Patent US3562528A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3562528A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Angular tracker responsive to penetrating radiation
Assignee: Industrial Nucleonics Corp
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Filing: 1967-05-09
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Granted: 1971-02-09
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Expires: 1987-05-09
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a system for deriving a direct digital indication of the position of a penetrating radiation source, e.g., a gammaray of X-ray source. A detector array having multiple channels with the same field of view is irradiated by the source. Each channel includes a different number of radiation-receiving areas to derive the digital indication. The detector array, in certain embodiments, is shielded with a slit plate or shadow mask. In another embodiment, a single multiple detector channel is shielded with a shadow mask and step changes in illumination of each detector drive a position indicating counter.
Inventors
- 👤 William B Joyce
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:32
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/29; G01T1/2907
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A system for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation, comprising a plurality of detector channels for radiation from said source, each of said channels covering substantially the same field of view relative to said source and having differing numbers of detector areas susceptible to exposure to radiation from said source, means for selectively blocking the passage of said radiation to the detector areas of said channels as a function of the source angular position, and means for deriving a signal from each of said channels indicative of the amount of said radiation received by the exposed detector areas of each respective channel, said means for deriving, including means for generating a bilevel signal in response to the total number of counts of said radiation impinging on each of said channels within a predetermined time interval, the number of counts per said predetermined time interval to derive an indication of a source being in the field of view for each channel being related to the number of channels so that the amount of information derived from all of the channels increases exponentially as the number of channels increases.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
A system for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation, comprising a plurality of detector channels for radiation from said source, each of said channels covering substantially the same field of view relative to said source and having differing numbers of detector areas susceptible to exposure to radiation from said source, means for selectively blocking the passage of said radiation to the detector areas of said channels as a function of the source angular position, and means for deriving a signal from each of said channels indicative of the amount of said radiation received by the exposed detector areas of each respective channel, said means for deriving, including means for generating a bilevel signal in response to the total number of counts of said radiation impinging on each of said channels within a predetermined time interval, the number of counts per said predetermined time interval to derive an indication of a source being in the field of view for each channel being related to the number of channels so that the amount of information derived from all of the channels increases exponentially as the number of channels increases.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 1 wherein Q of said channels are provided, the Nth one of said channels including M X 2N-1 exposed areas, where M is a positive integer equal to or greater than one, Q is a positive integer greater than one, and N is selectively all integers from one to Q, inclusive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 wherein adjacent ones of said detector areas in each channel are separated from each other by areas unresponsive to radiation from said source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said areas unresponsive to said radiation are detector areas covered by shields for said radiation, said shields comprising said blocking means, said exposed areas and the surfaces of said shields being arcuate in cross section, the arcuate surfaces of said shields in each channel having greater radii than the exposed detector areas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 4 further including radially extending collimator plates between adjacent shields in one of said channels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said exposed detector areas and arcuate shields are cylindrical.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said detector areas and arcuate shields are defined as figures of revolution.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 1 further including an additional detector channel having the same field of view as each of said plurality of detector channels, said additional detector channel being always exposed to radiation from said source anywhere in said field of view.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said blocking means comprises shield means for said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas, said shield means including slit means for passing relatively narrow width beams of said radiation to each of said channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said blocking means includes shield means for said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas of said channels, said shield means having an edge positioned to define a demarcation line for irradiated and nonirradiated detector areas of said channels determined by the position of said source, alL of the detector areas of said channels on one side of said line being irradiated by said source and all of the detector areas of said channels on the other side of said line being shadowed from said source by said shield means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 10 wherein adjacent ones of said detector areas in each channel are separated from each other by areas unresponsive to radiation from said source, said detector areas on said one side having an exposed detector area in each channel always exposed to radiation from said source when the source is in said field of view.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the detector areas of each channel are substantially coplanar and aligned, each of said channels having generally parallel longitudinal axes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of said channels includes two groups of detector areas, each detector of each group being adjacent to a detector of the other group, each detector of each group being separated from another detector of that group by a detector of the other group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said means for deriving for each channel includes means for comparing the amount of said radiation impinging on the first and second detector groups of each channel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said means for comparing includes means for deriving only a bilevel signal in response to the amount of said radiation impinging on each of the exposed areas, and means for linearly combining each of the bilevel signals derived from the exposed areas of each channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said means for deriving includes means for deriving first and second bilevel signals from each of the exposed areas of said first and second groups, said combining means including means for linearly combining said first signal and means for linearly combining said second signals. 47
