IP Library Granted Patent US 7,186,963
Granted Patent B2
US 7,186,963 · App. 10/493,907 · Granted Mar 6, 2007

Environment radiation detector having a visual image capturing device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,186,963
App. No.
10/493,907
Granted
Mar 6, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of obtaining information about radiation arising from within an environment includes providing a directionally sensitive radiation detector which has a field of view and providing a visual image capturing device which has an area of vision. The radiation for a field of view is measured, the field of view including a part of the environment. The measurement of radiation is recorded together with an indication of the space or position of the respective field of view relative to the detector. A visual image of an area of vision is obtained, the area of vision including the part of the environment within the field of view. The image is recorded together with an indication of the spatial position of that field of view relative to the detector. Selecting the set of data from the measurement of radiation according to a criteria set after completion of the measurements of radiation. The information is overlaid from one or more of the measurements of radiation with one of the visual images.

Claims (29)

1. A method for obtaining information about radiation arising from within an environment, the method comprising:

providing a directionally sensitive radiation detector which has a field of view;

providing a visual image capturing device which has an area of vision;

conducting a measurement of the radiation for a field of view, the field of view including a part of the environment;

recording the measurement of radiation together with an indication of the spatial position of the respective field of view relative to the detector;

obtaining a visual image of an area of vision, the area of vision including the part of the environment within the field of view and recording that image together with an indication of the spatial position of that field of view relative to the detector; and

selecting after completion of the measurement of radiation, a set of data from the measurement of radiation according to a criteria, the criteria also being set after completion of the measurements of radiation; and

overlaying information from one or more of the measurements of radiation with one of the visual images.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the set of data is selected after the measurements of radiation have been recorded to a writeable medium.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the selection of the set of data occurs after the measurements of radiation have been conveyed from the instrument to a remote data processing location.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the criteria is one or more energy ranges for radiation.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which the criteria is count rates of a threshold value or higher.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which an indication is provided as to those fields of view for which the criteria are met, the indication being a numerical indication or a visual indication.

7. A method for obtaining information about radiation arising from within an environment, the method comprising:

providing a directionally sensitive radiation detector which has a field of view;

providing a visual image capturing device which has an area of vision;

providing the directionally sensitive radiation detector and the visual image capturing device on a pan and tilt unit in sight of at least part of the environment;

specifying a portion of the environment to be considered;

conducting a measurement of the radiation in each of a plurality of fields of view, each field of view being centered on a measurement point, the measurement points having a predefined spatial position relative to the detector, at least those measurement points falling within the specified portion of the environment being used for a measurement, each field of view including a part of the environment within the specified portion, all parts of the portion of the environment being considered being included in at least one field of view;

recording the measurements of radiation together with an indication of the spatial position of the respective field of view relative to the detector;

obtaining visual images of one or more areas of vision, the areas of vision including all of the specified portion of the environment being included in at least one of the areas of vision and those images being recorded together with an indication of the spatial position of the areas of vision; and

information from one or more of the measurements of radiation being overlaid with one or more of the visual images.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which the measurement points have predefined spatial positions relative to an equatorial plane.

9. A method according to claim 8 in which the measurement points have predefined spatial positions relative to a plane at 90° to the equatorial plane.

10. A method according to claim 9 in which an initial point is defined on the intersection of the equatorial plane and the perpendicular plane and the other points are predefined relative to that point by the relationship interval in pan in degrees equals scanning pitch in degrees divided by sin t, where t is the tilt angle relative to the equatorial plane.

11. A method according to claim 7 in which all those measurement points falling with the specified portion of the environment are used for a measurement.

12. A method according to claim 7 in which measurements are performed for one or more points adjacent to the specified portion.

13. A method according to claim 10 in which all those measurement points falling with the specified portion of the environment are used for a measurement.

14. A method according to claim 10 in which measurements are performed for one or more points adjacent to the specified portion.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: BABCOCK NUCLEAR LIMITED
To: BNS NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036272/0138 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: BNS NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
To: CAVENDISH NUCLEAR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036303/0609 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: VT NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
To: BABCOCK NUCLEAR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036313/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2008
From: BIL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
To: VT NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 021371/0552 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2007
From: BNFL (IP) LIMITED
To: BIL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 020206/0539 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2004
From: HUGHES, KARL ANTHONY; CHESTERMAN, ANDREW STUART; LIGHTFOOT, JOHN ADRIAN
To: BNFL (IP) LTD.
Reel/Frame 018072/0375 →