SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING RADIATION EMISSIONS

• US 20120327231A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cochran, Edward L., Au, Kwong Wing
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/232 having relative motion between the source, detector and object other than by conveyor G01V5/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/26 Passive interrogation, i.e. by measuring radiation emitted by objects or goods

Abstract

A method includes receiving radiation sensor data from two radiation sensors that are positioned separately from each other about a path. Position information identifying a source of radiation as it passes by the two radiation sensors is received. The sensor data from the two radiation sensors is time shifted to correlate the sensor data to the identified source of radiation. The time shifted sensor signals are summed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving radiation sensor data from two radiation sensors that are positioned separately from each other about a path;

receiving position information identifying a source of radiation as it passes by the two radiation sensors;

time shifting the sensor data from the two radiation sensors to correlate the sensor data to the identified source of radiation; and

summing the time shifted sensor signals.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising comparing the summed time shifted sensor signals to an alarm threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising providing identifying information of a source whose summed time shifted sensor signals exceeded the alarm threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 and further including receiving radiation sensor data from at least one further radiation sensor along with position information, time shifting the further radiation sensor data, and adding it to the summed time shifted signals.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the received position information is obtained from video cameras positioned to provide video data of vehicles passing by the radiations sensors.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the video data identifies vehicles and times as they pass the radiation sensors.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the video data provides frames of video from which the speed of a vehicle is obtainable.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the video data utilizes a shape and color, or a license plate of the vehicles to identify the vehicles.

9. A system comprising:

a computer system to receive radiation sensor data from two radiation sensors that are positioned separately from each other about a path;

an input coupled to the computer system to receive position information identifying a source of radiation as it passes by the two radiation sensors; and

a processor in the computer system to time shift the sensor data from the two radiation sensors to correlate the sensor data to the identified source of radiation and sum the time shifted sensor signals.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the processor is further adapted to compare the summed time shifted sensor signals to an alarm threshold.

11. The system of claim 10 and further comprising an output to provide identifying information of a source whose summed time shifted sensor signals exceeded the alarm threshold.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the input receives radiation sensor data from at least one further radiation sensor along with position information, and wherein the processor time shifts the further radiation sensor data, and adds it to the summed time shifted signals.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the received position information is obtained from video cameras positioned to provide video data of vehicles passing by the radiations sensors and wherein the video data identifies vehicles and times as they pass the radiation sensors.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the video data utilizes a shape and color, or a license plate of the vehicles to identify the vehicles.

15. The system of claim 9 and further comprising:

a plurality of radiation sensors positioned separated from each other along the path to provide sensor signals to the computer system; and

a plurality of cameras positioned about the path and coupled to the input of the computer system to provide video data to identify vehicles on the path, to correlate the times and positions of the identified vehicles with respect to the sensors as the vehicles pass the sensors.

16. A computer readable storage device having instructions to cause a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

receiving radiation sensor data from two radiation sensors that are positioned separately from each other about a path;

receiving position information identifying a source of radiation as it passes by the two radiation sensors;

time shifting the sensor data from the two radiation sensors to correlate the sensor data to the identified source of radiation; and

summing the time shifted sensor signals.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises comparing the summed time shifted sensor signals to an alarm threshold.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises providing identifying information of a source whose summed time shifted sensor signals exceeded the alarm threshold.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 16 wherein the method further includes receiving radiation sensor data from at least one further radiation sensor along with position information, time shifting the further radiation sensor data, and adding it to the summed time shifted signals.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 16 wherein the received position information is obtained from video cameras positioned to provide video data of vehicles passing by the radiations sensors, wherein the video data identifies vehicles utilizing a shape and color, or a license plate of the vehicles, and provides times correlated to the vehicles as they pass the radiation sensors.