SPATIALLY CONTROLLED ENERGY DELIVERY
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an object in an energy application zone. At least one processor may be configured to acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone. The processor may be further configured to determine a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns each having a known electromagnetic field intensity distribution and cause the source to supply each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns to the energy application zone at the determined weights.
1 .- 35 . (canceled)
36 . An apparatus for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an object in an energy application zone via at least one radiating element, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone;
determine, based on the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss, a weight for each of a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns; and
cause the source to excite each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns in the energy application zone at the determined weights, wherein each weight is associated with a time duration, a power level, or a combination thereof.
37 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire volumetric energy transfer information associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone; and
determine the weight based on the volumetric energy transfer information.
38 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns is associated with a unique electromagnetic field intensity distribution.
39 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss contains a three-dimensional distribution of absorption data.
40 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss is predetermined based on known characteristics of the object.
41 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss is based on feedback from the object.
42 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the processor is configured to receive signals indicative of feedback from the object, and determine the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss based on the signals.
43 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss includes a loss profile.
44 . The apparatus according to claim 43 , wherein the loss profile is dynamically created.
45 . The apparatus according to claim 43 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the loss profile based on feedback from the object.
46 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the weight based on thermodynamic characteristics of the object.
47 . The apparatus according to claim 46 , wherein the thermodynamic characteristics of the object include at least one of heat conduction, heat capacity, and a specific mass of at least a portion of the object.
48 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the at least one radiating element includes two or more radiating elements.
49 . The apparatus of claim 48 , wherein the processor is configured to simultaneously employ at least two of the radiating elements in order to achieve a predetermined field pattern.
50 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the at least one radiating element includes two or more radiating elements, and wherein the processor is configured to select one or more of the radiating elements to excite each one of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns.
51 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising the source of electromagnetic energy.
52 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising the energy application zone.
53 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising the at least one radiating element.
54 . The apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to regulate the source to repetitively apply energy to the energy application zone at an interval of between about 0.5 seconds and about 5 seconds.
55 . An apparatus for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an energy application zone via at least one radiating element, the energy application zone comprising an object to be processed by the RF energy, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone;
determine a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of modulation space elements (MSEs), based on the acquired information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss; and
cause the source to supply RF energy at each of the plurality of MSEs to the energy application zone at the determined weights, wherein each weight is associated with a time duration, a power level, or a combination thereof.
56 . The apparatus according to claim 55 , wherein each of the plurality of MSEs is associated with an electromagnetic field intensity distribution; and the processor is configured to determine the weight to be applied to each of the plurality of MSEs based on the electromagnetic field intensity distributions.
57 . The apparatus according to claim 55 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire a target energy distribution across at least a portion of the energy application zone; and
determine the weight to be applied to each of the plurality of MSEs based on the target energy distribution.
58 . The apparatus according to claim 55 , wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire a target energy distribution across at least a portion of the energy application zone; and
determine the weight to be applied to each of the plurality of MSEs, such that the sum of the electromagnetic field intensities associated with each of the plurality of the MSEs, when weighted by the respective weights, is substantially equal to the target energy distribution.