US3796879A — Automated multiple sample processing for well typ…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 229 words

A method of automatically comparing the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioacTive form in each set of a series of sets of replicate samples with the amount of said same substance present in reference samples using a scintillation counter comprising the following steps: a. operating said scintillation counter in a reference mode of operation to analyze reference samples by generating electrical signals representing the occurrence of detected radioactive events in said reference samples, b. counting said electrical signals, c. determining the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples, d. storing in said scintillation counter a signal representing the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples, e. subsequently operating said scintillation counter in a sample mode to successively analyze each of the aforesaid sets of replicate samples to concurrently generate electrical signals representing the occurrence of detected radioactive events in each sample in a replicate sample set, f. combining the electrical signals for the radioactive events detected in each sample within a replicate sample set, to produce signals representing the time rate of detection of radioactive events in each replicate sample set, and g. generating output signals representing a comparison of the time rate of detection of radioactive events in each replicate sample set with the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 229 words

A method of automatically comparing the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioacTive form in each set of a series of sets of replicate samples with the amount of said same substance present in reference samples using a scintillation counter comprising the following steps: a. operating said scintillation counter in a reference mode of operation to analyze reference samples by generating electrical signals representing the occurrence of detected radioactive events in said reference samples, b. counting said electrical signals, c. determining the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples, d. storing in said scintillation counter a signal representing the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples, e. subsequently operating said scintillation counter in a sample mode to successively analyze each of the aforesaid sets of replicate samples to concurrently generate electrical signals representing the occurrence of detected radioactive events in each sample in a replicate sample set, f. combining the electrical signals for the radioactive events detected in each sample within a replicate sample set, to produce signals representing the time rate of detection of radioactive events in each replicate sample set, and g. generating output signals representing a comparison of the time rate of detection of radioactive events in each replicate sample set with the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 118 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples is determined by counting the number of electrical signals associated with radioactive events in said reference samples for a measuring interval of time, and wherein the time rate of detection of radioactive events in each replicate sample set is determined by counting the number of combined electrical signals associated with radioactive events in each of said replicate sample sets for the same measuring interval of time, and said output signals are representations of the ratios of the number of combined electrical signals associated with each replicate sample set to the counted number of electrical signals associated with said reference samples.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 137 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the time rate of detection of radioactive events in said reference samples is determined by measuring the time elapsed during counting a predetermined number of electrical signals associated with radioactive events in said reference samples, and further comprising counting the same predetermined number of electrical signals associated with each of said replicate sample sets while measuring the time elapsed during counting of the samples in each replicate sample set, and wherein said output signals are representations of the ratios of time elapsed during counting of said reference samples to time elapsed during counting of each of said replicate sample sets, thereby indicating the ratios of the quantities of the aforesaid substance present in each of said replicate sample sets to the quantity of the aforesaid substance present in said reference samples.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 67 words

The method of claim 3 wherein said electrical signals associated with samples within a replicate sample set are combined by summing said signals from each of the samples of a replicate sample set, and dividing the summed signals by the number of samples in the aforesaid replicate sample set to arrive at an average time rate of detection of radioactive events in the aforesaid replicate sample set.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 3 further comprising increasing the measured times elapsed by a uniform increment to negate the effects of radioactive events attributable to residual radiation.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 125 words

In a method of analyzing reference samples and subsequently analyzing each sample in a series of sets of replicate samples in a scintillation counter to obtain a comparison of the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioactive form in each of said sets of replicate samples with the amount of said same substaNce present in said reference samples, the improvement comprising, for each replicate sample set, concurrently analyzing all of the samples of a replicate sample set, combining electrical signals indicative of the results of analysis of all of the samples of a replicate sample set, and generating output signals for each replicate sample set which indicate separately the results of comparison of each replicate sample set with the reference samples.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 125 words

In a method of analyzing reference samples and subsequently analyzing each sample in a series of sets of replicate samples in a scintillation counter to obtain a comparison of the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioactive form in each of said sets of replicate samples with the amount of said same substaNce present in said reference samples, the improvement comprising, for each replicate sample set, concurrently analyzing all of the samples of a replicate sample set, combining electrical signals indicative of the results of analysis of all of the samples of a replicate sample set, and generating output signals for each replicate sample set which indicate separately the results of comparison of each replicate sample set with the reference samples.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 6 wherein a uniform adjustment is made in the results of analysis of the reference samples and the results of analysis of each of the replicate sample sets to nullify the influence of residual radiation on said results.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 116 words

In a method of analyzing a reference sample and subsequently analyzing each sample specimen in a series of sets of sample specimens in a scintillation counter to obtain a comparison of the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioactive form in each sample specimen in said sets of sample specimens with the amount of said same substance present in said reference sample, the improvement comprising, for each sample specimen set, concurrently analyzing all of the sample specimens of a sample specimen set, and generating separate output signals for each sample specimen in said sets of sample specimens to separately indicate the results of comparison of each sample specimen with the reference sample.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 116 words

