a vertical direction. ### Claim 30 A method of measuring moisture in a sample material located within a material sample holder assembly by measuring attenuation and phase changes in a signal transmitted through the sample of material being measured, the method comprising: configuring the material sample holder assembly to approximate a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the material sample holder assembly; transmitting from a side of the material sample holder assembly a polarized microwave signal in at least one of a circular, linear and elliptical polarization mode to reduce differences in moisture measurements due to orientation of a particle in the sampled material located in the sample holder assembly; and receiving from an opposite side of the material sample holder assembly the polarized microwave signal transmitted through the material sample holder assembly. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising the step axially rotating the material holder assembly about a longitudinal axis of a cavity of the material holder assembly. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of providing an inner holder member configured to hold the sampled. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the inner holder member is substantially cylindrical in shape and is comprised of material having a permittivity selected to be in a midrange of a percent moisture content of the individual particles of the sampled material. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the permittivity of the material sample holder assembly is selected to be in a midrange of a percent moisture content of the individual particles of the sampled material. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the inner holder member has an oval or elliptical cross section, the inner holder member configured to have a permittivity selected to be in a midrange of a percent moisture content of the individual particles of the sampled material. ### Claim 36 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the holder member has one of an oval, elliptical or cylindrical cross section. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the holder member is configured to have a permittivity selected to be in a midrange of a percent moisture content of the individual particles of the sampled material.