Systems, methods, and computer program products for automatic tracking and/or remote monitoring of nuclear gauges and/or data communication therewith

• US 6,995,667 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InstroTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: InstroTek, Inc.
• Inventors: He, Tianqing, James, Lawrence H., Muse, Peter D., Regimand, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk, Samuel J.
• Application Number:
  US10/328,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 342/357.17, 342/357.15, 342/357.13, 342/357.12, 342/357.04, 342/357.08, 342/357.07, 342/357.06
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products configured to track the geographic location of hazmat substances or devices including same, such as nuclear gauges with a radioactive component, include mounting a tracking device in proximity to the substance, the tracking device configured to provide at least one tracking signal that is detectable from a remote location to thereby allow its geographic location to be determined remotely.

Claims

1. A method for tracking the location of nuclear gauges comprising a radioactive component, comprising:

mounting a tracking device in proximity to a nuclear gauge having a radioactive component, the tracking device configured to provide at least one tracking signal that is detectable froma remote location to thereby allow its geographic location to be determined remotely;

obtaining the at least one tracking signal at a remote location and determining the geographic location of the nuclear gauge;

repeating the steps of obtaining and determining at successive desired monitoring intervals; and

selectively adjusting the monitoring periods.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining step is carried out by transmitting the signal from a local site proximate to the nuclear gauge to a remote tracking station and wherein the determining step is carried out using one or both of wireless communication means and global positioning system means.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising repeating the steps of obtaining and determining at successive desired monitoring intervals.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tracking device is operably associated with a sensor and/or detector that detects the presence of the radioactive component in the device over an operational service life of the nuclear gauge.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

detecting the number of counts associated with the radioactive source in the device; and

comparing the detected count to a predetermined value to determine whether the radioactive source is intact in the device.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising relaying data associated with the detecting and comparing steps to the remote location.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the detecting and comparing steps are carried out proximate in time to the obtaining and determining steps to dynamically confirm the presence of the radioactive component in the device.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising detecting when the radioactive source has been removed from the nuclear gauge housing and generating an alert.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the nuclear gauge is a portable nuclear measurement gauge comprising a gamma source and a neutron source.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the portable nuclear measurement gauge is a moisture density gauge.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating historical summaries of the locations of the nuclear gauge over time.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning a unique identifier to the nuclear gauge and relaying a summary of the determined geographic location of the nuclear gauge to a named recipient associated with the unique identifier.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of mountning, obtaining and determining are carried out for a plurality of different nuclear gauges.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising automatically repeating the steps of obtaining and determining for each of the plurality of different nuclear gauges over time.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising generating electronic record data summnaries of the location of the nuclear gauges at desired intervals.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising defining at least one geographic virtual fence region associated with the nuclear gauge.

20. A method according to claim 1, further comprising remotely controlling the operation of the tracking device and/or the nuclear gauge.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the step of remotely controlling comprises activating and deactivating the nuclear gauge and/or the tracking device.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the deactivating step causes the nuclear gauge and/or the tracking device to go into a power saving mode.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the deactivating step disables or destroys the operational function of the nuclear gauge.

24. A method according to claim 1, further comprising relaying measurement data proximate in time to the collection thereof to a remote location.

25. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting diagnostics or other selected data from the nuclear device to the remote location.

26. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically disabling the internal circuitry of the nuclear gauge upon the occurrence of at least one predetermined condition.

27. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating an alert when the radioactive source is moved beyond predetermined boundaries or limits within or external to the housing of the device and/or when the nuclear gauge moves beyond a predetermined geographic region.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the alert is transmitted to selected authorities.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein the alert is a sound alert generated to be externally audible relative to the proximity of the nuclear gauge.

30. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transporting the nuclear gauge and monitoring the nuclear gauge during transport by serially obtaining the at least one tracking signal and determining the location of the gauge as it progresses from its shipping location toward its projected destination.

31. A method according to claim 1, filrther comprising disabling the operational finction of the nuclear gauge upon the detection of a radiation count that is reduced from a predetermined value.

32. A method according to claim 1, further comprising disabling the operational function of the nuclear gauge upon detection that the radioactive component is outside predetermined geographic use and/or the boundaries of the housing.

17. A method according to claim l6, further comprising monitoring the location of the nuclear gauge to determine whether the device remains within the geographic fence.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the virtual fence is a projected shipping corridor associated with the transport of the nuclear gauge from one site to a different site.

19. A method according to claim l7, further comprising automatically generating an alarn and/or alerting regulatory authorities upon detection of at least one of a predetermined operative or inoperative condition of the gauge, a missing radioactive component, when the gauge is outside the virtual fence, or when the tracking signal is unable to be obtained.

33. A nuclear measurement gauge comprising:

a housing;

a radioactive source held inside of the housing;

a radioactive detector operably associated with the radioactive source;

electronic circuit that controls the operation of the nuclear gauge operably associated with the detector;

a power source operably associated with the detector and the controller;

a wireless communication system held in or proximate to the housing, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to provide a tracking signal that allows a remote location to determine the geographic location of the gauge; and

a source count comparator module that compares the non-active measurement count to a predetermined value to assess whether the radioactive source is in the gauge during an operational service life.

34. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, further comprising an anti-theft module that is in communication with the operational electronic circuitry that disables selected components in the electronic circuitry upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions.

35. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, wherein the gauge generates an audible alarm when the radioactive source is determined to be missing from or displaced in the gauge during an operational service life.

36. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to operate over at least one satellite and/or mobile communication towers.

37. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, wherein the wireless communication system is integrated into the electronic operating circuitry of the gauge.

38. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, wherein the wireless communication system comprises a primary circuit board and an antenna.

39. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 38, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to communicate with the electronic circuitry, and wherein the wireless communication system includes a remote control interface module that allows a remote location to control or obtain data from the nuclear measurement gauge.

40. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 39, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to relay measurement data to a remote location.

41. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 39, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to receive remote commands and respond thereto.

42. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 41, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to transmit diagnostic data from the nuclear measurement device to the remote location.

43. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 39, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to allow remote activation and deactivation of the nuclear gauge and/or the wireless communication system.

44. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 43, wherein the deactivation causes the nuclear gauge and/or the wireless communication system to go into a power saving mode.

45. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 43, wherein the deactivation disables or destroys one or more components in the electronic circuitry to thereby disable or destroy the operational function of the nuclear gauge.

46. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 33, wherein the radioactive source comprises a gamma source and a neutron source.

47. A nuclear measurement gauge comprising:

a housing;

a radioactive source held inside of the housing;

a radioactive detector operably associated with the radioactive source;

electronic circuitry that controls the operation of the nuclear gauge operablv associated with the detector;

a power source operably associated with the detector and the controller;

a wireless communication system held in or proximate to the housing, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to provide a tracking signal that allows a remote location to determine the geographic location of the gauge;

a tracking radiation monitor circuit configured to detect radiation counts in the nuclear gauge during an operational service life of the nuclear gauge; and

an anti-theft module that generates an audible alarm and/or disables the nuclear gauge responsive to data obtained from the tracking radiation monitor circuit.

48. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 47, further comprising a diagnostic interrogation interface circuit configured to transmit local operational and/or calibration data to the remote location.

49. A nuclear gauge according to claim 47, wherein the anti-theft module is configured to configured to disable battery power in the gauge.

50. A nuclear gauge according to claim 47, wherein the anti-theft module is configured to transmit a voltage or current sufficient to destroy a circuit in the gauge.

51. A nuclear gauge according to claim 47, wherein the gauge comprises a plurality of radiation detectors, including at least one for normal measurement operation using a measurement radiation circuit and detector and a different at least one at least one for the tracking radiation monitor circuit.

52. A nuclear gauge according to claim 51, wherein the tracking radiation monitor circuit is configured to obtain radiation count measurements during a non-active gauge measurement mode during the operational service life of the nuclear gauge.

53. A nuclear gauge according to claim 51, wherein the tracking radiation monitor circuit and the measurement radiation circuit can be independently monitored remotely.

54. A nuclear gauge according to claim 51, wherein the tracking radiation monitor circuit is configured to obtain gamma and neutron radiation counts substantially concurrently.

55. A nuclear measurement gauge comprising:

a housing;

a radioactive source held inside of the housing;

a radioactive detector operably associated with the radioactive source;

electronic circuitry that controls the operation of the nuclear gauge operably associated with the detector;

a power source operably associated with the detector and the controller; and

a wireless communication system held in or proximate to the housing, wherein the wireless communication system is configured to provide a tracking signal that allows a remote location to determine the geographic location of the gauge, and wherein the wireless communication system is configured to obtain a radioactive count from the detector during a non-active measurement period to determine whether the radioactive source is intact in the gauge.

56. A nuclear measurement gauge according to claim 55, wherein the non-active measurement is obtained proximate in time to providing the tracking signal.

57. A method for tracking the location of nuclear gauges comprising a radioactive component, comprising:

mounting a tracking device is proximity to a nuclear gauge having a radioactive component, the tracking device configured to provide at least one tracking signal that is detectable from a remote location to thereby allow its geographic location to be determined remotely, wherein the nuclear gauge is a portable nuclear measurement gauge comprising a gamma source and neutron source;

monitoring radiation counts associated with a radioactive source in the nuclear gauge during an operational service life;

carrying out a diagnostic interrogation based on local data from the nuclear gauge that is transmitted to the remote location;

measuring radioactivity using a count comparator module;

generates an audible alarm in the gauge itself if a theft condition is determined; and

disabling the nuclear gauge if a theft condition is detected.

58. A method for tracking the location of nuclear gauges comprising a radioactive component, comprising:

mounting a tracking device is proximity to a nuclear gauge having a radioactive component, the tracking device configured to provide at least one tracking signal that is detectable from a remote location to thereby allow its geographic location to be determined remotely,

obtaining the at least one tracking signal at a remote location;

determining the gegraphic location of the nuclear gauge;

wherein the steps of mounting, obtaining and determining are carried out for a plurality of different nuclear gauges;

automatically repeating the steps of obtaining and determining for each of the plurality of different nuclear gauges over time; and

adjusting the obtaining and determining intervals based on an automated detection of movement of a radioactive source held in the nuclear gauge, and/or based on data from an automated measurement of a radioactive count associated with the radioactive source.