Radio frequency drying system and method, device, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application discloses a radio frequency drying system and method, a device, and a storage medium. The system comprises a power supply, a radio frequency source, and a radio frequency radiator. The power supply is configured to supply power to the radio frequency source, and the radio frequency source is configured to output to the radio frequency radiator an electromagnetic wave signal in a predetermined radio frequency band. The radio frequency radiator comprises at least two feeding assemblies. Each feeding assembly comprises a feeding port and a corresponding antenna. An input end of the feeding port is connected to the radio frequency source, and an output end of the feeding port is connected to the corresponding antenna. The antennas of the feeding assemblies are configured to generate a uniformly heated electromagnetic field. There is a gap between the antennas of the feeding assemblies, and the gap is configured for placing an object to be dried. The system has a simple overall structure, is easy to miniaturize, and is suitable for being configured to perform radio frequency drying operations on small consumer products, which is helpful for improving the drying effect, achieving uniform and reliable drying, and further improving the use experience of the consumer products. The present application can be widely applied in the technical field of electronic devices.

Description

Radio frequency drying system, method, equipment and storage medium

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411944103.3, filed on December 27, 2024, entitled "Radio Frequency Drying System, Method, Apparatus and Storage Medium", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of electronic equipment technology, and in particular to a radio frequency drying system, method, apparatus and storage medium. Background Technology

[0004] Currently, some small consumer products, such as cigarettes and cigars, are more susceptible to moisture, which affects product quality and the consumer's user experience.

[0005] In related technologies, small consumer goods such as cigarettes and cigars are often dried to reduce their moisture content. Currently, this is done by baking the surface with a blowtorch-type lighter. However, this method can lead to uneven moisture distribution in cigarettes and cigars, with some areas being relatively dry while others remain damp. During use, this can result in unstable and inconsistent burning, or even failure to ignite. The poor drying effect leads to a poor user experience.

[0006] In summary, the problems with the relevant technologies urgently need to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this application is to at least partially solve one of the technical problems existing in the related art.

[0008] Therefore, one object of the embodiments of this application is to provide an RF drying system, method, apparatus and storage medium.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application include:

[0010] On one hand, embodiments of this application provide an radio frequency drying system, including:

[0011] Power supply, radio frequency source, and radio frequency radiator;

[0012] The power supply is configured to provide power to the radio frequency source, and the radio frequency source is configured to output electromagnetic wave signals of a predetermined radio frequency band to the radio frequency radiator.

[0013] The radio frequency radiator includes at least two sets of feeding components. Each set of feeding components includes a feeding port and a corresponding antenna. The input end of the feeding port is connected to the radio frequency source, and the output end of the feeding port is connected to the corresponding antenna. The antennas of each set of feeding components are configured to generate a uniformly heated electromagnetic field, and there are gaps between the antennas of each set of feeding components. The gaps are configured to place the object to be dried.

[0014] In addition, the radio frequency drying method according to the above embodiments of this application may also have the following additional technical features:

[0015] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the power supply is a battery or a mobile terminal.

[0016] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the antenna is a helical antenna or a whip antenna.

[0017] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the radio frequency radiator includes four sets of feeding components, each set of feeding components employs the spiral antenna, and each spiral antenna constitutes a cross-spiral antenna structure.

[0018] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the item to be dried includes cigars, cigarettes, heated tobacco products, or plant-based products.

[0019] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the radio frequency drying system further includes a pressure sensor configured to detect the weight of the placed item to be dried.

[0020] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the power supply component further includes a detector chip configured to detect reflected energy at the corresponding power supply port.

[0021] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide a radio frequency drying method for performing radio frequency drying operations using the aforementioned radio frequency drying system, the radio frequency drying method comprising:

[0022] In response to the start command, a preset first electromagnetic wave signal is sequentially output through each of the power supply ports;

[0023] Obtain the reflected energy detected by the detector chip corresponding to each of the aforementioned feed ports;

[0024] The target port is determined from the feed port based on the reflected energy;

[0025] The radio frequency source outputs an electromagnetic wave signal in a predetermined radio frequency band to the target port to perform a drying operation on the object to be dried.

