Portable radiation detection system

• US 10,012,743 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nucare, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nucare, Inc.
• Inventors: Joung, Jinhun
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, Casey
• Application Number:
  US15/371,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20180156929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/169 Exploration, location of contaminated surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/17 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular type of detector pulse-selection circuits H03K, G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/36 Measuring spectral distribution of X-rays or of nuclear radiation spectrometry pulse selection circuits per se H03K; investigation of materials by radiation diffraction G01N23/20; spectrometer tubes H01J49/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/001 Spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/02 Collecting means for receiving or storing samples to be investigated and possibly directly transporting the samples to the measuring arrangement; particularly for investigating radioactive fluids sampling, preparing specimens for investigation in general G01N1/00, G01N1/02; shielded cells or rooms structurally combined with manipulatin devices G21F; measuring of chromatographically separated samples G01N30/00 - G01N30/96
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/12 Provision for actuation of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A hand-held portable radiation detection device, such as a radiation isotopic identification device (RIID), is integrated with a personal digital assistant device (PDA), such as a smart phone, to provide improved data processing capability and user interface. The hand-held portable radiation detection device includes a mounting unit for holding the PDA, in which at least one function of the PDA may be controlled by a plurality of buttons provided on an outer casing of the radiation detection device.

Claims

1. A portable radiation detection system, comprising:

a radiation detection subsystem including radiation detection system components housed in an outer casing, the outer casing including a mounting unit and a handle; and

a personal digital assistant (PDA) configured to communicate with the radiation detection subsystem;

wherein the radiation detection system components comprise;

at least one radiation detector configured to detect radiation and generate electronic signals;

a first signal processing unit configured to process the electronic signals and generate digitized data;

a first communication unit configured to transmit the digitized data;

wherein the PDA includes;

a second signal processing unit configured to process the digitized data received from the radiation detection subsystem;

a user interface unit;

a second communication unit configured to communicate with the first communication unit to receive the digitized data;

wherein the PDA is embedded in the mounting unit, and wherein the radiation detection subsystem includes at least one user control device configured to control at least one function of the PDA.

2. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the mounting unit is arranged in a front section of the outer casing and includes a recessed portion for holding the PDA, wherein the recessed portion is arranged to face the handle at a raised position, such that at least a portion of the recessed portion is arranged vertically above the handle, and the mounting unit is configured to allow a user to look down and view a screen of the PDA when holding the portable radiation detection system by the handle.

3. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the mounting unit is arranged tilted from a vertical axis.

4. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user control device comprises a plurality of buttons, wherein the plurality of button are configured to execute the at least one function of the PDA.

5. The portable radiation detection system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of buttons are arranged in a front section of the handle to allow a user to execute the at least one function of the PDA by pressing the plurality of button using a thumb when holding the portable radiation detection system by the handle.

6. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the outer casing includes a power switch, wherein the power switch is configured to turn on or off the radiation detection subsystem and the PDA simultaneously.

7. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the PDA is connected to the radiation detection subsystem via at least one USB cable, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit are configured to communicate with each other to transmit and receive data between the radiation detection subsystem and the PDA via the at least one USB cable.

8. The portable radiation detection system of claim 7, wherein the PDA is charged by a power source housed in the outer casing, such that the PDA is configured to operate for the same duration as the radiation detection subsystem powered by the power source, wherein the at least one USB cable is configured to transmit both data and power.

9. The portable radiation detection system of claim 7, wherein the portable radiation detection system is configured to allow the PDA to connect to an external device via a USB port arranged on the outer casing.

10. The portable radiation detection system of claim 7, wherein the portable radiation detection system is configured to allow the PDA to connect to an external device and/or the radiation detection subsystem via a USB switch.

11. The portable radiation detection system of claim 7, wherein the radiation detection subsystem is configured to automatically connect to the PDA when an external computer is connected to the radiation detection subsystem.

12. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the PDA includes a touch screen function, wherein the PDA is configured to allow a user to execute the at least one function of the PDA by using the touch screen or the at least on device.

13. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the PDA is configured to connect to a speaker provided on the outer casing.

14. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiation detector includes a gamma-ray detector having gamma-ray spectroscopic radiation measurement capability, a gas tube based gamma detector for measuring high count-rate gamma-ray radiation, and a neutron detector for measuring neutron radiation.

15. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the radiation detection subsystem further includes a high voltage module configured to supply high voltage power to the at least one radiation detector.

16. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the second signal processing unit is configured to perform spectroscopic analysis, radionuclide identification process, and database management function, wherein the second signal processing unit generates event log files after processing the digitized data received from the radiation detection subsystem through the spectroscopic analysis and the radionuclide identification process, wherein the event log files are transmitted to a remote computer system for consolidated analysis and management of data from multiple portable radiation detection systems.

17. The portable radiation detection system of claim 16, wherein the PDA is configured to transmit the event log files to a commend center or reach-back center in real time via WiFi or CDMA.

18. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the PDA includes a built-in global positioning system (GPS), wherein the PDA is configured to to generate event log files including corresponding location information for radiation detected by the radiation detection subsystem, and generate a radiation map.

19. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the user interface unit comprises a keypad, a display and a camera, wherein the PDA is configured to receive user input via the user interface unit, and generate and transmit signals to the radiation detection subsystem to control configurations of the radiation detection subsystem including calibration, background measurement, stabilization, and configuration parameter setup.

20. The portable radiation detection system of claim 1, wherein the radiation detection subsystem is a radiation isotopic identification device (MID), and the PDA is a smart phone.