Personal dosimeter having a volume of gas atop an integrated circuit

A dosimeter for monitoring radiation and providing radiation data upon receipt of a transfer command comprising:

• at least one radiation detection subassembly including:
• means for defining a volume of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit having a plurality of conductive but electrically isolated surface segments in direct contact with said gas;
• means for generating an electric field with controllable flux lines that intersect at least two of said conductive surface segments, one of which is a designated collecting electrode, said flux lines extend through said volume of gas such that the ions move in accordance with said electric field;
• an amplifying means for each conductive surface segment and disposed within said integrated circuit element for generating a respective signal, said conductive surface segments being part of said amplifying means;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• an interface means for buffering said respective signals from said amplifying means;
• means for transferring at least one of said respective signals as said radiation data upon receipt of said transfer command;
• and,
• means for supplying power to said amplifying means in said radiation detection subassembly and to said interface means.

A dosimeter for monitoring radiation and providing radiation data upon receipt of a transfer command comprising:

• at least on radiation detection subassembly that includes:
• means for defining at least two substantially discrete volumes of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit element;
• a conductive surface segment on said integrated circuit element in direct contact with one of said discrete volumes of gas for collecting ions therein;
• a conductive volume segment as part of the means for defining the other discrete volume of gas in direct contact therewith for collecting ions therein;
• two amplifying means within said integrated circuit element, said surface segment incorporated within one amplifying means and said volume segment being in close proximity to said integrated circuit and being electrically coupled to the other amplifying means, both amplifying means generating respective representative signals of the collected ions from respective discrete volumes of gas;
• means for generating an electric field within each said discrete volume of gas such that said ions move in accordance with said electric field, said surface and volume segments being part of said means for generating;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• an interface means for buffering and selecting one of said respective signals from said amplifying means dependent upon said respective signals;
• means for storing the selected respective signal as radiation data;
• means for transferring said selected respective signals as said radiation data upon receipt of said transfer command;
• and,
• means for supplying power to at least said amplifying means and to said interface means.

A dosimeter for monitoring and displaying radiation data upon receipt of dose and dose rate transfer commands comprising:

• a radiation detecting unit;
• a controllable display unit separably mated with said radiation detecting unit;
• said radiation detecting unit including:
• at least one radiation detection subassembly including:
• means for defining a volume of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit element;
• a conductive surface segment on said integrated circuit element in direct contact with said gas for collecting ions therein;
• means for generating an electric field with flux lines that intersect said surface segment and extend through said volume of gas such that said ions move in accordance with said electric field;
• an amplifying means incorporating said surface segment and disposed within said integrated circuit element for generating a signal representative of the collected ions;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• a controllable interface means for conditioning and storing said signal from said amplifying means, said interface means including:
• means for measuring the dose and dose rate of radiation based upon said signal and for storing said dose and dose rate as radiation data;
• means for transferring the dose and dose rate data from said means for measuring respectively upon receipt of said dose and dose rate transfer commands;
• both said radiation detecting subassembly and said interface means coupled to:
• means for supplying power to said means for generating, said amplifying means and said means for measuring;
• said display unit including:
• a power supply;
• means for coupling said power supply to said means for supplying power;
• means for controllably generating said dose and dose rate transfer commands and sending said transfer commands to said means for transferring;
• and,
• display means for displaying said dose and dose rate data.

A dosimeter and a calibration and display device for monitoring and displaying radiation data upon receipt of dose and dose rate transfer commands comprising:

• a radiation detecting unit;
• a calibration and display unit separably mated with said radiation detecting unit;
• said radiation detecting unit including:
• at least one radiation detection subassembly including:
• means for defining a volume of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit element;
• a conductive surface segment on said integrated circuit element in direct contact with said gas for collecting ions therein;
• means for generating an electric field with flux lines that intersect said surface segment and extend through said volume of gas such that said ions move in accordance with said electric field;
• an amplifying means incorporating said surface segment and disposed within said integrated circuit element for generating a signal representative of the collected ions;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• a controllable interface means for conditioning and buffering said signal from said amplifying means, said interface means including:
• means for measuring the dose and dose rate of radiation based upon said signal and for storing said dose and dose rate as radiation data;
• means for transferring the dose and dose rate data from said means for measuring respectively upon receipt of said dose and dose rate transfer commands;
• both said radiation detection subassembly and said interface means coupled to:
• means for supplying power to said means for generating, said amplifying means and said means for measuring;
• said calibration and display unit including:
• a power supply;
• means for coupling said power supply to said means for supplying power;
• means for controllably generating said dose and dose rate transfer commands and sending said transfer command to said means for transferring;
• display means for displaying said dose and dose rate data transferred by said means for transferring;
• and,
• means for controlling said interface means by changing the conditioning of said signal.

A wide area network for monitoring radiation comprising:

• a central monitoring station;
• a plurality of radiation detecting units dispersed throughout said wide area;
• each radiation detecting unit including:
• at least one radiation detection subassembly including:
• means for defining a volume of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit element;
• a conductive surface segment on said integrated circuit element in direct contact with said gas for collecting ions in said gas;
• means for generating an electric field with flux lines that intersect said surface segment and extend through said volume of gas such that said ions move in accordance with said electric field;
• an amplifying means incorporating said surface segment and disposed within said integrated circuit element for generating a signal representative of the collected ions;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• an interface means for buffering, measuring and storing said signal as a radiation data;
• means for transmitting said radiation data from said interface means dependent upon said radiation data;
• and
• means for supplying power to said means for generating, said amplifying means and said interface means;
• the central monitoring station including:
• a memory unit;
• a central monitor means for receiving the transmitted radiation data and storing the radiation data into said memory unit;
• and,
• a power source supplying power to said central monitoring station.
• means for supplying power to at least said amplifying means and to said interface means.

A controllable display unit for use with a dosimeter that monitors radiation and sends radiation data upon receipt of dose and dose rate transfer commands to the display unit, said dosimeter being separably mated with the display unit, said dosimeter including:

• at least one radiation detection subassembly including:
• means for defining a volume of gas, said gas adapted to be ionized by said radiation;
• an integrated circuit element;
• a conductive surface segment on said integrated circuit element in direct contact with said gas for collecting ions therein;
• means for generating an electric field with flux lines that intersect said surface segment and extend through said volume of gas such that said ions move in accordance with said electric field;
• an amplifying means incorporating said surface segment and disposed within said integrated circuit element for generating a signal representative of the collected ions;
• said radiation detection subassembly coupled to:
• a controllable interface means for conditioning and storing said signal from said amplifying means, said interface means including:
• means for measuring the dose and dose rate of radiation based upon said signal and for storing said dose and dose rate as radiation data;
• means for transferring the dose and dose rate data from said means for measuring respectively upon receipt of said dose and dose rate transfer commands;
• both said radiation detecting subassembly and said interface means coupled to:
• means for supplying power to said means for generating, said amplifying means and said means for measuring;
• the display unit comprising:
• a power supply;
• means for coupling said power supply to said means for supplying power;
• means for controllably generating said dose and dose rate transfer commands and sending said transfer commands to said means for transferring;
• and,
• display means for displaying said dose and dose rate data.