[0026] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes:

[0027] Based on the reflected energy, determine the first frequency and first bandwidth amplitude of the resonant point at each of the feed ports;

[0028] Calculate the first similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency corresponding to each of the feed ports, and calculate the second similarity between the first bandwidth amplitude and the reference bandwidth amplitude corresponding to each of the feed ports;

[0029] If the first similarity or the second similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

[0030] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes:

[0031] Based on the reflected energy, determine the return loss curve corresponding to each of the feed ports;

[0032] Calculate the third similarity between the return loss curve and the reference loss curve corresponding to each of the aforementioned feed ports;

[0033] If the third similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

[0034] As an example, in one embodiment of this application, the drying operation on the object to be dried includes:

[0035] The moisture content of the material to be dried is determined based on the reflected energy.

[0036] The operation time is determined based on the moisture content.

[0037] The drying process is carried out on the items to be dried according to the specified operation time.

[0038] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide an RF drying apparatus, including the aforementioned RF drying system for performing the aforementioned RF drying method.

[0039] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a processor-executable program, which, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the above-described radio frequency drying method.

[0040] The advantages and beneficial effects of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application:

[0041] The radio frequency (RF) drying system, method, apparatus, and storage medium disclosed in this application include a power supply, an RF source, and an RF radiator. The power supply is configured to provide power to the RF source, and the RF source is configured to output electromagnetic wave signals in a predetermined RF frequency band to the RF radiator. The RF radiator includes at least two sets of feeding components, each set including a feeding port and a corresponding antenna. The input of the feeding port is connected to the RF source, and the output of the feeding port is connected to the corresponding antenna. The antennas of each set of feeding components are configured to generate a uniformly heating electromagnetic field, and gaps exist between the antennas of each set of feeding components, which are configured to hold the object to be dried. This system has a simple overall structure, is easy to miniaturize, and is suitable for RF drying of small consumer products. It helps improve the drying effect, achieves uniform and reliable drying, and thus improves the user experience of consumer products. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the following description is provided with accompanying drawings of the relevant technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings described below are only for the purpose of clearly illustrating some embodiments of the technical solutions in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a radio frequency drying system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a radio frequency radiator and an object to be dried, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of return loss under an ideal condition provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between another radio frequency radiator and the object to be dried provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of return loss under a misaligned state provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of an ideal electric field analysis provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 7 shows a schematic flowchart of an RF drying method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of a return loss curve provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of another return loss curve provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The described embodiments should not be considered as limitations on the present application, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0053] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0055] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0056] Currently, some small consumer products, such as cigarettes and cigars, are more susceptible to moisture, which affects product quality and the consumer's user experience.

[0057] In related technologies, small consumer goods such as cigarettes and cigars are often dried to reduce their moisture content. Currently, this is done by baking the surface with a blowtorch-type lighter. However, this method can lead to uneven moisture distribution in cigarettes and cigars, with some areas being relatively dry while others remain damp. During use, this can result in unstable and inconsistent burning, or even failure to ignite. The poor drying effect leads to a poor user experience.

[0058] Radio frequency (RF) drying equipment is a device that uses radio frequency (RF) technology to heat and dry materials. RF refers to electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300kHz and 300GHz. These electromagnetic waves can penetrate the interior of materials, causing water molecules within the material to vibrate and generate heat, thus achieving uniform heating and drying from the inside out. Existing RF drying equipment is often used in large-scale industrial and food production lines for drying or thawing. There are no relevant applications for small consumer products such as cigarettes and cigars.

[0059] In view of this, the present application provides an RF drying system, method, device and storage medium. The system has a simple overall structure and is easy to miniaturize. It is suitable for RF drying of small consumer products, which helps to improve the baking and drying effect, achieve uniform and reliable drying, and thus improve the user experience of consumer products.

