Systems and methods for non-destructively measuring calorie contents of food items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297770-B2
Application number	US-201113193887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2011
Priority date	Jul 29, 2011
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A calorie estimating device for measuring a calorie content of a food item is provided. The device comprises a holder substrate, a transmitter antenna configured to transmit ultra-wide band (UWB) signals to at least a portion of the food item disposed on a side of the holder substrate, wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a planar antenna, a first receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals reflected by the food item, wherein the first receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna, and a second receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals propagated through the food item, wherein the second receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A calorie estimating device for measuring a calorie content of a food item, comprising:
a holder substrate;
a transmitter antenna configured to transmit ultra-wide band (UWB) signals to at least a portion of the food item disposed on a side of the holder substrate, wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a first receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals reflected by the food item, wherein the first receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a second receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals propagated through the food item, wherein the second receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna; and
wherein the device non-destructively measures the calorie content of the food item by comparing the received signals from the first receiver and the second receiver, measured both with and without the food item disposed on the holder substrate.

2. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna, holder substrate, or both are configured to move along or about an x-axis, y-axis, z-axis, or combinations thereof.

3. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an open cavity arrangement.

4. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the transmitter antenna, first receiver antenna, and second receiver antenna comprise a two-dimensional antenna.

5. The calorie estimating device of claim 4 , wherein the two-dimensional antenna comprises a spiral antenna.

6. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the planar antenna comprises a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, a square shape, or combinations thereof.

7. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the transmitter antenna, first receiver antenna, and second receiver antenna are configured to move along or about an x-axis, y-axis, z-axis, or combinations thereof.

8. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna and the first receiver antenna are disposed facing same side of the holder substrate.

9. The calorie estimating device of claim 8 , wherein the second receiver antenna is disposed facing another side of the holder substrate.

10. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of transmitter antennae.

11. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of first receiver antennae, a plurality of second receiver antennae, or both.

12. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna and the first receiver antenna comprise a planar transceiver antenna that is configured to transmit the UWB signals to the portion of the food item and receive at least a portion of the UWB signals reflected by the food item.

13. The calorie estimating device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna, the first receiver antenna and the second receiver antenna comprise a linear polarization, an elliptical polarization or a circular polarization.

14. An open cavity system for non-destructively measuring a calorie content of a food item, the system comprising:
a calorie estimating device, comprising:
a holder substrate having at least two sides;
a transmitter antenna configured to transmit ultra-wide band (UWB) signals to at least a portion of a food item disposed on a side of the holder substrate, wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a first receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals reflected by the food item, wherein the first receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a second receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals propagated through the food item, wherein the second receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna; and

a processing unit operatively coupled to the calorie estimating device and configured to non-destructively determine a calorie content of the food items based on comparing the signals received by the first and the second receiver antennae measured both with and without the food item disposed on the holder substrate.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising an electromagnetic source operatively coupled to the transmitter antenna and configured to generate UWB signals, wherein at least a portion of the generated UWB signals is directed to the transmitter antenna.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a temperature measuring device operatively coupled to the holder substrate.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a weighing device operatively coupled to the holder substrate.

18. A method for non-destructively measuring individual calorie contents of one or more food items, the method comprising:
irradiating an empty holder substrate with UWB signals;
acquiring at least a portion of signals reflected by the empty holder substrate;
acquiring at least a portion of signals propagated through the empty holder substrate;
irradiating the food items disposed on the holder substrate with UWB signals such that at least a portion of the UWB signals interact with the food items;
acquiring at least a portion of signals reflected by the food item;
acquiring at least a portion of signals propagated through the food item;
estimating fat contents and water contents of individual food items based on comparing the acquired reflected and transmitted signals from the empty holder substrate and the food items; and
determining individual calorie contents of the food items based on the estimated fat and water contents.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising scanning the food items with the UWB signals.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising measuring a weight, or temperature, or both of the food item.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising estimating the fat content and the water content of the food item based on the weight, temperature, or both of the food item.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the UWB signals comprise a plurality of pulses.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of pulses are successive pulses that are spaced in time.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the UWB signals comprise a sweep frequency.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein a frequency of the UWB signals is in a range from about 100 MHz to about 20 GHz.

26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining inverse Fourier transform of frequency domain data representing the food and water contents.

27. A kit for measuring a calorie content of a food item, comprising:
a holder substrate having at least two sides;
a transmitter antenna configured to transmit UWB signals to at least a portion of the food item disposed on a side of the holder substrate, wherein the transmitter antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a first receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals reflected by the food item, wherein the first receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna;
a second receiver antenna configured to receive at least a portion of UWB signals propagated through the food item, wherein the second receiver antenna comprises a planar antenna; and
wherein the kit non-destructively measures the calorie content of the food item by comparing the received signals from the first receiver and the second receiver, measured both with and without the food item disposed on the holder

Assignees

• Tralshawala Nilesh
• Graf John Frederick
• Webster Jack Mathew
• Neculaes Vasile Bogdan
• Katz Sarah Lillian
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Tralshawala Nilesh
• Graf John Frederick
• Webster Jack Mathew
• Neculaes Vasile Bogdan
• Katz Sarah Lillian

Classifications

• G01N22/04 Primary

  Investigating moisture content · CPC title

• G01N33/02

  Food · CPC title