Method and apparatus for detection of radioactive material

• US 6,891,470 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quintell of Ohio LLC
• Original Assignee: Quintell of Ohio LLC
• Inventors: Bohinc, Jerry Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US10/458,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20040113775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.26, 340/539.29, 340/539.1, 340/511, 340/506, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/26 Passive interrogation, i.e. by measuring radiation emitted by objects or goods
• 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 radioactive material detection apparatus includes a transmitter, a radiation sensor and a controller. The transmitter is capable of transmitting information in correspondence with a signal. The radiation sensor has a sensor output and is configured to detect radiation over a predetermined period of time. The controller is configured to receive the sensor output from the radiation sensor and to send the signal to the transmitter for transmission.

Claims

1. A method of detecting radioactive material within a plurality of cargo receptacles using a master unit/master module and a plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses, each apparatus having a transmitter, a detection controller and a radiation sensor configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the method comprising:

(a) mounting the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses to the plurality of cargo receptacles, the total set of detection apparatuses comprising an array of detector and cargo receptacle locations;

(b) sensing at least one of gamma radiation and neutrons in totality and/or by spectral distribution at each radioactive material detection apparatus and transmitting;

initially sensed signals to the master unit/master module;

(c) sensing at least one of gamma radiation and neutrons in totality and/or by spectral distribution over the predetermined or commanded period of time at each radioactive material detection apparatus and transmitting currently sensed signals to the master unit/master module;

(d) calculating the difference between the initially sensed and currently sensed signals, the difference representing the radiation measured at each radioactive material detection apparatus location throughout the array of radioactive material detection apparatuses over a sensing period of time;

(e) calculating an average measured radiation level at each radioactive material detection apparatus location throughout the entire array of radioactive material detection apparatuses by averaging the radiation sensed at radioactive material detection apparatuses proximate to each radioactive material detection apparatus, the set of average values for the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses forming a varying set of calculated estimates of background radiation space for the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses and corresponding cargo receptacles; and

(f) comparing the measured radiation at each radioactive material detection apparatus location to the calculated estimate of background radiation space at each location in order to identify an anomaly amongst the plurality of cargo receptacles.

2. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 1, wherein the identification of an anomaly is based on criteria that balance the occurrence of false positives and false negatives in a desired combination.

3. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) repeating steps (c)-(f) in additional subsequent periods of time to form a set of cumulative data thereby improving the sensitivity of the detection of nuclear materials.

4. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) utilizing spectral data collected and transmitted by the radioactive material detection apparatuses to identify naturally occurring isotopes and eliminating the naturally occurring radioisotopes to distinguish between naturally occurring and fissile data.

5. A radioactive material detection apparatus disposed in or on a cargo receptacle, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting information in correspondence with a signal;

a radiation sensor having a neutron sensing component, a gamma radiation sensing component and a sensor output, the radiation sensor being configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the predetermined or commanded period of time including at least part of a transit time of a vessel or vehicle transporting the cargo receptacle; and

a controller configured to receive the sensor output from the radiation sensor and to send the signal to the wireless transmitter for transmission.

6. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

an identification tag electrically coupled to one of the controller and the wireless transmitter, the identification tag being configured to provide identification data to the information being transmitted by the wireless transmitter.

7. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 6, wherein the identification tag further includes location data.

8. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a global positioning transceiver electrically coupled to one of the controller and the wireless transmitter, the global positioning transceiver being configured to provide location data to the information being wirelessly transmitted by the wireless transmitter.

9. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits information using one of radio frequency, infrared, light waves and microwaves.

10. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the radioactive material detection apparatus is releasably attached to the cargo receptacle.

11. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 10, wherein the radioactive material detection apparatus attaches to the cargo receptacle by one of magnetic attraction, adhesion, mechanical fastening, and suction.

12. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the radiation sensor varies the sensor output in proportion to an amount of radiation detected.

13. The radioactive material detection apparatus or claim 5, wherein the gamma sensing component is configured to sense, accumulate and transmit total radiation counts and spectral distribution data over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

14. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, in combination with:

a moment of inertia test apparatus configured to detect mass and moment of inertia data of the cargo receptacle.

15. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, in combination with:

a rotational inertia test apparatus configured to detect and rotational inertia data of the cargo receptacle.

16. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transit time including at least a portion of loading and/or unloading of the vessel or vehicle.

17. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, in combination with a live being detector configured to detect the presence of a live being within the cargo receptacle, the live being detector being configured to detect over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

18. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller accumulates sensor counts from each sensing component over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

19. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transmitter also transmits at least one of temperature data, tamper detection data, odor data, sound data and motion sensor data.

20. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to receive and accumulate total radiation data and spectral radiation data from each sensing component.

21. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, the radioactive material detection apparatus is fixedly attached to the cargo receptacle.

22. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, wherein each sensor is calibrated during production for a particular energy spectrum response as compared to an isotopic element calibration standard.

23. The radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a calibration standard that is attached or disposed on or near each sensor thereby serving as a continuous reference for comparison during measurement.

24. A portable radioactive material detection apparatus for detecting radiation during shipping disposed in or on a shipping container, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting information in correspondence with a signal;

a radiation sensor having a neutron sensing component, a gamma radiation sensing component and a sensor output, the radiation sensor being configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the predetermined or commanded period of time including at least part of a transit time of a vessel or vehicle transporting the shipping container; and

a controller configured to receive the sensor output from the radiation sensor and to send the signal to the transmitter for transmission.

25. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the radiation sensor is configured to passively detect radiation over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

26. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the radiation sensor is configured to vary the sensor output in proportion to an amount of radiation detected.

27. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the predetermined or commanded period of time is established by a transit time of a vessel or vehicle containing the detection apparatus.

28. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24 in combination with a live being detector configured to detect the presence of a live being within the shipping container.

29. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller accumulates sensor counts from each sensing component over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

30. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the transmitter also transmits at least one of temperature data, tamper detection data, odor data, sound data and motion sensor data.

31. The portable radioactive material detection apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to receive and accumulate total radiation data and spectral radiation data from each sensing component.

32. A radioactive material detection system comprising:

a plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses, each apparatus being disposed in or on a cargo receptacle and each apparatus comprising;

a wireless transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting information in correspondence with a signal;

a radiation sensor having a sensor output, the radiation sensor being configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time; and

a detection controller configured to receive the sensor output from the radiation sensor and to send the signal to the wireless transmitter for transmission; and

an identification tag electrically coupled to one of the controller and the wireless transmitter, the identification tag being configured to provide identification data or location data to the information being transmitted by the wireless transmitter; and

a master unit/master module comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted information from each of the wireless transmitters of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses;

an indication output; and

a master controller coupled to the receiver and configured to drive the indication output based upon a status of the information received,

the system being configured to detect fissile or nuclear material that emits radiation by establishing a background radiation space derived from the information sensed by the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses to distinguish an anomaly amongst the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses.

33. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein a first subset of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses are arranged on a first cargo receptacle.

34. The radioactive material detection system of claim 33, wherein a second subset of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses are arranged on a second cargo receptacle, the first and second cargo receptacles being arranged such that the first subset of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses is capable of detecting at least a portion of the second cargo receptacle.

35. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein the indication output is connected to a remote communication system.

36. The radioactive material detection system of claim 35, wherein the remote communication system is one of a cellular system, a wireless computer network, a wired telephonic system, a wired computer network, an infrared system, an ultrasonic system, a satellite system, and a radio system.

37. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein a plurality of subsets of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses are arranged on a plurality of cargo receptacles, the plurality of cargo receptacles being arranged such that subsets of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses arranged on adjacent cargo receptacles are capable of detecting at least a portion of other adjacent or nearby cargo receptacles.

38. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein at least two of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses are arranged on a cargo receptacle, the at least two radioactive material detection apparatuses being oriented on the cargo receptacle in a manner that maximizes the sensor coverage by minimizing the maximum distance from any point within the cargo receptacle to one of the radioactive material detection apparatuses.

39. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein the indication output is connected to one of an indicator light, a sound generating device, and a display device.

40. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein each radiation sensor is configured to vary its respective sensor output in proportion to an amount of radiation detected.

41. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein each radiation sensor includes a gamma radiation sensor.

42. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein each radiation sensor includes a neutron sensor.

43. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein each radiation sensor includes a neutron sensor and a gamma radiation sensor.

44. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein the lack of an appropriate output signal, tampering detection or other failure from a particular radioactive material detection apparatus indicates a problem status with the associated cargo receptacle.

45. The radioactive material detection system of claim 32, wherein there is at least one of the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses on each of a plurality of cargo receptacles.

46. A method of detecting radioactive material within a cargo receptacle using a radioactive material detection apparatus, the apparatus having a wireless transmitter, a detection controller and a radiation sensor having a gamma sensing component and a neutron sensing component and being configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the method comprising:

mounting the radioactive material detection apparatus to the cargo receptacle.

sensing gamma radiation and neutrons over the predetermined or commanded period of time; and

wirelessly transmitting a signal proportional to an amount of radiation that is detected by the radiation sensor.

47. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, further comprising:

measuring the mass and moment of inertia properties of the cargo receptacle so as to determine if the cargo receptacle contains shielding material.

48. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 47, wherein when the measured mass and moment of inertia relationship varies by a predetermined deviation amount, the detection controller determines that heavy shielding is being used within the cargo receptacle.

49. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, further comprising:

measuring the mass and rotational inertia properties of the cargo receptacle so as to determine if the cargo receptacle contains shielding material.

50. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, wherein when the measured mass and rotational inertia relationship varies by a predetermined deviation amount, the detection controller determines that heavy shielding is being used within the cargo receptacle.

51. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, wherein the sensing step includes sensing both gamma radiation and neutrons over the predetermined or commanded period of time.

52. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, wherein the amount of radiation is an amount of intensity and/or spectral content.

53. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, wherein the amount of radiation is a cumulative total value as sensed over the entire predetermined or commanded period of time.

54. The method of detecting radioactive material of claim 46, wherein amount of radiation is a set of cumulative spectral values as sensed over the entire predetermined or commanded period of time.

55. A method of detecting radioactive material within a plurality of cargo receptacles using a master unit/master module and a plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses, each apparatus having a transmitter, a detection controller and a radiation sensor configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the method comprising:

(a) mounting the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses to the plurality of cargo receptacles, the total set of detection apparatuses comprising an array of detector and cargo receptacle locations;

(b) sensing at least one of gamma radiation and neutrons in totality and/or by spectral distribution over the predetermined or commanded period of time at each radioactive material detection apparatus and transmitting signals representing measured radiation to the master unit/master module;

(c) calculating an average measured radiation level at each radioactive material detection apparatus location throughout the entire array of radioactive material detection apparatuses by averaging the radiation sensed at radioactive material detection apparatuses proximate to each radioactive material detection apparatus, the set of average values for the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses forming a varying set of calculated estimates of background radiation space for the plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses and corresponding cargo receptacles; and

(d) comparing the measured radiation at each radioactive material detection apparatus location to the calculated estimate of background radiation at each location in order to identify an anomaly amongst the plurality of cargo receptacles.

56. A method of detecting radioactive material within a plurality of cargo receptacles using a master unit/master module and a plurality of radioactive material detection apparatuses, each apparatus having a transmitter, a detection controller and a radiation sensor configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time, the method comprising:

sensing radiation at each radioactive material detection apparatus;

receiving sensed information from each radioactive material detection apparatus at the master unit/master module, over the predetermined or commanded period of time; and

adjusting for background or cosmic radiation to facilitate the identification of an anomaly or unusual data which is likely to indicate the presence of nuclear radioactive material.

57. A radioactive material detection system comprising:

a moment of inertia test apparatus configured to detect mass and moment of inertia data of a cargo receptacle; and

a radiation sensor disposed in or on the cargo receptacle, the radiation sensor including;

a wireless transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting information in correspondence with a signal;

a radiation sensor having a sensor output, the radiation sensor being configured to detect radiation over a predetermined or commanded period of time; and

a controller configured to receive the sensor output from the radiation sensor and to send the signal to the wireless transmitter for transmission.