[0060] The following, with reference to the specific accompanying drawings, provides a detailed description of an RF drying system, method, device, and storage medium provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0061] This application provides an RF drying system that can be applied to the field of electronic device technology. As an example, the RF drying system provided in this application mainly includes:

[0062] Power supply, radio frequency source, and radio frequency radiator;

[0063] The power supply is configured to provide power to the radio frequency source, and the radio frequency source is configured to output electromagnetic wave signals of a predetermined radio frequency band to the radio frequency radiator.

[0064] The radio frequency radiator includes at least two sets of feeding components. Each set of feeding components includes a feeding port and a corresponding antenna. The input end of the feeding port is connected to the radio frequency source, and the output end of the feeding port is connected to the corresponding antenna. The antennas of each set of feeding components are configured to generate a uniformly heated electromagnetic field, and there are gaps between the antennas of each set of feeding components. The gaps are configured to place the object to be dried.

[0065] In this application embodiment, an radio frequency drying system is provided. The system has a simple overall structure, is easy to miniaturize, and is suitable for radio frequency drying of small consumer products. It helps to improve the baking and drying effect, achieve uniform and reliable drying, and thus improve the user experience of consumer products.

[0066] As an example, please refer to Figure 1, which shows a schematic diagram of a radio frequency (RF) drying system provided in an embodiment of this application. The RF drying system in this embodiment includes a power supply, an RF source, and an RF radiator. The power supply can provide power to the RF source and other components. The specific form of the power supply is not limited in this application. Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the power supply can be a fixed power source installed in the RF drying system, such as a solid battery. In some embodiments, the power supply can also be a related mobile device, which may include a power interface. The power interface can be connected to the RF source and other components via related wiring harnesses to provide them with power.

[0067] In the radio frequency (RF) drying system, the RF source is configured to output an electromagnetic wave signal in a predetermined RF frequency band to the RF radiator. This application does not limit the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic wave signal; it can be flexibly set according to actual needs. The RF radiator in this application may include at least two sets of feeding components. Each set of feeding components may include a feeding port and a corresponding antenna, i.e., a one-to-one correspondence between the feeding port and the antenna. The feeding port is configured to connect the RF source and the antenna; its input end is connected to the RF source, and its output end is connected to the corresponding antenna. The electromagnetic wave signal output by the RF source can be transmitted to the antenna via the feeding port. The antenna in the feeding component can be configured to generate a uniformly heating electromagnetic field. For example, the antenna can be a helical antenna or a whip antenna, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0068] There are gaps between the antennas of each group of feed components, and these gaps can be configured to hold the object to be dried. For the application in this embodiment, the volume of the object to be dried can be small. Therefore, the gap can be preset to a small size, for example, the overall volume not exceeding a preset threshold. The specific type of object to be dried can be cigars, cigarettes, heated tobacco products, or plant products, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0069] It should be noted that, in addition to the components mentioned above, the radio frequency drying system in this embodiment may also include some control devices for controlling the operation process of the radio frequency drying system, which will not be elaborated here.

[0070] The working principle of the radio frequency drying system in this application embodiment will be introduced and explained below using a specific working process as an example.

[0071] In a specific operational process, the power supply generates a DC voltage signal, which is input to the radio frequency (RF) source. The RF source then excites an electromagnetic wave signal within a predetermined RF frequency band. This electromagnetic wave signal is a high-power signal, meaning its power exceeds a predetermined power threshold. Next, the electromagnetic wave signal is fed into the corresponding antenna through different feed ports. Here, each feed port can be asynchronously switched on using switching devices; that is, different feed ports are switched on alternately. Different antennas operate at different phase times, resulting in a uniform electric field distribution observed over a larger timescale than the phase time. Based on the dielectric heating characteristics, the moisture in the object to be dried is heated and dried out under the high-frequency electromagnetic field, achieving the drying effect. Because the battery distribution is uniform overall, the heating effect is also relatively even, effectively preventing some areas of the object from being too dry while others remain damp, thus improving the drying efficiency.