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
160 words
A detector for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation comprising a plurality of detector channels for radiation from said source, each of said channels covering substantially the same field of view relative to said source and having differing numbers of detector areas susceptible to exposure to radiation from said source, and means for selectively blocking the passage of said radiation to the detector areas of said channels as a function of the source angular position wherein said blocking means includes shield means for said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas, said shield means having an edge positioned to define a demarcation line for irradiated and nonirradiated exposed detector areas determined by the position of said source, all of the exposed areas on one side of said line being irradiated by said source and all of the exposed areas on the other side of said line being shielded from said source be said shield means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
160 words
A detector for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation comprising a plurality of detector channels for radiation from said source, each of said channels covering substantially the same field of view relative to said source and having differing numbers of detector areas susceptible to exposure to radiation from said source, and means for selectively blocking the passage of said radiation to the detector areas of said channels as a function of the source angular position wherein said blocking means includes shield means for said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas, said shield means having an edge positioned to define a demarcation line for irradiated and nonirradiated exposed detector areas determined by the position of said source, all of the exposed areas on one side of said line being irradiated by said source and all of the exposed areas on the other side of said line being shielded from said source be said shield means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 17 wherein adjacent ones of said detector areas in each channel are separated from each other by areas unresponsive to radiation from said source, said detector areas on said one side having an exposed detector area in each channel always exposed to radiation from said source when the source is in said field of view.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 17 wherein each of said channels includes two groups of detector areas, each detector of each group being adjacent to a detector of the other group, each detector of each group being separated from another detector of that group by a detector of the other group.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
158 words
A detector for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation comprising a detector channel for said radiation having a predetermined field of view, a multiplicity of different, separate detector areas within said channel each of said areas being susceptible to exposure to said radiation to derive an output signal in response to said radiation impinging thereon, different ones of said areas being irradiated by said source for differing positions of said source relative to said channel, and shield means for Said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas, said shield means having an edge positioned to define a demarcation line for irradiated and nonirradiated detector areas of said channel determined by the position of said source, all of the detector areas on one side of said line being irradiated by said source and all of the detector areas on the other side of said line being shielded from said source by said shield means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
158 words
A detector for indicating the angular position of a source of penetrating radiation comprising a detector channel for said radiation having a predetermined field of view, a multiplicity of different, separate detector areas within said channel each of said areas being susceptible to exposure to said radiation to derive an output signal in response to said radiation impinging thereon, different ones of said areas being irradiated by said source for differing positions of said source relative to said channel, and shield means for Said radiation positioned between said source and detector areas, said shield means having an edge positioned to define a demarcation line for irradiated and nonirradiated detector areas of said channel determined by the position of said source, all of the detector areas on one side of said line being irradiated by said source and all of the detector areas on the other side of said line being shielded from said source by said shield means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
85 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said multiplicity of detector areas are separated from each other by a plurality of second detector areas, means responsive to the amount of radiation impinging on each of said plurality of areas for deriving first and second bilevel signals indicative of the total radiation impinging on each area being greater than a set level within a predetermined time interval, and means for comparing the sum of the first-named bilevel signal with the sum of the second named bilevel signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 20 wherein adjacent ones of said detector areas in said channel are separated from each other by areas unresponsive to radiation from said source, said detector areas on said one side having a detector area in said channel always exposed to radiation from said source when the source is in said field of view.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-08 | 1974-08-10 | 1975-02-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-08 | 1978-08-10 | 1979-02-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-08 | 1982-08-10 | 1983-02-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |