Patents by Inventor C. John Umbarger

C. John Umbarger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4608655
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a wristwatch dosimeter utilizing a CdTe detector, a microprocessor and an audio and/or visual alarm. The dosimeter is entirely housable with a conventional digital watch case having an additional aperture enabling the detector to receive radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Michael A. Wolf, David A. Waechter, C. John Umbarger
  • Patent number: 4596933
    Abstract: A hand-powered alternator for generating an alternating voltage provides same through a rectifier to a high capacity capacitor which stores the resultant dc voltage and drives a voltage regulator to provide a constant low voltage output for a portable radiation detection instrument. The instrument includes a Geiger-Muller detector tube whose output is fed to a pulse detector and then through an event counter and LCD driver circuit to an LCD bar graph for visual display. An audio driver and an audio output is also provided. All circuitry used is low power so that the capacitor can be readily charged to a sufficient level to provide power for at least 30 minutes. A low voltage indicator is provided on the LCD display to indicate the need for manual recharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: David A. Waechter, George O. Bjarke, Faustin Trujillo, Michael A. Wolf, C. John Umbarger
  • Patent number: 4550381
    Abstract: A hand-holdable, battery-operated, microprocessor-based spectrometer gun includes a low-power matrix display and sufficient memory to permit both real-time observation and extended analysis of detected radiation pulses. Universality of the incorporated signal processing circuitry permits operation with various detectors having differing pulse detection and sensitivity parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: David A. Waechter, Michael A. Wolf, C. John Umbarger
  • Patent number: 4197461
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a miniaturized radiation chirper for use with a small battery supplying on the order of 5 volts. A poor quality CdTe crystal which is not necessarily suitable for high resolution gamma ray spectroscopy is incorporated with appropriate electronics so that the chirper emits an audible noise at a rate that is proportional to radiation exposure level. The chirper is intended to serve as a personnel radiation warning device that utilizes new and novel electronics with a novel detector, a CdTe crystal. The resultant device is much smaller and has much longer battery life than existing chirpers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: C. John Umbarger, Michael A. Wolf
  • Patent number: 3988615
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for analyzing uranium and/or thorium contents of liquid effluents preferably utilizing a sample containing counting chamber. Basically, 185.7-keV gamma rays following .sup.235 U alpha decay to .sup.231 Th which indicate .sup.235 U content and a 63-keV gamma ray doublet found in the nucleus of .sup.234 Pa, a granddaughter of .sup.238 U, are monitored and the ratio thereof taken to derive uranium content and isotopic enrichment .sup.235 U/.sup.235 U + .sup.238 U) in the liquid effluent. Thorium content is determined by monitoring the intensity of 238-keV gamma rays from the nucleus of .sup.212 Bi in the decay chain of .sup.232 Th.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration
    Inventors: C. John Umbarger, Leo R. Cowder