Multi-stage system for verification of container contents
First Claim
1. A multi-stage radiation detection and identification system, comprising:
- a radiation sensor system deployed on a gantry crane and comprising;
one or more gamma sensors; and
/orone or more solid-state neutron sensors, wherein the one or more gamma sensors and/or the one or more solid-state neutron sensors being collectively mounted on a frame structure mechanically coupled to the gantry crane, referred to as a primary radiation sensor position, and that is locatable in proximity to a shipping container under examination;
a secondary radiation sensor position, that is located separate from the radiation sensor system deployed on the gantry crane, and comprising one or more gamma sensors and/or one or more neutron sensors for further analyzing gamma and/or neutron radiation that has been detected in the shipping container by the primary radiation sensor position;
a distributed network communicatively coupling the gantry crane radiation sensor system and the one or more sensors of the secondary radiation sensor position as individually addressable nodes on a radiation sensor network;
a first digital data collection system, communicatively coupled with radiation sensor system deployed on the gantry crane that collects radiation data from the radiation sensor system on the gantry crane;
a second digital data collection system, communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors at the secondary radiation position that collects radiation data from the one or more gamma sensors and/or one or more neutron sensors at the secondary radiation position;
a multi-channel analyzer system, communicatively coupled with the first and second digital data collection systems, that prepares a set of histograms of the collected radiation data from the first and second digital data collection systems, respectively, the set of histograms comprising the radiation data collected from the secondary radiation position combined with the radiation data collected from the first radiation position, and wherein the set of histograms represent a set of spectral images of radiation present in the shipping container under examination;
a spectral analysis system, communicatively coupled with the multi-channel analyzer system and the first and second digital data collection systems, that receives and analyzes the collected radiation data from the first and second digital data collection systems, respectively, and the histograms to detect radiation and to identify one or more isotopes associated with the collected detected radiation data;
a first data storage unit that stores data representing isotope spectra for use by the spectral analysis system, where one or more spectral images stored in the first data storage unit represents at least one known isotope, wherein the spectral analysis system compares the set of spectral images to the one or more spectral images stored in the first data storage unit to identify the one or more isotopes associated with the collected detected radiation, the first data storage means being communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system;
an information processing system, communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system, that analyzes the identified one or more isotopes and to determine a set of potential materials or goods that the identified one or more isotopes represent; and
a second data storage unit that stores data representing a manifest relating to the shipping container under examination, the second data storage unit being communicatively coupled with the information processing system, the information processing system further compares the determined set of potential materials or goods with the manifest relating to the shipping container under examination to determine any unauthorized materials or goods contained within the shipping container under examination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-stage process utilizing one or more radiation sensors on a distributed network for the detection and identification of radiation, explosives, and special materials within a shipping container. The sensors are configured as nodes on the network. The system supports extended time options at each node and the ability to combine data from multiple nodes for the data acquisition and analysis of shipping containers. The system collects radiation data from one or more nodes and compares the collected data to one or more stored spectral images representing one or more isotopes to identify one or more isotopes present. The identified one or more isotopes present are corresponded to possible materials or goods that they represent. The possible materials or goods are compared with the manifest relating to the container to confirm the identity of materials or goods contained in the container or to detect and/or identify unauthorized materials or goods in the container. The containers are monitored and tracked as they are moved between the nodes. A central monitoring station monitors the radiological sensors, the information from the nodes and the tracking of the shipping containers. For shielded materials, explosives and other types of material detection, a neutron pulse device could be incorporated into the spreader bar position, the secondary position or both.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A multi-stage radiation detection and identification system, comprising:
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a radiation sensor system deployed on a gantry crane and comprising; one or more gamma sensors; and
/orone or more solid-state neutron sensors, wherein the one or more gamma sensors and/or the one or more solid-state neutron sensors being collectively mounted on a frame structure mechanically coupled to the gantry crane, referred to as a primary radiation sensor position, and that is locatable in proximity to a shipping container under examination; a secondary radiation sensor position, that is located separate from the radiation sensor system deployed on the gantry crane, and comprising one or more gamma sensors and/or one or more neutron sensors for further analyzing gamma and/or neutron radiation that has been detected in the shipping container by the primary radiation sensor position; a distributed network communicatively coupling the gantry crane radiation sensor system and the one or more sensors of the secondary radiation sensor position as individually addressable nodes on a radiation sensor network; a first digital data collection system, communicatively coupled with radiation sensor system deployed on the gantry crane that collects radiation data from the radiation sensor system on the gantry crane; a second digital data collection system, communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors at the secondary radiation position that collects radiation data from the one or more gamma sensors and/or one or more neutron sensors at the secondary radiation position; a multi-channel analyzer system, communicatively coupled with the first and second digital data collection systems, that prepares a set of histograms of the collected radiation data from the first and second digital data collection systems, respectively, the set of histograms comprising the radiation data collected from the secondary radiation position combined with the radiation data collected from the first radiation position, and wherein the set of histograms represent a set of spectral images of radiation present in the shipping container under examination; a spectral analysis system, communicatively coupled with the multi-channel analyzer system and the first and second digital data collection systems, that receives and analyzes the collected radiation data from the first and second digital data collection systems, respectively, and the histograms to detect radiation and to identify one or more isotopes associated with the collected detected radiation data; a first data storage unit that stores data representing isotope spectra for use by the spectral analysis system, where one or more spectral images stored in the first data storage unit represents at least one known isotope, wherein the spectral analysis system compares the set of spectral images to the one or more spectral images stored in the first data storage unit to identify the one or more isotopes associated with the collected detected radiation, the first data storage means being communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system; an information processing system, communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system, that analyzes the identified one or more isotopes and to determine a set of potential materials or goods that the identified one or more isotopes represent; and a second data storage unit that stores data representing a manifest relating to the shipping container under examination, the second data storage unit being communicatively coupled with the information processing system, the information processing system further compares the determined set of potential materials or goods with the manifest relating to the shipping container under examination to determine any unauthorized materials or goods contained within the shipping container under examination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15)
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13. A method of performing multi-stage radiation detection, the method comprising:
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locating a frame structure mechanically coupled to a gantry crane in proximity to a shipping container at a first radiation sensor position, wherein the frame structure comprises a radiation sensor system including one or more gamma sensors and one or more solid-state neutron sensors; collecting first radiation data from the radiation sensor system on the gantry crane at the first radiation sensor position during a first interval of time; determining, based on the first radiation data collected at the first radiation sensor position, that the shipping container comprises radiological materials therein; locating, in response to determining that the shipping container comprises radiological materials therein, the shipping container at a secondary radiation sensor position, wherein the secondary radiation sensor position comprises one or more sensors that analyze radiological materials, wherein the one or more sensors are separate from the radiation sensor system of the frame structure; collecting, in response to locating the shipping container at the secondary radiation sensor position, second radiation data, during a second interval of time, associated with the radiological materials within the shipping container from the one or more sensors at the secondary radiation position; generating a set of histograms based on the first radiation data and the second radiation data, wherein the set of histograms represent a set of spectral images of radiation present in the shipping container; comparing the set of spectral images to one or more spectral images representing at least one known isotope; identifying, based on the comparing, at least one isotope present within the shipping container; analyzing the at least one isotope that has been identified; determining, based on the analyzing, a set of potential materials or goods within the shipping container that the at least one isotope that has been identified represents; and comparing the set of potential materials or goods with a manifest associated with the shipping container; and determining, based on comparing the set of potential materials or goods with the manifest, that the shipping container comprises at least one of unauthorized and authorized materials or goods contained. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification