WO2007091940A1

WO2007091940A1 - System of radiation meters

Info

Publication number: WO2007091940A1
Application number: PCT/SE2007/000072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Unfors
Original assignee: Thomas Unfors
Priority date: 2006-02-08
Filing date: 2007-01-25
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Also published as: SE0600276L

Abstract

Radiation meters having small external dimensions are used in a. system for performing control monitoring and action reporting via Internet connection, according to predetermined standards, of radiations recorded by a plurality of radiation meters. The meters are designed essentially for one-way communication with personal computers being included in a connection arrangement. The meters and personal computers include connecting means, via which said values are transmittable to the personal computers and by means of which values, or pieces of information related to them, are transmittable to the Internet connection and to a unit being connected to it, at selected occasions (non-real time). The unit is controllable by means of values or pieces of information related to them, to assign them to individual radiation meters, groups of radiation meters, geographical areas and/or one or several authorities in order to execute action reporting. By means of the invention, it is made possible to perform an efficient monitoring and action reporting, in spite of the small external dimensions of the meters.

Description

System of radiation meters.

The present invention relates to a system for performing control monitoring and action reporting via Internet connection, according to predetermined standards, of radiations recorded in a plurality of radiation meters and indicated in maximum radiation doses, accumulated radiation doses and radiation doses per unit of time. In the system, the radiation meters should be connectable to an Internet connection via connection arrangements including computers and servo equipments. Furthermore, a central unit, being connected or connectable to the Internet connection for the monitoring and action reporting in question, is included.

From a general point of view, it is previously known to transmit values related to radiations of different types from radiation meters, or units connected to them, via the Internet. Thereby, the known equipments are based upon radiation meters with prominent external volumes, which should provide space for bidirectional communications in real-time. The radiations meters exhibit transmitter and receiver units for wireless bidirectional communication. The respective meter is expected to be in continuous connection with a central unit and is/are continuously transmitting its or their received radiations as they are recorded. The meters should also be capable of transmitting information about their identity and position within the area where they are used. The unit receives the information about the magnitudes and intensity of the radiations and determines the categories for them. If the radiations are of a dangerous type or magnitude, the unit transmits information about this to the radiation meter or meters concerned, which thereby includes/include alarm functions which are brought into action. The radiation meters also exhibit an indicating display, indicating the danger or non-danger to the carrier or carriers of the meter or meters.

It is appreciated that such an arrangement exhibits shortcomings. The large devices are intended for use only in certain situations and are cumbersome to carry around. The continuous wireless connections are prone to interference and interruptions, which could have fatal consequences for the carrier who, for example, cannot always immediately be reached by an alarming function. Accordingly, the known equipments and function principles are not usable in equipments with radiation meters having small external dimensions, and in which it is desired to be able to reduce the power consumption, so that a battery of small dimensions can be used without replacement or recharging for a long time (e.g. 5 years). The meters should be easy to carry (take along) in different situations, at the same time as they should indicate received radiation doses to tbe carrier or carriers. In spite of the mentioned conditions, an efficient control monitoring of the meters and their carriers should be possible. These requirements exclude the use of alarm, display and bidirectional real-time communications. The object of the present invention is to solve these problems.

What primarily can be regarded as characterizing of a system according to the invention is that the radiation meters are constituted of radiation meters exhibiting small external dimensions and being designed essentially for one-way communication with personal computers included in the connection arrangement mentioned by way of introduction. Thereby, the radiation meters and the personal computers should include connecting means, via which said values are transmittable to the personal computers and by means of which the values, or pieces of information related to them, are transmittable to the Internet connection and to the unit connected thereto, at selected occasions. The unit should be controllable in order to, by means of the values and the pieces of information, respectively, assign them to individual radiation meters, groups of radiation meters, geographical areas and/or one or several authorities in order to execute or initiate the action reporting.

