Patents by Inventor Peter C. Colby

Peter C. Colby 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).

  • Portable directional device for locating neutron emitting sources
    Patent number: 8884234
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a direction of travel of a neutron emitted from a source includes: a chamber containing (i) nuclei that recoil upon interaction with an incoming neutron and (ii) atoms capable of being ionized by the recoiled nuclei thereby releasing electrons; an electron-interaction material disposed at the chamber and configured to receive electrons released by the ionized atoms and to emit photons upon the interaction with the received electrons; an imager configured to form an image of photons emitted by the electron-interaction material, wherein the image comprises a path having the direction of travel of the incoming neutron; and an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the imager in order to relate the direction of travel of the incoming neutron to the orientation of the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Raytheon Company, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy J. Imholt, Peter C. Colby, Peter Fisher
  • PORTABLE DIRECTIONAL DEVICE FOR LOCATING NEUTRON EMITTING SOURCES
    Publication number: 20130240741
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a direction of travel of a neutron emitted from a source includes: a chamber containing (i) nuclei that recoil upon interaction with an incoming neutron and (ii) atoms capable of being ionized by the recoiled nuclei thereby releasing electrons; an electron-interaction material disposed at the chamber and configured to receive electrons released by the ionized atoms and to emit photons upon the interaction with the received electrons; an imager configured to form an image of photons emitted by the electron-interaction material, wherein the image comprises a path having the direction of travel of the incoming neutron; and an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the imager in order to relate the direction of travel of the incoming neutron to the orientation of the imager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicants: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Imholt, Peter C. Colby, Peter Fisher