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US3758780A
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Optical-binary coded position-sensitive radiation detector
Assignee: United States Atomic Energy Commission
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Filing: 1972-11-08
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1992-11-08
Abstract
Abstract A position-sensitive radiation detection system has been provided for use with scintillation detection mediums wherein the position of a radiation event within a block of scintillation material is determined by an optical-binary coding system such that a digital signal output is provided which is indicative of the position of a radiation event within the scintillator. The image of the scintillator is formed onto the light sensitive areas of a plurality of photomultiplier tubes by means of a corresponding plurality of lenses. A coded screen or mask is placed between each lens and its corresponding photomultiplier tube in the position of the image to obstruct a selected portion of the image from the view of each photomultiplier so that the output of each photomultiplier tube provides one digit of a multiple bit binary signal to indicate the location of the event. The first digit or least significant bit would come from a photomultiplier tube number one which would have a screen which obstructs one-half of the image so that the output would be either a binary ''''1'''' or ''''0'''' depending upon which half of the scintillator is struck by a single beam of ionized radiation to generate a light pulse with the detector medium. A second screen with two slits is placed in position of the image on a second photomultiplier tube to divide the image of the scintillator into four parts and forms the second bit of the binary signal, thereby dividing the images into four sections as would be coded at the outputs of photomultipliers one and two; and so on for additional photomultipliers. The screen may provide either rectangular or polar coordinate measurements and the outputs of the photomultipliers may be stored in a digital storage device or connected to an analog signal for oscilloscope display or other recording.
Inventors
- 👤 L Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:39
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2921; G01T1/295; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/4258
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing radiation event within a scintillation medium, comprising: a plurality of light detecting means for generating an output signal when energized by light striking a sensitive area of said light detecting means; a plurality of focusing means disposed relative to respective ones of said light detecting means for imaging said scintillation medium onto the sensitive areas of the corresponding light detecting means; and a plurality of differing configuration masking means for blocking different portions of said image of said scintillator, thereby producing at the various outputs from the different light detecting means an indication of the position of said event within said scintillation medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of light detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing radiation event within a scintillation medium, comprising: a plurality of light detecting means for generating an output signal when energized by light striking a sensitive area of said light detecting means; a plurality of focusing means disposed relative to respective ones of said light detecting means for imaging said scintillation medium onto the sensitive areas of the corresponding light detecting means; and a plurality of differing configuration masking means for blocking different portions of said image of said scintillator, thereby producing at the various outputs from the different light detecting means an indication of the position of said event within said scintillation medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of light detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of masking means each comprises at least one light opaque portion and a transparent portion of a configuration corresponding to a selected portion of said image of said scintillation medium and disposed adjacent said light sensitive areas of respective ones of said plurality of light detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said plurality of masking means is divided into first and second equal groupings of identical different configuration transparent portions, said first grouping of masking means having transparent portions in the form of longitudinal slots for encoding the position of said event along an X-coordinate of said scintillation medium and said second grouping of masking means having transparent portions in the form of longitudinal slots orthogonal to said slots of said first grouping for encoding the position of said event along a Y-coordinate of said scintillation medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said focusing means includes a lens disposed to view the entire area of said scintillation medium and focus the viewed image onto a corresponding one of said light detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said light detecting means is a photomultiplier tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein it comprises a radiation camera for recording the image of a distributed nuclear radiation source, further including a radiation collimator means for projecting the image of said distributed radiation source onto said scintillation medium and means for recording and displaying the binary coded outputs of said Light detecting means as a reproduction of the image of said distributed radiation source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
126 words
The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said recording and displaying means includes a first digital-to-analog converter connected to the outputs of said first grouping of light detecting means for providing at an output thereof an analog signal whose amplitude is indicative of the position of individual radiation events along said X-coordinate of said scintillation medium, a second digital-to-analog converter connected to the outputs of said second grouping of light detecting means for providing at an output thereof an analog signal whose amplitude is indicative of the corresponding position of said individual radiation events along said Y-coordinate of said scintillation medium, and an oscilloscope having an X-coordinate input and a Y-coordinate input connected, respectively, to the outputs of said first and second digital-to-analog converters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said scintillation medium is disposed at an angle with respect to the path of impinging radiation so that said path of impinging radiation is attenuated only by said scintillation medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 further including a nuclear radiation pervious mirror disposed at an angle with respect to the path of radiation impinging upon said scintillation medium for reflecting the image of said scintillation medium onto said focusing means so that said path of impinging radiation is attenuated only by said scintillation medium and said mirror.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
217 words
A radiation camera for mapping a positron source by simultaneously detecting back-to-back annihilation gamma rays emitted from said source, comprising: a first position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing radiation event within a first scintillation medium disposed on one side of said source; a second position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing event within a second scintillation medium disposed diametrically opposed on the other side of said source of a known distance from said source, each of said position-sensitive radiation detection mediums including: a plurality of light detecting means for generating an output signal when energized by light striking a sensitive area of said light detecting means; a plurality of focusing means disposed relative to respective ones of said light detecting means for imaging said scintillation medium onto the sensitive areas of the corresponding light detecting means; and a plurality of differing configuration masking means for blocking different portions of said image of said scintillator, thereby producing at the various outputs from the different light detecting means an indication of the position of said event within said scintillation medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of light detecting means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
217 words
A radiation camera for mapping a positron source by simultaneously detecting back-to-back annihilation gamma rays emitted from said source, comprising: a first position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing radiation event within a first scintillation medium disposed on one side of said source; a second position-sensitive radiation detection system for optical binary encoding of the position of a light producing event within a second scintillation medium disposed diametrically opposed on the other side of said source of a known distance from said source, each of said position-sensitive radiation detection mediums including: a plurality of light detecting means for generating an output signal when energized by light striking a sensitive area of said light detecting means; a plurality of focusing means disposed relative to respective ones of said light detecting means for imaging said scintillation medium onto the sensitive areas of the corresponding light detecting means; and a plurality of differing configuration masking means for blocking different portions of said image of said scintillator, thereby producing at the various outputs from the different light detecting means an indication of the position of said event within said scintillation medium in coded digital form by the presence or absence of a signal from respective ones of said plurality of light detecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |