CANBERRA INDUSTRIES, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150021489 | Radiation Detector System and Method - A radiation detector system/method that simultaneously detects alpha/beta, beta/gamma, or alpha/beta/gamma radiation within an integrated detector is disclosed. The system incorporates a photomultiplier tube with radiation scintillation materials to detect alpha/beta/gamma radiation. The photomultiplier tube output is then shape amplified and fed through discriminators to detect the individual radiation types. The discriminator outputs are fed to an anti-coincidence and pulse width and timing analysis module that determines whether individual alpha/beta/gamma pulses are valid and should be counted by corresponding alpha/beta/gamma pulse radiation counters. The system may include a radiation detection method to affect alpha/beta/gamma radiation detection in a variety of contexts. The system/method may be implemented in a variety of applications, including but not limited to whole body radiation contamination detectors, laundry radiation scanners, tool/article radiation detectors, and the like. | 01-22-2015 |
20140175291 | Spatially-Aware Radiation Probe System and Method - A spatially-aware radiation probe system/method allowing for detection and correction of radiation readings based on the position and/or movement of a radiation detector is disclosed. The system incorporates a radiation detector combined with a spatially-aware sensor to permit detection of spatial context parameters associated with the radiation detector and/or object being probed. This spatial context information is then used by analysis software to modify the detected radiation values and/or instruct the radiation probe operator as to appropriate measurement activity to ensure accurate radiation measurements. The spatially-aware sensor may include but is not limited to: distance sensors to determine the distance between the radiation detector and the object being monitored; accelerometers integrated within the radiation detector to detect movement of the radiation detector; and/or axial orientation sensors to determine the axial orientation of the radiation detector. | 06-26-2014 |
20130313419 | Surface Contamination Monitoring System and Method - A surface contamination monitoring system/method configured to correct the detected the radioactive net count rate (NCR) value of a whole-body surface contamination monitoring device based on monitored subject height and thickness is disclosed. The system includes a height detection means for determining the height of a monitored subject and a thickness detection means for determining the thickness of at least a portion of the monitored subject. The net count rate (NCR) is corrected based on the determined height and thickness of the monitored subject as applied to site calibration factor data and self-shielding factor data to produce a corrected net count rate (CNR). If the corrected net count rate (CNR) registers above a preset alarm threshold, the monitored subject is considered contaminated and an appropriate alarm is registered. | 11-28-2013 |
20130173220 | Radiation Analysis System and Method - A radiation analysis system/method that automatically optimizes the efficiency calibration of a counting system based on benchmark data and variable parameters associated with radiation source/sensor/environment (RSSE) combinations is disclosed. The system/method bifurcates RSSE context (SSEC) model parameters into WELL-KNOWN (fixed) parameters (WNP) and NOT-WELL-KNOWN (variable) parameters (NWP). The NWP have associated lower/upper limit values (LULV) and a shape distribution (LUSD) describing NWP characteristics. SSEC models are evaluated using randomized statistical NWP variations or by using smart routines that perform a focused search within the LULV/LUSD to generate model calibration values (MCV) and calibration uncertainty values (UCV) describing the overall SSEC efficiencies. Sensor measurements using the MCV/UCV generate a measurement value and uncertainty estimation value. An exemplary embodiment optimizes geometry models of radiation sources by benchmarking with respect to measurement data from spectroscopy detectors and/or dose rate detectors. | 07-04-2013 |
20130124098 | Body Self-Shielding Background Compensation for Contamination Monitors Based on Anthropometrics - A system and method for correcting, based on a monitored subject's height and thickness, the net count rate value of a whole-body surface contamination monitoring device. The device includes a height detection means for determining the height of a subject being monitored, and a thickness detection means for determining the thickness of at least a portion of the body of the subject being monitored. The net count rate is based on site calibration factor data and self-shielding factor data, wherein both types of factor data consider the determined height and thickness. | 05-16-2013 |
20090292493 | PROBABILISTIC UNCERTAINTY ESTIMATOR - The present invention computes the uncertainty in the calibration factor or efficiency of a radiation sensor for that portion of the uncertainty arising from imprecise knowledge of the exact measurement conditions. This is accomplished in one aspect of the invention, by accurately defining a mathematical model of the sensor, the sample, and other items affecting the efficiency; then defining the default or expected or normal dimensions or values of each of the parameters in the mathematical model; then defining which of the values or parameters in the mathematical model are variables; for each variable parameter defining the range of variation and the shape of the distribution of those variable parameters; randomly selecting a value for each of the variable parameters in the model, using distribution shape and limits to create a mathematical model of one possible variation of source-detector measurement configuration; using this mathematical model and dimensions to compute the efficiency of the defined source-detector measurement configuration; repeating this random selection process a large number of times; and then computing the mean and standard deviation describing the uncertainty in that efficiency. In a further aspect of the invention, all of the preceding is done while using the mathematical model to compute the efficiency for each of a several energies, in order to evaluate the efficiency versus energy response of the measurement apparatus, and the uncertainty versus energy response of the apparatus. | 11-26-2009 |