[0072] As an example, please refer to Figure 2, which shows a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between a radio frequency radiator and an object to be dried according to an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the radio frequency radiator may include four sets of feeding components, each set of feeding components employing a helical antenna 21, and each helical antenna 21 forming a cross-shaped helical antenna structure. As an example, in this embodiment, the four helical antennas 21 are symmetrically placed along the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively. Two helical antennas 21 are symmetrically placed along the X-axis direction (one in the positive X direction and one in the negative X direction), and the other two helical antennas 21 are symmetrically placed along the Y-axis direction (one in the positive Y direction and one in the negative Y direction). The top endpoints of the symmetrically arranged helical antennas 21 are connected to each other by connecting shafts, and the two connecting shafts form a cross-shaped structure. The object to be dried 22 can be placed in the central gap of the cross-shaped helical antenna. For the structure of the radio frequency radiator shown in Figure 2, during operation, the four feeding ports 23 can alternately conduct electromagnetic wave signals to the helical antennas 21, thereby achieving uniform drying of the object to be dried 22. In Figure 2, the reference ground plane 24 is used to provide an equivalent zero potential surface and is connected to the ground terminal of the feed port 23.

[0073] In this embodiment, the structural feasibility of the radio frequency radiator shown in Figure 2 is analyzed. Under ideal conditions, its corresponding return loss state is shown in Figure 3. It can be concluded that its 3dB bandwidth is 158MHz, the resonant frequency is 2.45GHz, and the amplitude is -21.5675dB. Referring to Figure 4, Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between another radio frequency radiator and the object to be dried provided in this embodiment. In Figure 4, the object to be dried is in a misaligned state, its tilt angle changes from 0 degrees to 10 degrees, and it moves 15mm along the z-axis. Analyzing the case where the object is in a misaligned state, its corresponding return loss state is shown in Figure 5. It can be concluded that its resonant frequency is 2.473GHz, and the amplitude is -21.46dB. By comparison, it can be found that in the misaligned state, the resonant frequency still falls within the ideal 3dB bandwidth, and the amplitude difference is less than 0.02dB. Therefore, a similar drying effect can be obtained under the electromagnetic wave signal of this radio frequency source, with minimal impact on drying. This radio frequency radiator structure has good stability.

[0074] Meanwhile, in this embodiment of the application, the electric field under ideal conditions is also analyzed. As shown in Figure 6, after a time change of 0-180° phase, the electric field of each block region is changed uniformly over the entire phase time. This is manifested as a uniform electric field distribution observed on a large time scale greater than the phase time, which can effectively improve the drying operation.

[0075] In some embodiments, the radio frequency drying system of this application may further include a pressure sensor, which may be configured to detect the weight of the placed item to be dried, thereby helping to determine the moisture content of the item to be dried. For example, if the standard weight of the item to be dried is known, the moisture content can be determined based on the weight actually measured by the pressure sensor, and then the moisture content of the item to be dried can be calculated.

[0076] In some embodiments, the power supply component in the radio frequency drying system of this application may further include a detector chip. The detector chip is configured to detect the reflected energy at the corresponding power supply port. Based on the reflected energy, the operating conditions of the radio frequency drying system can be easily adjusted to achieve efficient control of the radio frequency drying system.

[0077] In this embodiment of the application, a radio frequency drying method is also provided for performing radio frequency drying operations using the aforementioned radio frequency drying system. Referring to FIG7, the method mainly includes:

[0078] Step 710: In response to the start command, a preset first electromagnetic wave signal is sequentially output through each of the power supply ports;

[0079] Step 720: Obtain the reflected energy detected by the detector chip corresponding to each of the feed ports;

[0080] Step 730: Determine the target port from the feed ports based on the reflected energy;

[0081] Step 740: Output an electromagnetic wave signal in a predetermined radio frequency band to the target port through the radio frequency source to perform a drying operation on the object to be dried.

[0082] This application provides an radio frequency (RF) drying method that can be applied to related RF drying equipment. As an example, when a user has a drying need, they can issue a start command. This application does not limit the triggering method of the start command. For example, in some embodiments, a button can be set on the RF drying equipment, and the user can issue the start command by clicking the button; in some embodiments, the RF drying equipment can have a voice control function, and the user can issue the start command by interacting with the RF drying equipment via voice.

[0083] In response to the start command, a preset first electromagnetic wave signal is sequentially output through each feed port. In this embodiment, the first electromagnetic wave signal is a test signal used to determine which areas of the object to be dried need to be dried. The first electromagnetic wave signal can be a high-power electromagnetic wave signal with fixed bandwidth and energy. After outputting the first electromagnetic wave signal, the reflected energy can be detected by the detector chip corresponding to each feed port. Based on the reflected energy, the frequency and amplitude of the resonant point of the feed port within its bandwidth range, as well as the related return loss, can be determined. In this embodiment, based on the reflected energy, it is possible to determine which areas corresponding to which feed ports need to be dried, and these feed ports are recorded as target ports. Then, an electromagnetic wave signal of a predetermined radio frequency band can be output to the target ports through a radio frequency source to perform the drying operation on the object to be dried. In this way, the actual working feed components can be efficiently determined, improving energy utilization and facilitating efficient drying of the object to be dried.

[0084] As an example, in some embodiments, determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes:

[0085] Based on the reflected energy, determine the first frequency and first bandwidth amplitude of the resonant point at each of the feed ports;

[0086] Calculate the first similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency corresponding to each of the feed ports, and calculate the second similarity between the first bandwidth amplitude and the reference bandwidth amplitude corresponding to each of the feed ports;

[0087] If the first similarity or the second similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

[0088] In this embodiment, when determining the target port based on the reflected energy, the frequency and bandwidth amplitude of the resonant point at each feed port can be determined based on the reflected energy. In this embodiment, these are denoted as the first frequency and the first bandwidth amplitude. Next, a preset reference frequency and reference bandwidth amplitude can be obtained. Here, the reference frequency and reference bandwidth amplitude can be the frequency and bandwidth amplitude of the resonant point measured based on the first electromagnetic wave signal under drying conditions or after the drying operation is completed, for items of the same type as the item to be dried.

[0089] Understandably, if the first frequency and reference frequency corresponding to all power supply ports are relatively close, and the first bandwidth amplitude and reference bandwidth amplitude are also relatively close, it indicates that the object to be dried is actually in a relatively dry state and no further drying operation is required. In this case, the drying operation can be paused and the system can enter standby mode. Conversely, if there is a large difference between the first frequency and reference frequency, or a large difference between the first bandwidth amplitude and reference bandwidth amplitude, it indicates that the object to be dried is not in a dry state. In this case, the power supply port with the difference can be identified as the target port.

[0090] As an example, in this embodiment, similarity can be used to measure the similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency, and between the first bandwidth amplitude and the reference bandwidth amplitude. For instance, the absolute value of the difference between the first frequency and the reference frequency can be calculated as the proportion of the reference frequency to the first frequency, and this proportion can be used as the similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency. This application does not limit the specific similarity algorithm used. The similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency is recorded as the first similarity, and the similarity between the first bandwidth amplitude and the reference bandwidth amplitude is recorded as the second similarity. If the first similarity or the second similarity corresponding to a certain feed port is less than a preset threshold, the feed port can be determined as the target port. If none of the feed ports in the RF drying system belong to the target ports, the system can enter a standby state.

[0091] As an example, in some embodiments, determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes:

[0092] Based on the reflected energy, determine the return loss curve corresponding to each of the feed ports;

[0093] Calculate the third similarity between the return loss curve and the reference loss curve corresponding to each of the aforementioned feed ports;

[0094] If the third similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

[0095] In this embodiment, when determining the target port based on the reflected energy, the return loss curve corresponding to each of the feed ports can be determined based on the reflected energy. Referring to Figures 8 and 9, Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of one type of return loss curve provided in this embodiment, and Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of another type of return loss curve provided in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a reference loss curve can be obtained. The reference loss curve can be measured based on a first electromagnetic wave signal for items of the same type to be dried under drying conditions or after the drying operation is completed. It is understood that if the return loss curve corresponding to each feed port is very close to the reference loss curve, it indicates that the items to be dried in the corresponding area are in a relatively dry state and do not need to be dried; if the return loss curve corresponding to the feed port differs significantly from the reference loss curve, it indicates that the items to be dried in the corresponding area are not in a relatively dry state and need to be dried.

