CONTAINER SECURITY DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHOD

• US 20110095887A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ANGEL Secure Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ANGEL Secure Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Hess, Charles T., Smith, Fred Hewitt
• Granted Patent: US 8,537,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/22 Safety features floating covers B65D88/34; arrangements of indicating or measuring devices B65D90/48; fire-fighting A62C
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/178 for measuring specific activity in the presence of other radioactive substances, e.g. natural, in the air or in liquids such as rain water
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/00 Measuring neutron radiation G01T5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/271 using a network, e.g. a remote expert, accessing remote data or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/281 detecting special nuclear material [SNM], e.g. Uranium-235, Uranium-233 or Plutonium-239

Abstract

A dosimeter is disclosed for use in container including outer walls defining an interior volume, the dosimeter including: a radon detection element adapted to detect a radon level for the interior volume; a neutron detection element adapted detect a neutron level for the interior volume. The dosimeter is adapted to measure the radon level and neutron level for a period of time, compare the measured radon level to a first threshold, compare the measured neutron level to a second threshold, and determine information indicative of the presence or absence of fissile material within the interior volume based on the comparisons.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a plurality of panels that define the volume of the container, said panels comprising a material having relatively low transmissivity to radiation;

at least one plug embedded in at least one of said panels, said plug consisting of a material having relatively high transmissivity to radiation.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the material having relatively low transmissivity to radiation comprises a metal and the material having relatively high transmissivity to radiation comprises a composite material.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one plug consists of a material having a relatively high transmissivity of x-ray radiation and the panels comprise a material having a relatively low transmissivity of x-ray radiation.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one plug comprises:

a first plug embedded in a first panel of the plurality of panels; and

a second plug embedded in a second panel of the plurality of panels, and

wherein the first and second plugs are aligned opposing each other such that a beam of radiation directed into the volume of the container through the first plug will exit the volume of the container through the second plug.

5. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one plug comprises

a first plurality of plugs embedded in a first panel of the plurality of panels;

and

a second plurality of plugs embedded in a second panel of the plurality of panels, and

wherein each plug of the first plurality of plugs is aligned opposing at least one respective plug of the second plurality of plugs such that a beam of radiation directed into the volume of the container through said plug of the first plurality of plugs will exit the volume of the container through said at least one respective plug of the second plurality of plugs.

6. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one plug comprises

a first plug embedded in a first panel of the plurality of panels and

a plurality of plugs embedded in a second panel of the plurality of panels, and

wherein the first plug comprises a lens element or scattering element adapted to receive a beam of radiation directed into the volume of the container through the first plug and direct portions of the beam to exit the volume of the container through each of the plurality of plugs embedded in the second panel.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein the first plurality of plugs and second plurality of plugs are arranged such that substantially all of the volume can be accessed by scanning beams of radiation which are directed into the volume through a plug from the first plurality of plugs, pass through a portion of the volume, and exit the volume through a plug from the second plurality of plugs.

8. The container of claim 2, further comprising a fabric liner disposed adjacent the plurality of panels to enclose a portion of the volume of the container, said fabric liner comprising one or more sensor elements adapted to detect an intrusion into the enclosed portion, and wherein one or more of the sensor elements are in communication with the at least one plug.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensor elements comprise at least one of:

an electrical grid, and optical grid.

10. The container of claim 8, wherein the fabric liner is adapted to:

receive a message modulated on a radiation beam directed through the at least one plug and;

transmit a response indicating the presence or absence of an intrusion into the enclosed portion.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the fabric liner contains one or more storage modules adapted to store electronic identification information, and wherein the fabric liner is adapted to:

receive a message modulated on a radiation beam directed through the at least one plug and;

transmit a response based on the stored identification information.

12. The container of claim 2, further comprising:

a dosimeter positioned within the volume of the container and adapted to detect the presence of fissile material within the volume of the container;

a communication module positioned within the volume of the container and in communication with the dosimeter, said communication module adapted to;

receive a message modulated on a radiation beam directed through the at least one plug and;

transmit a response indicating the presence or absence of an intrusion into the enclosed portion.

13. The container of claim 12 wherein the communication module comprises at least one of the group of:

a Bluetooth transmitter, a wireless transmitter, a radio transmitter.

14. A system comprising:

a container comprising;

a plurality of panels that define the volume of the container, said panels comprising a material having relatively low transmissivity to radiation;

at least one plug embedded in at least one of said panels, said plug consisting of a material having relatively high transmissivity to radiation;

a scanner comprising;

a beam generator adapted to emit a radiation beam having a beam energy sufficient to penetrate the at least one plug consisting of a material having relatively high transmissivity to radiation and insufficient to penetrate portions of the plurality of panels comprising the material having relatively low transmissivity to radiation.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein

the at least one plug comprises a first plug embedded in a first panel of the plurality of panels and a second plug embedded in a second panel of the plurality of panels, and wherein the first and second plug are aligned opposing each other,

the beam generator is configured to direct the radiation beam into the volume of the container through the first plug, across a portion of the volume of the container, and out of the volume of the container through the second plug, and

the scanner comprises a detector adapted to detect the radiation beam exiting out of the volume of the container through the second plug.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the volume of the container contains cargo material, and wherein the scanner is adapted to determine information indicative of the material properties of the cargo material based on the detected radiation beam.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the information indicative of the material properties of the cargo material comprises information indicative of the presence of at least one of the group of:

metal, fissile material, electronic components.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein

the at least one plug comprises a first plurality of plugs embedded in a first panel of the plurality of panels and a second plurality of plugs embedded in a second panel of the plurality of panels, wherein each plug of the first plurality of plugs is aligned opposing at least one plug of the second plurality of plugs

the scanner comprises a plurality of beam generator, each beam generator configured, respectively, to

emit a radiation beam having a beam energy sufficient to penetrate the at least one plug consisting of a material having relatively high transmissivity to radiation and insufficient to penetrate portions of the plurality of panels comprising the material having relatively low transmissivity to radiation;

and

direct the beam into the volume of the container through a respective one of the first plurality of plugs, across a portion of the volume of the container, and out of the volume of the container through a respective one of the second plurality of plugs.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a remote control unit in remote communication with the scanner and with a receiver unit located in proximity to the scanner,

a communication module located within the volume of the container;

wherein the scanner unit is adapted to modulate a message received from the remote control unit onto at least one beam, and to direct said modulated beam into the volume of the container through the at least one plug,

wherein the communication module is adapted to receive the modulated beam, demodulate the message from the beam, and transmit a response signal based on the demodulated message;

wherein the receiver unit receives the response signal and transmits information indicative of the response signal to the remote control unit.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a dosimeter located within the volume of the container and adapted to presence of fissile material within the volume of the container;

wherein the communication module is in communication with the dosimeter, and the response signal comprises information indicative of the presence of fissile material within the volume of the container.

21-73. -73. (canceled)