US4272677A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for the automatic stabilization of drift in radiation measurements
Assignee: Laboratorium Prof Dr Rudolf Berthold GmbH and Co KG
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Filing: 1979-06-12
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Granted: 1981-06-09
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Expires: 1999-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for automatically stabilizing drift in radiation measurements which employ a detector whose pulse amplitude corresponds to the energy absorbed by the detector, involves the use of a peak produced in the pulse amplitude spectrum by individual electrons. The peak is at the low energy end of the spectrum and is drift stable. It can be produced by for example a direct or indirect light source such as a light emitting diode, by the phosphorescence of e.g. a sodium iodide crystal used as a scintillation crystal in nuclear radiation measurement, or by spontaneous surface emission within the detector, which is suitably a photomultiplier. The apparatus includes a determination device to determine the position of the drift stable peak and a control device to control the detector in response to the output of the determination device.
Inventors
- 👤 Fritz Berthold
- 👤 Helmut Kubisiak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:55
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/42; G01J1/44; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/36; G01T1/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of automatically stabilising drift in radiation measurement comprising the steps of: supplying radiation to a detector for absorption thereby; provision by the detector of pulses whose pulse amplitude corresponds to the energy of the radiation absorbed by the detector and extends over a pulse amplitude spectrum; deriving a control signal from a peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum, said peak being the peak resulting from individual electrons; and using the control signal to stabilise the drift of the detector.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of automatically stabilising drift in radiation measurement comprising the steps of: supplying radiation to a detector for absorption thereby; provision by the detector of pulses whose pulse amplitude corresponds to the energy of the radiation absorbed by the detector and extends over a pulse amplitude spectrum; deriving a control signal from a peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum, said peak being the peak resulting from individual electrons; and using the control signal to stabilise the drift of the detector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method as claimed in claim 1 when used for nuclear radiation measurement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the peak is produced by individual electrons provided by a light source disposed inside the detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the peak is produced by individual electrons provided by a light source disposed outside the detector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the single electrons are provided by a light source which is a direct light source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the single electrons are provided by a light source which is an indirect light source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the single electrons are provided by a light source which is a light emitting diode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the single electrons are provided by a light source which is a phosphorescent or persistent luminescent light source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the single electrons are provided by a light source which is a sodium iodide scintillation crystal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the detector is a photomultiplier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the peak is produced by individual electrons provided by spontaneous surface emission.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the spontaneous surface emission is cathode noise.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the spontaneous surface emission is field emission.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the spontaneous surface emission are exoelectrons.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the detector is a proportional counter tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
10 words
Method as claimed in claim 1 when used in photometry.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein individual electrons are produced by photoelectrons.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the photoelectrons are produced by the signal being measured.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein individual electrons are provided by fluorescent filters.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the individual electrons are provided by stray laser light.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the individual electrons are provided in the detector by bioluminescence.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as claimed in claim 1 used for the detector of a gamma camera.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
Use of the method as claimed in claim 1 in X-ray structure measurements employing proportional counter tube detectors.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
Radiation measurement apparatus comprising: a detector means for absorbing radiation and for providing pulses whose pulse amplitude corresponds to the energy of the radiation absorbed by it and extends over a pulse amplitude spectrum; a determination means, connected to the output of said detector means, for deriving a control signal from a peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum, said peak being the peak resulting from individual electrons; and a control means, connected between said determination means and said detector means, for automatically stabilising the drift of said detector.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
88 words
Radiation measurement apparatus comprising: a detector means for absorbing radiation and for providing pulses whose pulse amplitude corresponds to the energy of the radiation absorbed by it and extends over a pulse amplitude spectrum; a determination means, connected to the output of said detector means, for deriving a control signal from a peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum, said peak being the peak resulting from individual electrons; and a control means, connected between said determination means and said detector means, for automatically stabilising the drift of said detector.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the determination means comprises two channel discriminators connected in parallel and a pulse rate comparator connected to their outputs.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the determination means comprises an integral discriminator for determining a desired pulse rate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
67 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 including a measuring channel having a first pulse width discriminator for large pulse widths, connected to the output of said detector; and a stabilisation channel, including said determination means and said control means, and having a second pulse width discriminator for small pulse widths connected between said output of said detector means and said determination means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein said stabilisation channel further includes an amplifier which limits the pulse amplitudes in the stabilisation channel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the control means limits the control range of the detector means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
76 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 or claim 26 further comprising a latching logic system connected between the output of said determination means and said control means, said logic system discerning the peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum resulting from individual electrons from at least one other peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum and adjusting to a minimum pulse rate relationship between the stabilisation pulse rate and the measurement pulse rate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
80 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 or claim 26 further comprising a latching logic system connected between the output of said determination means and said control means, said logic system discerning the peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum resulting from individual electrons (the stabilisation impulse rate) from at least one other peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum (the measurement pulse rate) and to adjusting to a minimum pulse rate in the upper pulse amplitude spectrum.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
96 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 including a measuring channel having a first pulse width discriminator for large pulse widths connected to the output of said detector means; and a stabilisation channel, including said determination means and said control means, and having a second pulse width discriminator for small pulse widths connected between said output of said detector means and said determination means; and an amplifier connected in said stabilisation channel to limit the pulse amplitudes in the stabilisation channel wherein the control means limits the control range of the detector.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
166 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 including a measuring channel having first impulse width discriminator for large pulse widths connected to the output of said detector means; and a stabilisation channel including said determination means and said control means, said stabilisation channel further including the series connection of a second pulse width discriminator for small pulse widths and an amplifier which limits the pulse amplitudes in the stabilisation channel, wherein the control means limits the control range of the detector means, connected between the output of said detection means and said determination means, and a latching logic system connected between the output of said determination means and said control means, said logic system discerning the peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum resulting from individual electrons (the stabilisation impulse rate) from at least one other peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum (the measurement rate) and adjusting to a minimum pulse rate relationship between the stabilisation pulse rate and the measurement pulse rate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
163 words
A control apparatus as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25 including a measuring channel having a first pulse width discriminator for large pulse widths connected to the output of said detector means; and a stabilisation channel including said determination means and said control means, said stabilisation channel further including the series connection of a second pulse width discriminator for small pulse widths and an amplifier which limits the pulse amplitudes in the stabilisation channel, wherein the control means limits the control range of the detector means, connected between the output of said detector means and said determination means, and a latching logic system connected between the output of said determination means and said control means, said logic system discerning the peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum resulting from individual electrons (the stabilisation impulse rate) from at least one other peak in the pulse amplitude spectrum (the measurement pulse rate) and adjusting to a minimum pulse rate in the upper pulse amplitude spectrum.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-06-08 | 1984-12-08 | 1985-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-06-08 | 1988-12-08 | 1989-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-06-08 | 1992-12-08 | 1993-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |