Patents by Inventor Larry G. Blackwood
Larry G. Blackwood 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).
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Patent number: 7847265Abstract: A method and system for detecting at least one explosive in a vehicle using a neutron generator and a plurality of NaI detectors. Spectra read from the detectors is calibrated by performing Gaussian peak fitting to define peak regions, locating a Na peak and an annihilation peak doublet, assigning a predetermined energy level to one peak in the doublet, and predicting a hydrogen peak location based on a location of at least one peak of the doublet. The spectra are gain shifted to a common calibration, summed for respective groups of NaI detectors, and nitrogen detection analysis performed on the summed spectra for each group.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2010Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLCInventors: Edward L. Reber, Kenneth W. Rohde, Larry G. Blackwood
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Publication number: 20100286943Abstract: A method and system for detecting at least one explosive in a vehicle using a neutron generator and a plurality of NaI detectors. Spectra read form the detectors is calibrated by performing Gaussian peak fitting to define peak regions, locating a Na peak and an annihilation peak doublet, assigning a predetermined energy level to one peak in the doublet, and predicting a hydrogen peak location based on a location of at least one peak of the doublet. The spectra are gain shifted to a common calibration, summed for respective groups of NaI detectors, and nitrogen detection analysis performed on the summed spectra for each group.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLCInventors: Edward L. Reber, Kenneth W. Rohde, Larry G. Blackwood
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Patent number: 7795595Abstract: A method for calibrating acquired spectra for use in spectral analysis includes performing Gaussian peak fitting to spectra acquired by a plurality of NaI detectors to define peak regions. A Na and annihilation doublet may be located among the peak regions. A predetermined energy level may be applied to one of the peaks in the doublet and a location of a hydrogen peak may be predicted based on the location of at least one of the peaks of the doublet. Control systems for calibrating spectra are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLCInventors: Edward L. Reber, Kenneth W. Rohde, Larry G. Blackwood
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Publication number: 20090150105Abstract: A method for calibrating acquired spectra for use in spectral analysis includes performing Gaussian peak fitting to spectra acquired by a plurality of NaI detectors to define peak regions. A Na and annihilation doublet may be located among the peak regions. A predetermined energy level may be applied to one of the peaks in the doublet and a location of a hydrogen peak may be predicted based on the location of at least one of the peaks of the doublet. Control systems for calibrating spectra are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLCInventors: Edward L. Reber, Kenneth W. Rohde, Larry G. Blackwood
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Patent number: 7501637Abstract: A method of detecting explosives in a vehicle includes providing a first rack on one side of the vehicle, the rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a second rack on another side of the vehicle, the second rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a control system, remote from the first and second racks, coupled to the neutron generators and gamma ray detectors; using the control system, causing the neutron generators to generate neutrons; and performing gamma ray spectroscopy on spectra read by the gamma ray detectors to look for a signature indicative of presence of an explosive. Various apparatus and other methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2007Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLCInventors: Edward L. Reber, James K. Jewell, Kenneth W. Rohde, Edward H. Seabury, Larry G. Blackwood, Andrew J. Edwards, Kurt W. Derr
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Publication number: 20080224060Abstract: A method of detecting explosives in a vehicle includes providing a first rack on one side of the vehicle, the rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a second rack on another side of the vehicle, the second rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a control system, remote from the first and second racks, coupled to the neutron generators and gamma ray detectors; using the control system, causing the neutron generators to generate neutrons; and performing gamma ray spectroscopy on spectra read by the gamma ray detectors to look for a signature indicative of presence of an explosive. Various apparatus and other methods are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Edward L. Reber, James K. Jewell, Kenneth W. Rohde, Edward H. Seabury, Larry G. Blackwood, Andrew J. Edwards, Kurt W. Derr
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Patent number: 7329872Abstract: A method for detecting an element is described and which includes the steps of providing a gamma-ray spectrum which has a region of interest which corresponds with a small amount of an element to be detected; providing nonparametric assumptions about a shape of the gamma-ray spectrum in the region of interest, and which would indicate the presence of the element to be detected; and applying a statistical test to the shape of the gamma-ray spectrum based upon the nonparametric assumptions to detect the small amount of the element to be detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2005Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLCInventors: Larry G. Blackwood, Andrew J. Edwards, James K. Jewell, Edward L. Reber, Edward H. Seabury
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Patent number: 7307256Abstract: A method of detecting explosives in a vehicle includes providing a first rack on one side of the vehicle, the rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a second rack on another side of the vehicle, the second rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a control system, remote from the first and second racks, coupled to the neutron generators and gamma ray detectors; using the control system, causing the neutron generators to generate neutrons; and performing gamma ray spectroscopy on spectra read by the gamma ray detectors to look for a signature indicative of presence of an explosive. Various apparatus and other methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2005Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LCInventors: Edward L. Reber, James K. Jewell, Kenneth W. Rohde, Edward H. Seabury, Larry G. Blackwood, Andrew J. Edwards, Kurt W. Derr
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Patent number: 7174272Abstract: A method for detecting an element is disclosed and which includes the steps of providing a gamma-ray spectrum which depicts, at least in part, a test region having boundaries, and which has a small amount of the element to be detected; providing a calculation which detects the small amount of the element to be detected; and providing a moving window and performing the calculation within the moving window, and over a range of possible window boundaries within the test region to determine the location of the optimal test region within the gamma-ray spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2005Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLCInventors: Larry G. Blackwood, Edward L. Reber, Kenneth W. Rohde