Patent ID: 6727506
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
A radiation monitoring system for monitoring objects traveling along a pathway at any speed comprising a plurality of radiation detectors, each having a front facing scanning zone, a plurality of position sensors, at least one of said sensors corresponding to each of said radiation detectors, and a processor, each of said radiation detectors being capable of detecting various levels of ionizing radiation emitted from objects in said scanning zone, said radiation detectors each being operatively connected to said processor and being positioned along said pathway in a spaced apart relationship such that said object passes through said scanning zone for each of said radiation detectors one at a time, in series, at least one of said position sensors being positioned in relation to each said scanning zone to detect the presence of an object entering and leaving said scanning zone, said sensors each being operatively connected to said processor, each of said radiation detectors monitoring the level of ionizing radiation over time both when no object is in said scanning zone and when an object is in said scanning zone, said processor receiving data from each said radiation detector and from each said sensor, said processor being used to calculate the sums of the levels of ionizing radiation detected by each radiation detector at corresponding increments of the time duration of the presence of the same object in said scanning zone for each said radiation detector as detected by said sensors corresponding thereto, and to calculate averages for each said sum by dividing said sum by the number of said radiation detectors used in said system; wherein said average indicates average levels of radiation detected from said object at each said increment of time, and said average levels are distinguished from background radiation levels to identify those objects emitting radiation.