Multi-stage system for verification of container contents

• US 7,864,061 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EMR Resources, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative American Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Frank, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/839,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 169 Days
• Field of Search: 340/600, 340/539.13, 340/539.26, 340/605, 340/540, 340/541, 250/363.04, 250/390.04, 378/57
• US Class Current: 340/600
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/167 Measuring radioactive content of objects, e.g. contamination whole body counters G01T1/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/08 with semiconductor detectors
• 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: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

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 collects radiation data from one or more nodes. The collected radiation data is dynamically adjusted according to at least one of a plurality of background radiation data based on a determined background environment about the container. The collected and adjusted radiation data is compared 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.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and identifying radioactive materials within the one or more containers, the method comprising:

providing a background radiation data set comprising a plurality of background radiation data corresponding to a plurality of different background environments in proximity to a container;

collecting, by a plurality of radiation sensors, at least one spectral data set representing radiation data associated with the container and its contents, the container being located in proximity to the plurality of radiation sensors;

dynamically adjusting the collected at least one spectral data set according to at least one of the plurality of background radiation data based on a determined background environment of the plurality of different background environments in proximity to the container;

spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted;

identifying, based on the spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted, one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container;

identifying materials associated with one or more of the identified one or more isotopes;

comparing the materials that have been identified to at least one manifest associated with the container, wherein the at least one manifest lists a set of materials that are declared to be within the container; and

storing a set of comparison results in memory, the set of comparison results being associated with the comparing the materials that have been identified to the at least one manifest associated with the container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamically adjusting further comprises:

selecting one of the plurality of background radiation data; and

subtracting the selected one of the plurality of background radiation data from the collected at least one spectral data set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying materials associated with one or more of the identified one or more isotopes, further comprises:

comparing the identified one or more isotopes to pre-defined one or more isotopes associated with at least one of a plurality of materials, a plurality of goods, and a plurality of products, that are known to comprise any combination of the pre-defined one or more isotopes; and

identifying, based on the comparing the identified one or more isotopes, at least one material, good, or product, as likely being in the contents of the container, the at least one material, good, or product, comprising one or more of the identified one or more isotopes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the different background environments comprise at least one of:

water;

land;

other containers;

air; and

structures.

5. A system for detecting and identifying radioactive materials within one or more containers, the system comprising:

a plurality of radiation sensors situated on at least one frame structure configured for at least locating the plurality of radiation sensors in proximity to a container, wherein the plurality of radiation sensors are adapted to collect at least one spectral data set representing radiation data associated with the container and its contents; and

an information processing system communicatively coupled to the plurality of radiation sensors, wherein the information processing system is configured with computer instructions for;

dynamically adjusting a collected at least one spectral data set from the plurality of radiation sensors, according to at least one of a plurality of background radiation data based on a determined background environment of a plurality of different background environments in proximity to the container;

spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted;

identifying, based on the spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted, one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container;

identifying materials associated with one or more of the identified one or more isotopes;

comparing the materials that have been identified to at least one manifest associated with the container, wherein the at least one manifest lists a set of materials that are declared to be within the container; and

storing a set of comparison results in memory, the set of comparison results being associated with the comparing the materials that have been identified to the at least one manifest associated with the container.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the dynamically adjusting further comprises:

selecting one of the plurality of background radiation data; and

subtracting the selected one of the plurality of background radiation data from the collected at least one spectral data set.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the identifying materials associated with one or more of the identified one or more isotopes, further comprises:

comparing the identified one or more isotopes to pre-defined one or more isotopes associated with at least one of a plurality of materials, a plurality of goods, and a plurality of products, that are known to comprise any combination of the pre-defined one or more isotopes; and

identifying, based on the comparing the identified one or more isotopes, at least one material, good, or product, as likely being in the contents of the container, the at least one material, good, or product, comprising one or more of the identified one or more isotopes.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the different background environments comprise at least one of:

water;

land;

other containers;

air; and

structures.

9. A method for detecting and identifying radioactive materials within one or more containers, the method comprising:

providing a background radiation data set comprising a plurality of background radiation data corresponding to a plurality of different background environments in proximity to a container;

collecting, by a plurality of radiation sensors, at least one spectral data set representing radiation data associated with the container and its contents, the container being located in proximity to the plurality of radiation sensors;

dynamically adjusting the collected at least one spectral data set according to at least one of the plurality of background radiation data based on a determined background environment of the plurality of different background environments in proximity to the container, the dynamically adjusting including;

selecting one of the plurality of background radiation data; and

subtracting the selected one of the plurality of background radiation data from the collected at least one spectral data set;

spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted;

identifying, based on the spectrally analyzing the collected at least one spectral data set that has been dynamically adjusted, one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container; and

identifying materials associated with one or more of the identified one or more isotopes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of radiation sensors includes at least one of:

a set of gamma sensors; and

a set of solid-state neutron sensors.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a set of histograms corresponding to the at least one spectral data set, wherein each histogram in the set of histograms represents a different spectral image of radiation associated with the container.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container, further comprises:

comparing each histogram in the set of histograms to a plurality of spectral images, wherein each spectral image represents an isotope;

identifying, based on the comparing each histogram, each of the plurality of spectral images that substantially matches at least a portion of a histogram in the set of histograms; and

identifying one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container, each of the identified isotopes being represented by at least one identified spectral image that substantially matches at least a portion of a histogram in the set of histograms.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying materials, further comprises:

comparing the identified one or more isotopes to pre-defined one or more isotopes associated with at least one of a plurality of materials, a plurality of goods, and a plurality of products, that are known to comprise any combination of the pre-defined one or more isotopes; and

identifying, based on the comparing the identified one or more isotopes, at least one material, good, or product, as likely being in the contents of the container, the at least one material, good, or product, comprising one or more of the identified one or more isotopes.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining if an identified material matches at least one of a set of materials that are declared to be within the container; and

notifying an alarm, in response to determining that at least one identified material fails to match any of the at least one of the set of materials that are declared to be within the container.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying one or more isotopes associated with the contents within the container further comprises:

spectrally analyzing a spectral image in a histogram representing a composite spectral image associated with the container and the contents within the container;

comparing a plurality of spectral images to at least a portion of the spectral image in the histogram, wherein each spectral image in the plurality of spectral images represents an isotope;

identifying, based on the comparing, a first spectral image from the plurality of spectral images that substantially matches at least a portion of the spectral image in the histogram;

subtracting the identified first spectral image from the spectral image in the histogram resulting in a remaining spectral image in the histogram; and

repeating the comparing, identifying, and subtracting, for each subsequent spectral image in the plurality of spectral images, wherein each subsequent spectral image after being identified in at least a portion of the remaining spectral image in the histogram, is then subtracted from the remaining spectral image in the histogram.