US 12,265,045 B2
Apparatus and method for determining a characteristic of a material using an electromagnetic fingerprint
Thomas David Machin, Manchester (GB); and Hsin-Yu Wei, Manchester (GB)
Assigned to INDUSTRIAL TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEMS LTD., Manchester (GB)
Appl. No. 17/907,522
Filed by INDUSTRIAL TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEMS LTD., Manchester (GB)
PCT Filed Mar. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/GB2021/050792
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/198679, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2004601 (GB), filed on Mar. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0147351 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 27/04 (2006.01); G01F 1/66 (2022.01); G01N 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 27/045 (2013.01) [G01F 1/66 (2013.01); G01N 9/00 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a material within a region within a pipe or vessel, the apparatus comprising:
a first plurality of electrodes mounted on an inner wall of the pipe or vessel around the region or arranged linearly along a linear structure fixably or removably located within the pipe or vessel and within the region;
an energisation source arranged to apply an applied stimulation signal to at least one of said first plurality of electrodes;
a stimulation monitor arranged to monitor an electrical parameter at a plurality of other electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes in response to said applied stimulation signal, the stimulation monitor being configured to generate a received stimulation signal for each of the plurality of other electrodes of the plurality of electrodes based on the monitored electrical parameter;
a monitor configured to generate a series of data values, each data value being indicative of a phase difference and/or an amplitude relationship between the applied stimulation signal and the received stimulation signal associated with one of the other electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes, said series of data values defining an electromagnetic fingerprint;
a controller configured to:
receive the electromagnetic fingerprint;
identify an interrelationship between at least some of the data values of the electromagnetic fingerprint;
determine the characteristic based on the interrelationship.