In a method of analyzing a reference sample and subsequently analyzing each sample specimen in a series of sets of sample specimens in a scintillation counter to obtain a comparison of the amount of a substance existing at least partially in a radioactive form in each sample specimen in said sets of sample specimens with the amount of said same substance present in said reference sample, the improvement comprising, for each sample specimen set, concurrently analyzing all of the sample specimens of a sample specimen set, and generating separate output signals for each sample specimen in said sets of sample specimens to separately indicate the results of comparison of each sample specimen with the reference sample.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 134 words

The method of claim 8 further comprising analyzing said reference sample by measuring the time elapsed during counting a predetermined number of electrical signals associated with radioactive events in said reference sample, analyzing each of said sample specimens in said set of sample specimens by counting the same predetermined number of electrical signals associated with radioactive events in said sample specimens in said sample specimen sets, and wherein said output signals are representations of the ratios of time elapsed during analysis of said reference sample to time elapsed during analysis of each of said sample specimens in each of said sets of sample specimens, thereby indicating the ratios of the quantities of the aforesaid substance present in each of said sample specimens to the quantity of the aforesaid substance present in said reference sample.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a scintillation counter having a counting well for accommodating samples positioned therein, the improvement comprising a plurality of separate scintillation crystal assemblies in said counting well, each constructed to concurrently accommodate a single one of a set of samples in proximate location thereto, a plurality of photodetectors for generating electrical signals each being in optical communication with a different one of said scintillation crystal assemblies, and each scintillation crystal assembly being in optical communication with only one photodetector, count tabulating means for receiving and counting signals from said photodetectors, timing means for recording elapsed sample counting time, said count tabulating means and said timing means being operative together to produce a signal indicative of time rate of detection of radioactive events from said scintillation crystal assemblies, reference memory means for storing a signal indicative of time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples, and output means for receiving signals from said count tabulating means and said reference memory means to represent comparisons of the time rate of detection of radioactive events occurring in subsequent samples with the time rate of detection of radioactive events occurring in reference samples.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a scintillation counter having a counting well for accommodating samples positioned therein, the improvement comprising a plurality of separate scintillation crystal assemblies in said counting well, each constructed to concurrently accommodate a single one of a set of samples in proximate location thereto, a plurality of photodetectors for generating electrical signals each being in optical communication with a different one of said scintillation crystal assemblies, and each scintillation crystal assembly being in optical communication with only one photodetector, count tabulating means for receiving and counting signals from said photodetectors, timing means for recording elapsed sample counting time, said count tabulating means and said timing means being operative together to produce a signal indicative of time rate of detection of radioactive events from said scintillation crystal assemblies, reference memory means for storing a signal indicative of time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples, and output means for receiving signals from said count tabulating means and said reference memory means to represent comparisons of the time rate of detection of radioactive events occurring in subsequent samples with the time rate of detection of radioactive events occurring in reference samples.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The scintillation counter of claim 10 further comprising a signal combining means connected to all of said photodetectors and to said count tabulating means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 47 words

The scintillation counter of claim 10 further comprising a residual memory means for storing a signal representing residual radioactivity, and a residual subtracting means connected between said photodetectors and said count Tabulating means for reducing the tabulated radioactive event count according to the level of residual radioactivity.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a scintillation counter for analyzing specimen samples having a means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events, an output means, and a counting well, the improvement comprising a plurality of separate scintillation crystal assemblies in said counting well, each constructed to accommodate concurrently a proximately positioned sample in a set of samples, a plurality of photodetectors for providing signals to said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events, each photodetector being in optical communication with only one of said plurality of scintillation crystal assemblies, and each scintillation crystal assembly being in optical communication with only one photodetector, reference memory means, a reference controller for actuating said reference memory means to store a signal from said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples, and a sample controller for actuating said reference memory means and said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events to provide signals to said output means to indicate the ratio of the time rate of detection of radioactive events in specimen samples to the time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a scintillation counter for analyzing specimen samples having a means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events, an output means, and a counting well, the improvement comprising a plurality of separate scintillation crystal assemblies in said counting well, each constructed to accommodate concurrently a proximately positioned sample in a set of samples, a plurality of photodetectors for providing signals to said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events, each photodetector being in optical communication with only one of said plurality of scintillation crystal assemblies, and each scintillation crystal assembly being in optical communication with only one photodetector, reference memory means, a reference controller for actuating said reference memory means to store a signal from said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples, and a sample controller for actuating said reference memory means and said means for determining time rate of detection of radioactive events to provide signals to said output means to indicate the ratio of the time rate of detection of radioactive events in specimen samples to the time rate of detection of radioactive events in reference samples.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-03-11	1977-09-10	1978-03-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-03-11	1981-09-10	1982-03-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-03-11	1985-09-10	1986-03-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automated multiple sample processing for well type radioactivity counters

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