US3777161A
Expired / Lapsed
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Hodoscope readout system
Assignee: United States Atomic Energy Commission
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Filing: 1972-11-08
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-11-08
Abstract
Abstract A readout system has been provided for reading out a radiation multidetector device with a reduced number of signal sensors. A radiation hodoscope, such as an array of scintillation counters, multiwire proportional counter array, or a set of multidetectors which do not receive signals simultaneously, is divided into equal numbered groups. A first group of signal terminals is connected to the equal numbered groups of detectors so that a signal from any one of the detectors of a group will be fed to an individual one of the first group of terminals. A second group of signal terminals is connected to the detector groups so that a signal from a particular numbered detector of each of the detector groups is connected to individual ones of the second group of terminals. Both groups of signal terminals are, in turn, coupled to signal sensors so that when a signal is simultaneously observed in one of the first group of terminals and one of the second group of terminals the specific detector detecting a radiation event is determined. The sensors are arranged in such a manner that a binary code is developed from their outputs which can be stored in a digital storage means according to the location of the event in the multidetector device.
Inventors
- 👤 L Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:10
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/20; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/1644
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A digital readout system for a spatial radiation detection medium which generates a signal at a location indicative of the position of a radiation event detected by one of a plurality of radiation sensitive areas lying within a single plane in said detection medium, comprising: a plurality of signal terminals; a plurality of signal transmitting means for connecting respective ones of of said radiation sensitive areas of said detecting medium to respective ones of said signal terminals according to a predetermined binary code; a plurality of signal sensing means responsive to signals from selected ones of said signal terminals for generating output signals at respective outputs thereof indicative of the location of said event within said detection medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of signal sensing means; and means for recording said digital signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A digital readout system for a spatial radiation detection medium which generates a signal at a location indicative of the position of a radiation event detected by one of a plurality of radiation sensitive areas lying within a single plane in said detection medium, comprising: a plurality of signal terminals; a plurality of signal transmitting means for connecting respective ones of of said radiation sensitive areas of said detecting medium to respective ones of said signal terminals according to a predetermined binary code; a plurality of signal sensing means responsive to signals from selected ones of said signal terminals for generating output signals at respective outputs thereof indicative of the location of said event within said detection medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of signal sensing means; and means for recording said digital signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said readout system is a one-dimensional readout system and wherein said spatial radiation detection medium includes an array of individual detecting elements forming individual ones of said radiation sensitive areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said array of detecting elements is a plurality of scintillation strips, said strips being coated with a light opaque material, and wherein said signal transmitting means includes a plurality of light pipes connected, respectively, to at least one end of each of said scintillator strips for transmitting light signals from said array of scintillator strips to respective ones of said plurality of signal sensing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The readout systeM as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of sensing means includes a plurality of photodetectors disposed to view said signal terminals herein composed of the end clusters of said light pipes, each of said photodetectors generating an electrical output upon detection of light pulses transmitted thereto from the respective one of said scintillation strips, said light pipes being optically coupled to said plurality of photodetectors in a coded order so that the combined outputs of said plurality of photodetectors generates said digital coded signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for recording said digital coded signal includes a digital-to-analog converter having a plurality of bit inputs connected to respective outputs of said plurality of photodetectors so that the amplitude of the analog output signal of said converter is indicative of the one of said plurality of scintillator strips detecting said radiation event.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said readout system is a two-dimensional readout system wherein said spatial radiation detection medium includes an array of individual detecting elements in the form of a plurality of equal length scintillation strips, the length of said strips forming a Y-coordinate and the width of the combined plurality of said strips forming an X-coordinate for referencing the position of an event within said detection medium, and further including means for determining the Y-coordinate position of said event from the output signals of said plurality of sensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said plurality signal terminals are light conducting terminals divided into first and second equal groups, a first plurality of light pipes connecting each one of selected equal groupings of said scintillation strips to respective ones of said first group of terminals, a second plurality of light pipes connecting individual ones of each of said equal groupings of scintillation strips to respective ones of said second group of terminals so that the activated one of said strips detecting an event is located by a combined digital coding of the signals from said sensing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
154 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first and second plurality of light pipes are of equal length and wherein said means for determining the Y-coordinate position includes a time-to-amplitude converter having a start input and a stop input and an output, a first OR gate having a plurality of inputs connected to respective outputs of said sensing means of said first group of signal terminals, a second OR gate having a plurality of inputs connected to respective outputs of said sensing means of said second group of signal terminals, said first OR gate having an output connected to said start input of said time-to-amplitude converter and a signal delay means providing a time delay of at least the propagation time of a light pulse through the length of said scintillator strips and connected between the output of said second OR gate and said stop input of said time-to-amplitude converter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said radiation detection medium includes a single block of scintillation material having a first plurality of light collimators connected to one edge of said block, a second plurality of light collimators equal in number to said first plurality of light collimators connected to the opposite edge of said block and aligned respectively with said first plurality of collimators so that a light signal generated in said block from the detection of an event is transmitted through at least one of said first plurality of collimators and at least one corresponding light collimator of said second plurality of light collimators thereby dividing said block of scintillation material into said plurality of sensitive areas defined by the area of view of each pair of said first and second plurality of light collimators.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
104 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said readout system is a two-dimensional readout system and further including a second and third equal plurality of light collimators connected identical to said first and second pluralities of light collimators along opposite edges of said block of scintillation material orthogonal to said first and second pluralities of light collimators so that the outputs of said plurality of sensing means connected to said first and second pluralities and said third and fourth pluralities of light collimators are indicative of an X and Y coordinate position of said event within said block of scintillation material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
90 words
The readout system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said block of scintillation material has a square radiation receiving face and wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth pluralities of light collimators is of identical size and number having a width at the face adjacent the corresponding edge of said block of scintillation material equal to the length of said face of said block divided by the number of collimators along the edge and a length equal to twice the length of said face of said block.
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) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |