US4583869A — Method and apparatus for measuring the temperatur…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 228 words

Method of measuring the temperature of a selected sub-surface volume of a body which comprises placing at least two probes A and B near or in contact with a surface of the body to pick up thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by a volume of the body associated respectively with each probe, positioning said probes adjacent one another so that the volumes of the body from which the respective probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range overlap one another to provide a common volume part Vi from which both of said probes receive said thermal noise signals and remaining volume parts Va and Vb, from which only the individual probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range, amplifying said signals received by said probes and correlating said signals so that thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the common volume part Vi are correlated while thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by remaining volume parts Va and Vb are decorrelated, whereby thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by said common volume Vi are made preponderant by correlation with respect to thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which said probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 228 words

Method of measuring the temperature of a selected sub-surface volume of a body which comprises placing at least two probes A and B near or in contact with a surface of the body to pick up thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by a volume of the body associated respectively with each probe, positioning said probes adjacent one another so that the volumes of the body from which the respective probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range overlap one another to provide a common volume part Vi from which both of said probes receive said thermal noise signals and remaining volume parts Va and Vb, from which only the individual probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range, amplifying said signals received by said probes and correlating said signals so that thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the common volume part Vi are correlated while thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by remaining volume parts Va and Vb are decorrelated, whereby thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by said common volume Vi are made preponderant by correlation with respect to thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which said probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

Method according to claim 1, in which said probes are coupled electrically in parallel with one another.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

Method according to claim 2, in which the phase of signals from one of said probes is shifted relative to that of signals from the other of said probes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

Method according to claim 3, in which the phase shift value between the signals of the two probes is varied during the measuring.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

Method according to claim 3, in which the phase of signals from one of said probes is cyclically shifted 180° relative to that of signals from the other of said probes with a cyclic ratio which is approximately equal to 1/2.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

Method according to claim 5, in which the phase-shifted signals from said one probe and signals from said other probe are summed and fed to a square-law detector.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

Method according to claim 6, in which said square-law detector is synchronized with said cyclical phase shifting to output a signal approximately proportional to the difference in the amplitude of the signal corresponding to the two half periods of the phase shifting cycle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 45 words

Method according to claim 6, in which the signal is filtered after square-law detection by numerical filtering to output a signal which is approximately proportional to the difference in the amplitude of the signal corresponding to the two half periods of the phase shifting cycle.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

Method according to claim 1, in which during the measuring, the two probes are displaced relative to one another to vary the common volume part.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 214 words

Apparatus for measuring the temperature of a selected sub-surface volume of a body comprising at least two probes A and B adapted to be placed on or near the surface of the body to pick up thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the body, said probes being positioned adjacent one another so that the volumes of the body from which the respective probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range overlap one another to provide a common volume part Vi from which both of said probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range and remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which only probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range and means for amplifying and correlating signals from said probes to correlate thermal noise signals in the microwave range received from said common volume part Vi while decorrelating thermal noise signals in the microwave range received from remaining volume parts Va and Vb and thereby accentuate the thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by said common volume part Vi with respect to the thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which said probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 214 words

Apparatus for measuring the temperature of a selected sub-surface volume of a body comprising at least two probes A and B adapted to be placed on or near the surface of the body to pick up thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the body, said probes being positioned adjacent one another so that the volumes of the body from which the respective probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range overlap one another to provide a common volume part Vi from which both of said probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range and remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which only probes A and B respectively receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range and means for amplifying and correlating signals from said probes to correlate thermal noise signals in the microwave range received from said common volume part Vi while decorrelating thermal noise signals in the microwave range received from remaining volume parts Va and Vb and thereby accentuate the thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by said common volume part Vi with respect to the thermal noise signals in the microwave range emitted by the remaining volume parts Va and Vb from which said probes receive thermal noise signals in the microwave range.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said amplifying and processing means comprises a correlation type receiver to which outputs of said probes are connected in parallel and an amplifier-receiver for amplifying the output signal of said correlator.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said amplifying and processing means comprises means for shifting the phase of signals from one probe relative to that of signals from the other probe, means for summing the phase-shifted signals from said one probe and signals from said other probe and means for amplifying the summed signals.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 54 words

Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said amplifying and processing means comprises means for shifting the phase of signals from one probe relative to that of signals from the other probe, means for summing the phase-shifted signals from said one probe and a square-law detector connected to the output of said summing means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus according to claim 13, in which said phase shifting means comprises a cyclical phase inverter and in which said square-law detector is synchronzied with said cyclical phase inverter.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus according to claim 13, in which means is provided for varying the angle of shift of said phase shifting means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-04-21	1989-10-21	1990-04-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-04-21	1993-10-21	1994-04-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-04-21	1997-10-21	1998-04-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for measuring the temperature of a body in microwaves

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