XRF DEVICE WITH TRANSFER ASSISTANCE MODULE

• US 20160033430A1
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tribo Labs
• Original Assignee: Tribogenics, Inc.
• Inventors: Schurman, Thomas Michael, Fox, Dale, Harper, Justen Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/223 by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

A handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) device may include communication circuitry for communicating over a network. In some embodiments information related to sale and/or pricing of material identified by the XRF device is communicated by and/or to the XRF device. In some embodiments the XRF device communicates information regarding rental of the XRF device. In some embodiments the XRF device may be used to ascertain whether an item, for example an item of evidence or a particular item in a manufacturing environment, includes a material composition expected for the item, and in some embodiments storing or logging a result of such a determination.

Claims

1. A handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) device, comprising:

an x-ray source;

a detector for detecting a return signal;

circuitry for processing the return signal to determine material composition of a sample struck by x-rays of the x-ray source;

cellular communication circuitry;

a display; and

a processor configured by program instructions, the program instructions including program instructions to provide information regarding the material composition of the sample to the cellular communication circuitry for transmission.

2. The handheld XRF device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for receiving information regarding pricing of the sample, and formatting the information regarding pricing of the sample for display by the display.

3. The handheld XRF device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the material composition of the sample comprises an identification of the material composition of the sample.

4. The handheld XRF device of claim 3, further comprising a geographic locator, and wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for providing a location of the sample along with the identification of the material composition of the sample to the cellular communication circuitry for transmission.

5. The handheld XRF device of claim 4, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for providing an indication of quantity of the sample to the cellular communication circuitry for transmission.

6. The handheld XRF device of claim 5, wherein the indication of quantity is a weight.

7. The handheld XRF device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for providing XRF device availability for rental information to the cellular communication circuitry for transmission.

8. The handheld XRF device of claim 7, wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes time of availability.

9. The handheld XRF device of claim 7, further comprising a GPS receiver, and wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes location of the XRF device.

10. The handheld XRF device of claim 7, wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes price for rental information.

11. The handheld XRF device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for determining if the information regarding the material composition of the sample matches an item identification.

12. The handheld XRF device of claim 11, further comprising memory, and wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for storing a result of the determination of whether the material composition of the sample matches the item identification.

13. The handheld XRF device of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further include program instructions for storing a time and/or place of activation of the x-ray source.

14. A method of operation of a handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) device, comprising:

activating an x-ray source of the handheld XRF device;

detecting a return signal;

processing the return signal to determine material composition of a sample struck by x-rays of the x-ray source;

providing information regarding the material composition of the sample to communication circuitry for transmission;

transmitting the information regarding the material composition of the sample over a network;

receiving information regarding pricing of the sample, and

displaying the information regarding pricing of the sample by a display of the XRF device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information regarding the material composition of the sample comprises an identification of the material composition of the sample.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a location of the sample along with the identification of the material composition of the sample to the communication circuitry for transmission and transmitting the location of the sample over the network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing an indication of quantity of the sample to the communication circuitry for transmission and transmitting the indication of quantity of the sample over the network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the indication of quantity is a weight.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing XRF device availability for rental information to the communication circuitry for transmission and transmitting the XRF device availability for rental information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes time of availability.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes location of the XRF device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the XRF device availability for rental information includes price for rental information.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining if the information regarding the material composition of the sample matches an item identification.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing a result of the determination of whether the material composition of the sample matches the item identification.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising storing a time and/or place of activation of the x-ray source.

26. A method of providing handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) device rental availability information, comprising:

receiving an indication of XRF device location;

receiving an indication of XRF device rental price;

receiving an indication of XRF device time of availability;

transmitting, by the XRF device, the XRF device location, XRF device rental price, and XFR device time of availability over a network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the indication of XRF device location is received from a GPS receiver of the XRF device.

28. A method of operation of a handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) device, comprising:

receiving an item identification for an item, including an identification of material of the item;

activating an x-ray source of the handheld XRF device;

detecting a return signal;

processing the return signal to determine material composition of a sample struck by x-rays of the x-ray source;

determining whether the material composition of the sample matches the identification of material of the item; and

storing a result of the determination of whether the material composition of the sample matches the identification of material of the item.