[0096] Similarly, in this embodiment, the similarity between the return loss curve corresponding to the feed port and the reference loss curve can be calculated and denoted as the third similarity. If the third similarity corresponding to the feed port is less than a preset threshold, the feed port can be determined as the target port. Here, the similarity algorithm used can be Cosine similarity, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, or Euclidean distance method, etc., and this application does not limit it.

[0097] As can be seen from Figure 8, the return loss curves and the reference loss curve are quite similar, and their corresponding feed ports do not belong to the target ports. In contrast, in Figure 9, the return loss curves and the reference loss curve differ significantly, and their corresponding feed ports belong to the target ports. The target ports can be effectively identified through the third similarity test.

[0098] As an example, in some embodiments, the drying operation on the object to be dried includes:

[0099] The moisture content of the material to be dried is determined based on the reflected energy.

[0100] The operation time is determined based on the moisture content.

[0101] The drying process is carried out on the items to be dried according to the specified operation time.

[0102] In this embodiment of the application, when drying the object to be dried, the moisture content of the object can be determined based on the reflected energy or the weight detected by the pressure sensor, thereby determining the drying operation time. As an example, the moisture content of the object to be dried can be obtained by fitting the change in the reflected energy mapped to the resonant frequency, or calculated by combining the weight detected by the pressure sensor with the standard weight of the object to be dried. The corresponding operation time can be determined according to different moisture contents.

[0103] For example, taking certain types of cigars as the drying material, their moisture content is generally 12-15%. The moisture content of cigars placed in the air generally changes by about 5%, and the drying time is generally 5-20 minutes. In this embodiment, the drying time can be determined according to the moisture content; the higher the moisture content, the longer the drying time. There is no limitation on the specific functional relationship between the two. In this embodiment, a comparator can determine the electromagnetic wave signal with the highest reflected power obtained previously, which serves as the reference signal for the phase-locked loop circuit, and the electromagnetic wave signal is output. After one drying operation, the detection process can be repeated until the material is completely dried.

[0104] This application also discloses an radio frequency (RF) drying apparatus, including the aforementioned RF drying system or an apparatus for performing the aforementioned RF drying method. In this application, no limitations are placed on other components included in the RF drying apparatus; for example, it may include related processors, memory, and control components.

[0105] This application also discloses a computer-readable storage medium storing a processor-executable program, which, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the radio frequency drying method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0106] It is understood that the content of the radio frequency drying method embodiment shown in FIG7 is applicable to the present computer-readable storage medium embodiment. The specific functions implemented by the present computer-readable storage medium embodiment are the same as those of the radio frequency drying method embodiment shown in FIG7, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the radio frequency drying method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0107] In some alternative embodiments, the functions / operations mentioned in the block diagrams may not occur in the order shown in the operation diagrams. For example, depending on the functions / operations involved, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order. Furthermore, the embodiments presented and described in the flowcharts of this application are provided by way of example to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the technology. The disclosed methods are not limited to the operations and logic flows presented herein. Alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the order of various operations is changed and sub-operations described as part of a larger operation are executed independently.

