Long distance simulated radiation detector

• US 10,451,752 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Tech University System
• Original Assignee: Texas Tech University System
• Inventors: Stump, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US16/150,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20190101658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/02 Dosimeters G01T1/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/00 Measuring neutron radiation G01T5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/20 for atomic physics or neucleonics
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for simulating the detection of radiation comprise at least one simulated radioactive source, a simulated radiation detector, and an emulating module configured to simulate a detection level for the at least one simulated radioactive source according to a radiation level associated with the simulated radioactive source, wherein the simulated detection level is provided on the simulated radiation detector.

Claims

1. A system for simulating the detection of radiation comprising:

at least one simulated radioactive source comprising a GPS enabled RFID tag preprogrammed with a simulated radiation level;

a simulated radiation detector; and

an emulating module configured to simulate a detection level for said at least one simulated radioactive source according to a radiation level associated with said simulated radioactive source, wherein said simulated detection level is provided on said simulated radiation detector.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said emulating module adjusts said detection level according to a distance between said simulated radioactive source and said simulated radiation detector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said distance between said simulated radioactive source and said simulated radiation detector is determined according to a signal field strength of a signal provided by said simulated radioactive source.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said simulated radiation detector comprises:

a simulated radiation detector housing;

a control board configured in said housing;

a GPS module connected to said control board;

an RFID module connected to said control board;

a transceiver connected to said control board wherein said transceiver is configured to provide one of one-way and two-way communication between said simulated radiation detector and a central computer;

at least one simulated radiation gauge operably connected to said emulating module; and

at least one simulated radiation sound producing device operably connected to said emulating module.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said simulated radiation detector housing comprises a radiation survey meter.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein an output indicative of said simulated radiation level associated with said at least one GPS enabled RFID tag is provided according to at least one of:

an original simulated radiation level associated with said GPS enabled RFID tag;

a half-life associated with said simulated radioactive source;

a time of decay associated with said simulated radioactive source; and

a distance between said GPS enabled RFID tag and said simulated radiation detector.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein a location of said at least one simulated radiation source is provided to said simulated radiation detector.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said emulating module comprises a circuit comprising:

an RFID detector device;

logic to process signals received from said at least one simulated radioactive source; and

an output to emulate the detection of a radioactive source.

9. A radiation detection training method comprising:

generating a model, with a computer system, simulating a radioactive event;

recording a location of at least one simulated radiation detector;

determining a simulated radiation level for said location of said at least one simulated radiation detector according to said model simulating said radioactive event; and

providing an output comprising said simulated radiation level at said location of said simulated radiation detector.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating a model simulating a radioactive event further comprises:

assigning one or more simulation parameters associated with said model simulating said radioactive event.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said simulated parameters comprise at least one of:

a location;

a type of nuclear event;

a type of radioactive material;

an amount of radioactive material;

a time of a training exercise;

a size of said nuclear event;

nuclear decay characteristics of various isotopes;

at least one shielded location and its shielding factor;

one or more weather characteristics;

a model of fallout characteristics;

a model of high lethality locations;

a model of shielding for various geographic characteristics;

a model of shielding for various structural objects;

a model of shielding for various physical objects;

an evolution of characteristics with time; and

a map of event variables for each location.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said output further comprises:

at least one simulated radiation reading provided on at least one simulated radiation gauge; and

at least one simulated auditory response provided on at least one simulated radiation sound producing device.

13. A system for simulating the detection of radiation comprising:

at least one simulated radioactive source;

a simulated radiation detector portal; and

an emulating module for receiving signals from said at least one simulated radioactive source and providing an output signal simulating detection of a radioactive source when said simulated radioactive source passes through said radiation detector portal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one simulated radioactive source comprises an RFID tag preprogrammed with a simulated radiation level.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said emulating module provides an output indicative of said simulated radiation level associated with said at least one RFID tag.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said simulated radiation detector portal comprises:

a simulated radiation detector gate;

at least one simulated radiation gauge operably connected to said emulating module; and

at least one simulated radiation sound producing device operably connected to said emulating module.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a processing system configured to model a radiation distribution event and provide a training exercise for a predefined map; and

at least one simulated radiation detector comprising a control board, and at least one of;

a GPS enabled device;

an RFID enabled device; and

a transceiver;

wherein a location of said at least one simulated radiation detector is provided to said processing system and a simulated radiation level is provided to said at least one simulated radiation detector according to said model of said radiation distribution event and said location of said at least one simulated radiation detector.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said processing system comprises one of:

a central computer system; and

a computing system configured in said at least one simulated radiation detector.