In further developments of the inventive idea, the radiation meters should be classifiable into first, second and third radiation meters, being adapted for different connection possibilities to the personal computers. Accordingly, the first radiation meter or meters should be possible to design or operate with connecting means including outgoing first wire connections in the respective first radiation meter. In the respective wire connection, it should be cooperable with USB-port connection in one or several personal computers. In a second connection case relating to one or several second radiation meters, the radiation meters in question should be connected or connectable to receivers for said values being integrated into or connected to one or several personal computers. In a third connection case with one or several third radiation meters, the connectjon operates with a wireless function. The computers are designed with receiving means, receiving the wirelessly transmitted values. The transmission of the values can be activatable by means of hitting or knocking the third radiation meter on a support. The respective third radiation mete;: can e.g. include a piezoelement. Different types of pieces of information can be transmitted from the meters to the personal computers. Accordingly, the second and third radiation meters can transmit, for example, only individual information tc the USB port connection and the means operating wirelessly, respectively, in question. The system should operate in non-real time, i.e. the transmission of information from the meters to the computers and from the computers to the Internet, respectively, should only take place at specified or selected occasions. Such occasions can be retrieval of values at one or several specific times during a day. The warning system for excessive doses is located in the meters themselves and is indicated to the earner or carriers by means of light emitting diodes being brought into action at the different radiation dose situations. One or several radiation meters can include initiating means for transmission of values at said occasions and this can occur by means of manually actuatable means in the meter and/or personal computer, wherein said connecting function constitutes an example of such a connecting means. The unit mentioned by way of introduction can include first means or first functions for determining and storing individual data, e.g. identifications and radiaijon exposure for the respective individual. Additionally or alternatively, the unit can also include second means or second functions for determining and storing group data, e.g. identifications and radiation exposure for the respective group. As a third supplement or alternative, the unit can be designed with third means for determining and storing geographical areas belonging to the individuals and/or groups. The unit can also include fourth means for indicating and storing a connection to one or several authorities aυd responsibility functions within the respective authority or control institution. The unit can also include fifth means for receiving and storing values related to the maximum and accumulated doses and the doses per unit of time. The unit can also include comparing means, comparing stored individual data, group data and geographical area data with predetermined data, e.g. library data. The unit with the means involved in the action reporting can be cooperable with said first, second, third, fourth and fifth means and said comparing means in connection with compiling a verification or action program. Li addition to being designed with small dimensions, the first, second and third radiation meters can include receiving radiation sensor arrangements, a battery, electrical circuits for processing and storing received radiation values, software, memories and light emitting diodes. One example of a radiation meter which is suitable in the relevant context is disclosed in the Swedish patent application No. 0600056-6, filed on 13 January 2006 by the same applicant as in. the present patent application. The radiation sensor arrangement can include two or several sensor types for receiving two or several types of radiation having different intensities and energies.

By means of what has been proposed above, an efficiently operating system for efficient monitoring and standard verification is made possible. Statistics and experience can be compiled and collected, respectively, so that control authorities can find out about radiations occurring in different situations. The unit or its control means can operate with Web pages, to which the parties concerned (carriers, the general public, etc.) can connect and obtain pieces of information.

A presently proposed embodiment of a system according to the invention will be described below, with simultaneous reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows portions of the overall structure of the system in the form of a circuit diagram; and

Figure 2 shows a vertical view, partially in perspective, of examples of the structure of a radiation meter and its connection to connection alternatives of a personal computer.

In Figure 1, radiation is symbolized with 1. The radiation can exhibit different intensities, e.g. between 0.2 μSv/h and 1000 Sv/h. The radiation has different energies and can vary e.g. between 20 keV and 6 MeV. The radiation can be of gamma, beta and/or alpha type. A plurality of radiation meters, out of which two have been indicated with 2 and 3 in Figure 1 , should be possible to monitor in the system. The radiation, meters can be of the type mentioned above. The radiation meters are designed to emit their information or their values concerning received and recorded radiations within a predetermined interval or intervals being programmed into the meters. The transmission can also be initiated by means of manual control, e.g. by means of knocking. The respective meter can include one or several filters for the same or different types of radiation. Furthermore, a battery, electronic components, memories and light emitting diodes are included. The meters operate with software of a type which is known per se. In accordance with Figure I₅ the radiation values received and stored by the meters are transmitted to a couunection arrangement 4 which includes personal computers being connectable to the Internet, wherein three personal computers 5, 6, and 7 have been shown in Figure 1. The transmission of values received and stored in the meters 2, 3 is transmitted to the personal computers, wherein such transmissions have been symbolized with the arrows 8, 9 and 10. Said intervals for transmitting the values in the meters can additionally or alternatively be executed in the respective personal computer in question. Accordingly, there is essentially a one-way communication between the radiation meters 2, 3 and the personal computers 5, 6 and 7. One or several computers can include receivers 11 being connected to the USB port 12a of the personal computer. The receiver could, per se, be integrated into the personal computer, which has been symbolized with 12b. Alternatively, the meters can be connected directly to the USB port of the personal computer. In the case where the meters include piezoelements, the transmission from the meters to a receiver 13 being connected to the USB port of the personal computer can occur by means of knocking. Accordingly, the transmission of the values is interval-controlled and the initiating signal can be emitted internally from the respective meter and/or with a signal control, which is not particularly shown, from the personal computer concerned to the meter or meters concerned. The values transmitted to the personal computers, or pieces of information related to these in the personal computers, can be transmitted to the Internet, which is symbolized with 14 in Figure 1. The transmission occurs in a way which is known per se, by means of first servo functions 16. The connecting and transmitting functions can be executed in way which is known per se, and have been symbolized with arrows 16a and 16b in Figure 1. The system also includes a unit 17 which is connectable to the Internet 14 via second servo functions 18. The connection of the unit to the Internet and reception of the values or pieces of information are symbolized with arrows 19 and 20. The net connection function with Internet and servo is indicated with 21. The transmission between the personal computers and the Internet can be by wire or wirelessly, which has been symbolized with 22, 23. The transmissions between the unit 17 and the Internet can also be wirebound or wireless, which has been symbolized with the arrows 24, 25. The unit 17 includes or is connectable to one or several control units 26, which can include a computer unit. The control unit 26 controls a number of blocks or functions in the unit. Thereby, information blocks in the form of an individual block 27, a group block 28, a geographical block 29 and an authority block 30 are present. The unit also includes blocks for the parameters being measured, which in the exemplary embodiment are constituted of a maximum dose block 31, an accumulated dose block 32 and a block 33 for measurement of doses per unit of time. The unit also includes comparing circuits 34, a library 35 and circuits or blocks 36 for verifying action programs, changes, and other action reports. In one exemplary embodiment, the control unit 26 can be cormectable to the unit 17 via a connection 37. Furthermore, the unit is connected to the different blocks and circuits which have been indicated above. Such a connection is symbolized with 38 and arrows 39 indicated from the connection to the different blocks and circuits.

Examples of a radiation meter 40 which is useful in the system are indicated in Figure 2. The radiation meter includes a housing 41 and a base member 42 being applied and sealed thereto. A piezoelectric buzzer/button is indicated with 43. The radiation meter includes a radiation sensor arrangement, which can be constituted of one or several sensors receiving the same or different types of radiations. Furthermore, a battery 44, electrical circuits 45, said radiation sensor arrangement 46, and electrical circuits 47 for processing and storing received radiation values are indicated. Furthermore, a light emitting diode or light emitting diodes 48 is/are included. The circuits contain a CPU with internal or external memories and is programmed with software of a type which is known per se. In one exemplary embodiment, the radiation meter can include a connector means 49 (plug contact) for a connecting wire 50 which is cormectable to a USB port 51 of a personal computer 52. Additionally or alternatively, the connection can take place to the USB port 51 of a personal computer or directly via the connecting means 49 to the USB port of the personal computer. The radiation meter can include means 53 which are activated automatically at certain time intervals, e. g. once a day, in order to execute the transmission, of values for the radiations received and stored in the meter. Alternatively or additionally, the initiation of the transmission of the values can take place from the computer unit 52, which has been indicated with an arrow 54. The transmission direction has been indicated with 55. Alternatively, the transmission to a personal computer 56 can occur wirelessly, which has been indicated with 57. The transmission occurs to a receiver 58 being integrated into the personal computer. Alternatively, a receiver 59 can be connected to the USB port 60 of the personal computer and the transmission to the last mentioned receiver has been indicated with 61. The transmitting means in the meter has been symbolized with 62 in Figure 2. The meter according to Figure 2 exhibits a width of 20-30 mm, a length of 40-50 mm and a thickness of 10-20 ram, for long-term use of the meter, or a width of 5-10 mm, a length of 10-15 mm and a thickness of 4-7 mm, for short-term use of the meter, where the requirement of a long battery time is reduced.

