Portable radiation detector

• US 20120292518A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danimar Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Danimar Ltd.
• Inventors: Goldstein, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,069,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/362
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20 with scintillation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments

Abstract

Apparatus for detecting ionizing radiation includes a mobile telephone, including an imaging assembly, which includes a solid-state image sensor. A radiation converter is mounted in proximity to the image sensor and is configured to emit, in response to the ionizing radiation, lower-energy radiation for detection by the image sensor. A processor, contained in the mobile telephone, is configured to process images captured by the image sensor so as to assess an intensity of the ionizing radiation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting ionizing radiation, comprising:

a scintillator in a mount for attachment to a portable imaging device; and

optics configured to direct visible light emitted by the scintillator in response to the ionizing radiation onto an image sensor in the imaging device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device comprises a mobile telephone.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mount comprises a cover, which is configured to fit over the portable imaging device and in which the scintillator is embedded.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the scintillator comprises a fiber, having an end positioned so as to direct the light emitted within the fiber toward an aperture of the imaging device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the scintillator comprises a slab of a scintillator material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the slab is shaped and coated so as to direct the light emitted within the slab toward an aperture of the imaging device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cover is configured to fit over an aperture of the imaging device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cover is movable between a radiation-sensing position, in which the scintillator blocks the aperture, and an image-sensing position, in which the aperture is unblocked.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a processor contained in the imaging device, wherein the processor is configured to process signals emitted by the image sensor in order to assess an intensity of the ionizing radiation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to alert a user of the imaging device when the assessed intensity exceeds a predefined threshold.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to evaluate a shape of an image captured by the image sensor in order to distinguish the light emitted by the scintillator from background light that is incident on the image sensor.

12. Apparatus for detecting ionizing radiation, comprising:

a mobile telephone, comprising an imaging assembly, which comprises a solid-state image sensor;

an radiation converter mounted in proximity to the image sensor and configured to emit, in response to the ionizing radiation, lower-energy radiation for detection by the image sensor; and

a processor, contained in the mobile telephone, which is configured to process images captured by the image sensor so as to assess an intensity of the ionizing radiation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the radiation converter comprises an electron emitter layer placed behind the solid-state image sensor in the imaging assembly.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the radiation converter comprises a scintillator.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the radiation converter comprises an electron emitter.

20. The method according to claim 14, and comprising alerting a user of the imaging device when the assessed intensity exceeds a predefined threshold.

15. A method for detecting ionizing radiation, comprising:

coupling a radiation converter to a portable imaging device comprising an image sensor so as to direct lower-energy radiation onto the image sensor in response to the ionizing radiation; and

processing signals emitted by the image sensor in order to assess an intensity of the ionizing radiation.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the radiation converter comprises a scintillator.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein coupling the radiation converter comprises fitting a cover in which the scintillator is embedded over the portable imaging device.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein processing the signals comprises evaluating a shape of an image captured by the image sensor in order to distinguish light emitted by the scintillator from background light that is incident on the image sensor.