Neutron multiplicity detector control circuitry and firmware
| DWPI Title: Apparatus for controlling neutron multiplicity detector, has list mode controller (LMC) control user application that is configured to write parameter values into LMC firmware to control aspects of assay providing list mode data |
| Abstract: Neutron multiplicity detector control logic and firmware may control a neutron multiplicity detector such that higher count rates can be achieved by an order of magnitude of more over conventional control logic and firmware. Count rates of over 1,000,000 cps, and even over 1,500,000 cps, have been realized in some implementations. |
| Use: Apparatus for controlling neutron multiplicity detector. |
| Advantage: The neutron multiplicity detector control circuitry and firmware configured to control neutron multiplicity detector such that higher count rate is achieved. The higher count rates reduce the amount of time needed to collect data and obtain significant results, which facilitates rapid and effective identification of special nuclear network (SNMs), and used to estimate the mass of the sub-critical SNM configuration. |
| Novelty: The apparatus has a advanced RISC machine (ARM) processor (130) that comprises a direct memory access (DMA) kernel module and a LMC control user application (132) configured to receive configuration parameters from a user interface (UI) (102). The programmable logic (140) comprises DMA engine firmware (160) and LMC firmware (150) configured to control the neutron multiplicity detector. The LMC control user application is configured to write parameter values into the LMC firmware to control aspects of assay providing list mode data. The DMA kernel module (134) is configured to provide direct memory access to the DMA engine firmware. The DMA engine firmware and the DMA kernel module are configured to enable movement of the list mode data directly from the LMC firmware into volatile storage without interaction with the LMC control user application. |
| Filed: 3/23/2018 |
| Application Number: US15934163A |
| Tech ID: SD 14790.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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