[0108] Furthermore, although this application is described in the context of functional modules, it should be understood that, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, one or more of the functions and / or features may be integrated into a single physical device and / or software module, or one or more functions and / or features may be implemented in a separate physical device or software module. It is also understood that a detailed discussion of the actual implementation of each module is unnecessary for understanding this application. Rather, given the properties, functions, and internal relationships of the various functional modules in the apparatus disclosed herein, the actual implementation of the module will be understood within the scope of conventional technology for an engineer. Therefore, those skilled in the art can implement the application set forth in the claims using ordinary techniques without excessive experimentation. It is also understood that the specific concepts disclosed are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application, which is determined by the full scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0109] If a function is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause an electronic device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0110] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0111] More specific examples of computer-readable media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections (electronic devices) having one or more wires, portable computer disk drives (magnetic devices), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM). Furthermore, computer-readable media can even be paper or other suitable media on which programs can be printed, because programs can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in computer memory.

[0112] It should be understood that various parts of this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0113] In the foregoing description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "another embodiment," or "some embodiments," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0114] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0115] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this application. However, this application is not limited to these embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of this application. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

[0116] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "another embodiment," or "some embodiments," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0117] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A radio frequency drying system, comprising: Power supply, radio frequency source, and radio frequency radiator; The power supply is configured to provide power to the radio frequency source, and the radio frequency source is configured to output electromagnetic wave signals of a predetermined radio frequency band to the radio frequency radiator. The radio frequency radiator includes at least two sets of feeding components. Each set of feeding components includes a feeding port and a corresponding antenna. The input end of the feeding port is connected to the radio frequency source, and the output end of the feeding port is connected to the corresponding antenna. The antennas of each set of feeding components are configured to generate a uniformly heated electromagnetic field, and there are gaps between the antennas of each set of feeding components. The gaps are configured to place the object to be dried.

2. A radio frequency drying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The power supply is a battery or a mobile terminal.

3. A radio frequency drying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The antenna is either a helical antenna or a whip antenna.

4. A radio frequency drying system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The radio frequency radiator includes four sets of feeding components, each set of feeding components employs the spiral antenna, and each spiral antenna constitutes a cross-spiral antenna structure.

5. A radio frequency drying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The items to be dried include cigars, cigarettes, heated tobacco products, or plant-based products.

6. A radio frequency drying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The radio frequency drying system also includes a pressure sensor configured to detect the weight of the item to be dried.

7. A radio frequency drying system according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The power supply component also includes a detector chip configured to detect reflected energy at the corresponding power supply port.

8. A radio frequency drying method for performing radio frequency drying operations using a radio frequency drying system as described in claim 7, the radio frequency drying method comprising: In response to the start command, a preset first electromagnetic wave signal is sequentially output through each of the power supply ports; Obtain the reflected energy detected by the detector chip corresponding to each of the aforementioned feed ports; The target port is determined from the feed port based on the reflected energy; The radio frequency source outputs an electromagnetic wave signal in a predetermined radio frequency band to the target port to perform a drying operation on the object to be dried.

9. A radio frequency drying method according to claim 8, wherein, The step of determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes: Based on the reflected energy, determine the first frequency and first bandwidth amplitude of the resonant point at each of the feed ports; Calculate the first similarity between the first frequency and the reference frequency corresponding to each of the feed ports, and calculate the second similarity between the first bandwidth amplitude and the reference bandwidth amplitude corresponding to each of the feed ports; If the first similarity or the second similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

10. A radio frequency drying method according to claim 8, wherein, Determining the target port from the feed port based on the reflected energy includes: Based on the reflected energy, determine the return loss curve corresponding to each of the feed ports; Calculate the third similarity between the return loss curve and the reference loss curve corresponding to each of the aforementioned feed ports; If the third similarity corresponding to the power supply port is less than a preset threshold, the power supply port is determined as the target port.

11. A radio frequency drying method according to any one of claims 8-10, wherein, The drying operation of the object to be dried includes: The moisture content of the material to be dried is determined based on the reflected energy. The operation duration is determined based on the moisture content. The drying process is carried out on the items to be dried according to the specified operation time.

12. A radio frequency drying apparatus comprising the radio frequency drying system of any one of claims 1-7 or for performing the radio frequency drying method of any one of claims 8-11.

13. A computer readable storage medium having stored therein a processor executable program for implementing the radio frequency drying method of any one of claims 8-11 when executed by a processor.

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