Container crane radiation detection systems and methods
First Claim
1. A system to detect the presence of fissile or radioactive material in a shipping container comprising:
- a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a fissile or radioactive material detection device located on said container crane assembly operable to detect the presence of said material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said fissile or radioactive material detection device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A container crane assembly is operable to lift shipping containers for transfer between a dock and a ship transporting the containers. Typically, the container crane includes a hoist attachment which engages the shipping container. A fissile or radioactive material detection device may be mounted to the hoist attachment such that as the shipping container is being engaged, the detection device is brought into proximity to the container so that the presence of fissile or radioactive material, or shielding materials to conceal the presence of such fissile or radioactive materials, may be detected prior to the shipping container being loaded onto or unloaded from a shipping vessel. A comparison may then be made of the output of the detector to a threshold to determine subsequent action regarding the shipping container.
111 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A system to detect the presence of fissile or radioactive material in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a fissile or radioactive material detection device located on said container crane assembly operable to detect the presence of said material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said fissile or radioactive material detection device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system to detect the presence of radiation shielding material in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container;
a radiation shielding detection device located on said container crane assembly operable to detect the presence of said material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said radiation shielding detection device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A system to detect the presence of at least one of fissile or radioactive material and radiation shielding material in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a fissile or radioactive material detection device and a radiation shielding detection device located on said container crane assembly respectively operable to detect the presence of said fissile or radioactive material and said radiation shielding material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said fissile or radioactive material detection device and said radiation shielding detection device each developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal from each of said radioactive material detection device and said radiation shielding detection device comparing said output signal from said fissile or radioactive material detection device to a preset radiation tolerance threshold and comparing said output signal from said radiation shielding detection device to a preset radiation shielding tolerance threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for detection of the presence of fissile or radioactive material within a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a fissile or radioactive material detection device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said detection device to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for detection of the presence of radiation shielding material within a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a radiation shielding material detection device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said detection device to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for detection of the presence of at least one of fissile or radioactive material and radiation shielding material within a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a fissile or radioactive material detection device and a radiation shielding material detection device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said fissile or radioactive material detection device to a predetermined radiation tolerance threshold and comparing an output signal of said shielding material detection device to a predetermined radiation shielding tolerance threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system to determine the gamma ray spectrum of gamma ray emitting material in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a gamma ray spectrum determining device located on said container crane assembly operable to determine the gamma ray spectrum of said material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said gamma ray spectrum determining device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A system to detect neutron emitting material in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a neutron emitting material detection device located on said container crane assembly operable to detect the presence of said material when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said neutron emitting material detection device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A system to identify a radionuclide in a shipping container comprising:
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a container crane assembly operable to lift said container; and
a radionuclide identification device located on said container crane assembly operable to detect the presence of said radionuclide when proximal to said container; and
a computer, said radionuclide identification device developing an output signal communicated to said computer, said computer in response to said output signal comparing said output signal to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for determining the gamma ray spectrum of gamma ray emitting material within a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a gamma ray spectrum determining device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said determining device to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for detection of the presence of neutron emitting material within a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a neutron emitting material detection device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said detection device to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for identifying a radionuclide in a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a radionuclide identification device in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly; and
comparing an output signal of said identification device to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for identifying a point source of fissile or radioactive material in a shipping container comprising steps of:
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positioning a plurality of fissile or radioactive material detection devices distributed in a fixed spatial relationship to a shipping container during the handling thereof by a container crane assembly wherein each of said detection devices develops an output signal; and
comparing differential output signals developed from said output signal from each of said detection devices to a predetermined threshold to determine a status of said container. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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Specification