Patent US4336459A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4336459A
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Method and apparatus for detecting fluorescence under ambient light conditions
Assignee: HOMER FAY
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Filing: 1980-06-11
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Granted: 1982-06-22
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Expires: 2000-06-11
Abstract
Abstract Fluorescent materials such as certain metal ores are detected under ambient light conditions by observing the material through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing the material to periodic pulses of fluorescent stimulating light. The frequency of the light pulse is synchronized with the frequency of the opening of the gated aperture so that the aperture is open for at least a portion of the period during which fluorescence is produced by the stimulating light pulse. Electro-optic goggles are a preferred type of gated aperture.
Inventors
- 👤 Homer Fay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:21
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/02; G01J3/10; G01J3/0205; G01J3/0232; G01J3/28; G01J3/44; G01J3/4406; G01N21/6447; G01J1/00; G01J1/42; G01J2001/4242; G01N21/17; G01N2021/1793; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/02; G01N2201/022; G01N2201/0221; G01N2201/06; G01N2201/069; G01N2201/0696
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
Method of detecting visually under daylight conditions the presence of a fluorescent material, which method comprises observing said material through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing said material to periodic pulses of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, the frequency of said stimulating light pulses being synchronized with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture, whereby said aperture is open for at least a portion of the period during which fluorescence is produced by said stimulating light pulses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
Method of detecting visually under daylight conditions the presence of a fluorescent material, which method comprises observing said material through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing said material to periodic pulses of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, the frequency of said stimulating light pulses being synchronized with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture, whereby said aperture is open for at least a portion of the period during which fluorescence is produced by said stimulating light pulses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the visible region of the spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein said gated aperture is open at predetermined uniform intervals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein said gated aperture is open for periods of predetermined uniform duration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method according to claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein said gated aperture when open is substantially transmissive of said fluorescence but is substantially opaque to said stimulating light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method according to claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein the duration of an individual opening of said gated aperture is coincident with at least a major portion of the fluorescence resulting from an individual pulse of said stimulating light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the duration of said individual opening of said gated aperture excludes substantially all of said pulse of said stimulating light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the pulse frequency of said stimulating light pulses is less than the frequency of opening said gated aperture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the ratio of the frequency in Hz of the opening of the gated aperture to the pulse frequency in Hz of the stimulating light pulses is from about 30 to 1 to about 3 to 1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture is above the prevailing flicker-fusion frequency.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the pulse frequency of stimulating light is equal to or below the flicker-fusion frequency.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the frequency of opening said gated aperture is between about 30 Hz and about 100 Hz.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the frequency of said pulses of stimulating light is between about 3 Hz and about 10 Hz.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the desired degree of attentuation of perceived daylight is adjusted by controlling the duration of the individual openings of said aperture up to maximum of 100 milliseconds so as to thus vary the amount of daylight admitted to the perception of the observer so as to enhance perception of the fluorescence while retaining perception of the background to the desired degree.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 15 wherein the duration of the individual opening of said aperture is less than 100 milliseconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 15 wherein the duration of the individual opening of said aperture is less than 100 microseconds.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method of photographically detecting and recording under daylight conditions the presence of a fluorescent material, which method comprises optically projecting the radiation from said material into a photographic image recording device through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing said material to periodic pulses of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, the frequency of said stimulating light pulses being synchronized with the frequency of the said gated aperture, whereby said aperture is open for at least a portion of the time during which fluorescence is produced by said stimulating light pulses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method of photographically detecting and recording under daylight conditions the presence of a fluorescent material, which method comprises optically projecting the radiation from said material into a photographic image recording device through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing said material to periodic pulses of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, the frequency of said stimulating light pulses being synchronized with the frequency of the said gated aperture, whereby said aperture is open for at least a portion of the time during which fluorescence is produced by said stimulating light pulses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 18 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 18 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the visible region of the spectrum.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method according to claims 18, 19 or 20 wherein said gated aperture is open at predetermined uniform intervals for periods of predetermined uniform duration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method according to claims 18, 19 or 20 wherein said gated aperture when open is substantially transmissive of said fluorescence but is substantially opaque to said stimulating light.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method according to claims 18, 19 or 20 wherein the duration of an individual opening of said gated aperture is coincident with at least a major portion of the fluorescence resulting from an individual pulse of said stimulating light.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
Method according to claim 18, 19 or 20 wherein the desired degree of attenuation of the daylight received by the recording device is adjusted by controlling the duration of the individual openings of said aperture up to maximum of 100 milliseconds so as to thus vary the amount of daylight admitted to the image recording device so as to enhance recording of the fluorescence by said image recording device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 24 wherein the duration of the individual opening of said aperture is less than 100 milliseconds.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method according to claim 24 wherein the duration of the individual opening of said aperture is less than 100 microseconds.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
80 words
Device for the visual detection under daylight conditions of the presence of fluorescent material which comprises a pulsed source of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, capable of pulsing at a predetermined rate, a normally closed gated viewing aperture capable of being opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration, and control means capable of synchronizing the frequency of said stimulating light pulses with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
80 words
Device for the visual detection under daylight conditions of the presence of fluorescent material which comprises a pulsed source of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, capable of pulsing at a predetermined rate, a normally closed gated viewing aperture capable of being opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration, and control means capable of synchronizing the frequency of said stimulating light pulses with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device according to claim 27 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device according to claim 27 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the visible region of the spectrum.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
Device according to claims 28 or 29 wherein said pulsed source of stimulating light is a laser.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
Device according to claims 28 or 29 wherein said pulsed source of stimulating light is a flash lamp.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
Device according to claims 28 or 29 wherein said pulsed source of stimulating light is a Xenon-filled flash lamp.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
Device according to claims 27, 28 or 29 wherein said gated viewing aperture embodies a mechanical shutter.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
Device according to claims 27, 28 or 29 wherein said gated viewing aperture embodies an electro-optic material.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
Device according to claim 34 wherein said electro-optic material is lead lanthanum zirconate titanate.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
96 words
Device for the photographic detection under daylight conditions of the presence of fluorescent material which comprises a pulsed source of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, capable of pulsing at a predetermined rate, an optical system for projecting the radiation from said material into a photographic image recording device through a normally closed gated aperture capable of being opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration, and control means capable of synchronizing the frequency of said stimulating light pulses with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
96 words
Device for the photographic detection under daylight conditions of the presence of fluorescent material which comprises a pulsed source of stimulating light of a wavelength appropriate to cause fluorescence of said material, capable of pulsing at a predetermined rate, an optical system for projecting the radiation from said material into a photographic image recording device through a normally closed gated aperture capable of being opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration, and control means capable of synchronizing the frequency of said stimulating light pulses with the frequency of the opening of said gated aperture.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device according to claim 36 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
Device according to claim 36 wherein the wavelength of said stimulating light is in the visible region of the spectrum.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
Device according to claims 37 or 38 wherein said pulsed of stimulating light is a laser.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
Device according to claims 37 or 38 wherein said pulsed source of stimulating light is a flash lamp.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
19 words
Device according to claims 37 or 38 wherein said pulsed source of stimulating light is a Xenon-filled flash lamp.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
17 words
Device according to claim 36, 37 or 38 wherein said gated viewing aperture embodies a mechanical shutter.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
17 words
Device according to claims 36, 37 or 38 wherein said gated viewing aperture embodies an electro-optic material.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
Device according to claim 43 wherein said electro-optic material is lead lanthanum zirconate titanate.
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) | 1985-06-21 | 1985-12-21 | 1986-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-06-21 | 1989-12-21 | 1990-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-06-21 | 1993-12-21 | 1994-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |