Method and apparatus for obtaining spatial information and measuring the dielectric constant of an object

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for obtaining spatial information about an object, and for measuring the dielectric constant of an object. They include placing the object in a cavity and interacting electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies with the object to obtain a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes. They also include using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the spatial information for the object, and/or using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the dielectric constant for the object.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method for obtaining spatial information about an object, the method comprising:
 providing a cavity for containing the object;   positioning the object in the cavity;   interacting electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies with the object to obtain a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes in the cavity; and   using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the spatial information for the object.   
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the interacting of the electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies with the object to obtain a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes in the cavity comprises, for each of the frequencies, measuring a frequency shift relative to a base frequency. 
     
     
         7 . A method for measuring the dielectric constant of an object, the method comprising:
 interacting electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies with the object to obtain a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes; and   using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the dielectric constant for the object.   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the electromagnetic radiation at a given one of the plurality of frequencies comprises a set of base frequencies;   each of the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes corresponding to the given one of the plurality of frequencies comprises a frequency shift relative to the base frequencies.   
     
     
         9 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for measuring the dielectric constant of an object, the method comprising:
 positioning the object in a cavity;   interacting electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies with the object to obtain a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes, each of the measured resonant transverse magnetic modes comprising dielectric constant information and spatial information relating to the object;   using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the spatial information; and   using the using the plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes and the spatial information to obtain the dielectric constant information and the dielectric constant for the object.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for obtaining spatial information relating to an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a cavity having a size and a shape sufficient to physically accommodate the object;   an antenna system for directing electromagnetic radiation comprising a plurality of frequencies into the cavity, and for receiving a corresponding plurality of measured resonant transverse magnetic modes; and   a signal processor operatively coupled to the antenna system for processing the measured resonant transverse magnetic modes to obtain the spatial information relating to the object.   
     
     
         17 - 37 . (canceled)