Array system for the characterization of an object

Abstract

An apparatus including an antenna and a processing device. The antenna includes a steerable array. The steerable array may transmit a signal at an angle of transmission toward a portion of an object. The steerable array may receive a reflection of the signal off of the portion of the object. The processing device may be coupled to the antenna. The processing device may determine a digital representation of the portion of the object in view of the reflection of the signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an antenna comprising a first steerable array, the first steerable array to:
 transmit a first signal at a first angle of transmission toward a first portion of a first object; and 
 receive a reflection of the first signal off of the first portion of the first object; and 
   a processing device operatively coupled to the antenna, the processing device to determine a digital representation of the first portion of the first object in view of the reflection of the first signal.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein to determine the digital representation of the first portion of the first object, the processing device is to:
 determine a phase and an amplitude of the reflection of the first signal; and   determine the digital representation of the first portion of the first object in view of the phase and the amplitude of the reflection of the first signal.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first steerable array is further to:
 iteratively steer transmissions of a sequence of signals at toward different portions of the first object; and 
 receive reflections of the sequence of signals off of the different portions of the first object; and 
   the processing device is further to determine the digital representation of the first object in view of an aggregation the reflections of the sequence of signals.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first steerable array is further to:
 transmit a second signal at a second angle of transmission toward a second portion of the first object; and 
 receive a reflection of the second signal off of the second portion of the first object; and 
   the processing device is further to determine a digital representation of the second portion of the second portion of the first object in view of the reflection of the second signal.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the processing device is further to aggregate the digital representation of the first portion of the first object with the digital representation of the second portion of the first object to obtain a digital representation of the first portion and the second portion of the first object. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the antenna comprises a second steerable array to transmit a second signal toward the first portion of the first object at a different angle of transmission than the first signal; and   the processing device is further to determine the digital representation of the first portion of the first object in view of the reflection of the first signal and the reflection of the second signal.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the processing device is further to:
 compare a phase and an amplitude of the reflection of the first signal to a phase and an amplitude of the reflection of the second signal to identify interference in the first signal; and   filter out the interference in the reflection of the first signal.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the interference is caused by a second object located between the first steerable array and the first object. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises one or more additional steerable arrays connected to the first steerable array, wherein the one or more additional steerable arrays transmit signals toward the first portion of the object at different angles of transmission. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processing device is further to determine the digital representation of the first portion of the object in view of the reflection of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, the fourth signal, and the fifth signal. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 an antenna comprising a first steerable array, the first steerable array to:
 transmit a first signal at a first angle of transmission toward a first portion of an object; and 
 receive a reflection of the first signal off of the first portion of the object; and 
   a processing device operatively coupled to the antenna, the processing device to determine a digital representation of the first portion of the object in view of the reflection of the first signal.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a probe connected to the antenna, wherein:
 the first steerable array is to:
 transmit a calibration signal through a material toward the probe; and 
 receive a reflection of the calibration signal off of the probe; and 
   the processing device is to:
 determine a calibration measurement in view of the reflection of the calibration signal; and 
 adjust the digital representation of the first portion of the object in view of the calibration measurement. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the probe has defined reflection characteristics and the processing device is to compare an expected reflection of the calibration signal with the calibration signal reflected off of the probe to determine the calibration measurement. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the antenna comprises one or more additional steerable arrays connected to the first steerable array, wherein the one or more additional steerable arrays transmit signals toward the first portion of the object at different angles of transmission. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further to determine the digital representation of the first portion of the object in view of the reflection of the first signal. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a gap between the first steerable array and the one or more additional steerable arrays. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the object is a plant, and wherein the first portion of the object is a portion of a root structure of the plant and the second portion of the object is a stock of the plant. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 transmitting a first signal from an antenna structure toward a first portion of an object;   receiving a reflection of the first signal off of the first portion of the object;   determining, by a processing device, an amplitude of the reflection of the first signal; and   determining, by the processing device, a first digital representation of a structure of the first portion of the object in view of the amplitude of the reflection of the first signal.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing device, a request to determine a structure of the object;   extending a probe from the antenna structure;   transmitting, by the antenna structure, a calibration signal from the antenna structure through a material toward the probe;   measuring a reflection of the calibration signal off of the probe;   determining, by the processing device, a calibration measurement in view of the reflection of the calibration signal; and   adjusting, by the processing device, the amplitude of the reflection of the first signal using the calibration measurement to remove interference in the measurement signal caused by the material.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 transmitting a second measurement signal from the antenna structure toward a second portion of the object;   receiving a reflection of the second measurement signal off of the second portion of the object;   determine, by the processing device, an amplitude of the reflection of the second measurement signal;   determining, by the processing device, a second digital representation of a structure of the second portion of the object in view of the amplitude of the reflection of the second measurement signal; and   aggregating, by the processing device, the first digital representation and the second digital representation to determine a third digital representation of the first portion and the second portion of the object.