US Patent 10895592 Probe heater remaining useful life determination

A probe system configured to receive a radio-frequency (RF) signal from a radio-frequency (RF) antenna includes a heater and a control circuit. The heater includes a resistive heating element routed through the probe system. An operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe system and the resistive heating element has an element capacitance. The control circuit is configured to determine an antenna response of the resistive heating element and determine a remaining useful life of the probe system based on the antenna response over time.