The invention is not limited to the exemplifying embodiment above, but can be subjected to modifications within the scope of the following claims and the inventive idea.

Claims

1. System for performing control monitoring and action reporting via Internet connection, according to predetermined standards, of radiations of gamma, beta and/or alpha type recorded in a plurality of meters and indicated in maximum radiation doses, accumulated radiation doses and radiation doses per unit of time, wherein the radiation meters are connectable to an Internet connection via connection arrangements including computer and server equipments and a central unit is connected or connectable to the Internet connection for the monitoring and action reporting, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the radiation meters, containing electrical circuits for storing received radiation values for the above-mentioned radiation, doses, are constituted of radiation meters exhibiting small external dimensions and being designed essentially for one-way communication with personal computers which are included in the connection arrangement, that the radiation meters and the personal computers include connecting means, via which said values are transmittable to the personal computers and by means of which the values, or pieces of information related to them, are transmittable to the Internet connection and the central unit connected to it at selected occasions, and that the central unit, by means of the values and the pieces of information, respectively, is controllable to assign them to individual radiations meters, groups of radiation meters, geographical areas, and/or one or several authorities in order to execute the action reporting.

2. System according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the radiation meters exhibit smaller dimensions than a width of 20-30 mm, a length of 40-50 mm and a thickness of 10-20 mm.

3. System according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the connecting means, for one or several of first radiation meters, includes an outgoing first wire connection in the respective first radiation meter, and that the first wire connection is cooperable with USB port connection in one or several of the personal computers.

4. System according to claim 1 or 2, c h ar a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting means, for one or several of second radiation meters, includes an outgoing second wire connection in the respective second radiation meter, and that the second wire connection cooperates with receivers for Sjύd values being integrated into one or several of the personal computers.

5. System according to claim 1, 2 or 3, charac teri z ed in that the connecting means, for one or several of third radiation meters, includes means operating wirelessly, e.g. inductively, and that one or several of the personal computers is/are designed with receiving means receiving wirelessly transmitted values.

6. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the transmission from the respective third radiation meter, by means of piezoelements, is activatable by means of hitting (knocking) the third radiation meter on a support.

7. System according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that only individual information is transmittable, for one or several of the second and third radiation meters, to the USB port connection and the wirelessly operating means, respectively.

8. System according to any one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that one or several radiation meters includes/include initiating means for transmitting the values at said occasions.

9. System according to any one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that one or several personal computers includes/include initiating means, e.g. actuatable initiating means, for transmitting the values or the pieces of information related to them.

10. System according to any one of the claims 1-8, characterized in that the unit includes a first means (function) for determining and storing individual data, e.g. identifications and radiation exposure for the respective individual.

11. System according to any one of the claims 1-9, characterized in that the unit includes a second means (function) for determining and storing group data, e.g. identifications and radiation exposure for the respective group.

12. System according to any one of the claims 1-10, characterized in that the unit Includes third means for determining and storing geographical areas belonging to the individuals and/or groups.,

13. System according to any one of the claims 1-11, characterized in that the unit includes fourth means for indicating and storing connection to one or several authorities and responsibility functions within the respective authority.

14. System according to any one of the claims 1-12, characterized in that the unit includes fifth means for receiving and storing the values concerning the maximum and accumulated doses and doses per unit of time.

15. System according to any one of the claims 9-13, characterized in that the unit includes comparing means comparing the stored individual data, group data and geographical area data with predetermined data, e.g. library data.

16. System according to any one of the claims 9-14, characterized in that the means involved in the action reporting is cooperable with the first, second, third, fourth and fifth means and said comparing means in connection with compiling verification or action programs.

17. System according to any one of the claims 1-16, characterized in that the first, second and third radiation meters include receiving radiation sensor arrangements, a battery, electrical circuits for processing received radiation values, software and light emitting diodes.

18. System according to claim 17, characterized in that the radiation sensor arrangement includes two or several sensor types for receiving two or several types of radiation.