US 4,642,463 A · Intelligent radiation monitor

Abstract

An intelligent radiation monitor is disclosed which includes, as major components, a radiation detector (for detecting real time radiation rate), a digital processor and a display. The digital processor includes intelligence to perform several useful, and novel, functions. The digital processor is responsive to externally input information corresponding to alarm radiation rate, alarm radiation dose and alarm time-to-go. The digital processor integrates the perceived real time radiation rate to produce total dose information. The processor can then compare total dose information to alarm dose, compare sensed radiation rates to alarm rate and compute time-to-go, by dividing the difference between alarm dose and total dose by the present radiation rate, and finally comparing computed time-to-go to alarm time to go. The processor initiates an alarm condition for altering the user of sensed radiation rate exceeds alarm radiation rate, if total dose information exceeds alarm dose information or if time-to-go, as computed, is less than alarm time-to-go information. Additional novel functions performed include determination of expected dose, first opportunity computations and decay time-to-go computations. In all these computations the processor is capable of extrapolating predicted radiation rates.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A personal radiation monitor comprising:

a radiation detector producing rate information related to real time radiation exposure rate to which said radiation detector is exposed,
a digital processor responsive to said radiation detector for integrating said rate information to maintain total dose information,
output means responsive to information provided by said digital processor for providing a manifestation of at least said rate and total dose information,
said digital processor including:
first means for repeatedly comparing said total dose information to dose limit information to produce dose-to-go information related to the difference between said total dose information and the dose limit information,
second means for, repeatedly, dividing said dose-to-go information by said rate information to produce and thereafter update time-to-go information related to time-to-go for the user to reach said dose limit, and
third means for controlling said output means for providing a manifestation of said updated time-to-go information.

4 more elements

A personal radiation monitor comprising:

a radiation detector producing rate information related to real time radiation exposure rate to which said radiation detector is exposed,
a digital processor responsive to said radiation detector for sensing and integrating said rate information to maintain total dose information, said digital processor including first means for storing a time parameter and at least one parameter indicative of a prevailing radiation decay rate,
said digital processor including second means for determining, based on said prevailing radiation decay rate, predicted dose information for a selected time in the future representing a dose that would be accumulated by a user exposed to prevailing radiation for the selected time, equal to said stored time parameter,
said digital processor further includes means to sum said total dose information with said predicted dose information, and
output means responsive to information provided by said digital processor for providing a manifestation of at least said sum of said predicted dose information and said total dose information.

2 more elements

A personal radiation monitor comprising:

a radiation detector producing rate information related to real time radiation exposure rate to which said radiation detector is exposed,
a digital processor responsive to said radiation detector for sensing and integrating said rate information to thereby maintain total dose information, said digital processor including first means for storing a selected radiation dose limit parameter and at least one additional parameter indicative of radiation decay,
said digital processor including second means for determining, based on predictable radiation decay, a predicted time at which an accumulated dose, equal to said stored dose limit parameter, will be reached, said second means including means for obtaining a difference between said dose limit parameter and said total dose information and predicting said predicted time based on said difference, and
output means responsive to information provided by said digital processor for providing a manifestation of at least said predicted time information.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intelligent radiation monitor

Life of this patent

Intelligent radiation monitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22