Apparatus and method for detection of radiation
First Claim
1. A system for detecting high energy particles comprising:
- at least one pixilated imager having a light sensitive pixilated chip comprising pixels wherein the at least one light sensitive pixilated imager is configured to produce a digital still image, a digital video image or a combination thereof positioned to allow high energy particles from an ambient environment to strike the light sensitive pixilated chip;
at least one processor in communication with the at least one pixilated imager, said at least one processor being capable of detecting one or more pixels that have interacted with at least one high energy particle and generating an output signal in response to the one or more pixels that have interacted with at least one high energy particle in real time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Digital images or the charge from pixels in light sensitive semiconductor based imagers may be used to detect gamma rays and energetic particles emitted by radioactive materials. Methods may be used to identify pixel-scale artifacts introduced into digital images and video images by high energy gamma rays. Statistical tests and other comparisons on the artifacts in the images or pixels may be used to prevent false-positive detection of gamma rays. The sensitivity of the system may be used to detect radiological material at distances in excess of 50 meters. Advanced processing techniques allow for gradient searches to more accurately determine the source'"'"'s location, while other acts may be used to identify the specific isotope. Coordination of different imagers and network alerts permit the system to separate non-radioactive objects from radioactive objects.
71 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A system for detecting high energy particles comprising:
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at least one pixilated imager having a light sensitive pixilated chip comprising pixels wherein the at least one light sensitive pixilated imager is configured to produce a digital still image, a digital video image or a combination thereof positioned to allow high energy particles from an ambient environment to strike the light sensitive pixilated chip; at least one processor in communication with the at least one pixilated imager, said at least one processor being capable of detecting one or more pixels that have interacted with at least one high energy particle and generating an output signal in response to the one or more pixels that have interacted with at least one high energy particle in real time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for detecting high energy particles comprising:
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collecting data from one or more pixilated image detectors configured to produce a digital still image, a digital video image, or a combination thereof positioned to allow high energy particles from an ambient environment to strike the light sensitive pixilated chip, each pixilated imager having a light sensitive pixilated chip comprising pixels for creating a digital still image, a digital video image or a combination thereof; identifying from the collected data at least one pixel that has interacted with at least one high energy particle in real time; and detecting a source of the at least one high energy particle. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A system for detecting high energy particles comprising:
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one or more pixilated image detectors each having a light sensitive pixilated chip wherein the one or more light sensitive pixilated image detectors are configured to produce a digital still image, a digital video image or a combination thereof positioned to allow high energy particles from an ambient environment to strike the light sensitive pixilated chip; one or more processors; and a processor readable storage medium containing one or more instructions for detecting a high energy particle including instructions for; scanning image data from the one or more pixilated image detectors, identifying one or more high count-rate pixels, quantifying an output for the one or more high count-rate pixels, identifying one or more high count-rate pixels that have reached or exceeded a user defined threshold, and generating a signal in response to the one or more high count-rate pixels that has reached or exceeded the user defined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification