Patent ID: 8010461

Claim:
A method to determine an inspection protocol for radioactive material in shipping containers using an inspection technique threshold characteristic, the method comprising: (a) receiving, at a control center having a database, a weight measurement of a container prior to shipment; (b) determining, at the control center, a relative position of the container weight to at least one of a plurality of predetermined inspection technique threshold lines in an inspection threshold characteristic, each of the plurality of predetermined inspection technique threshold lines corresponding to at least one of a plurality of inspection techniques; (c) classifying, at the control center, the container as one of a heavy container and a light container relative to at least one of the plurality of inspection techniques according to the relative position of the container weight to at least one of the plurality of predetermined inspection technique threshold lines; and (d) selecting, at the control center, an inspection protocol for radioactive material in the container according to the classification of the container.