Membrain, LLC

Laboratory Impex Systems Limited

Martin J Oliver

Matthew Charles Shire-Jones

Stephen R Boote

Kevin E Brazier

Apparatus () for detecting and/or measuring radioactivity comprising sensor means (), radiation detector means () and signal processing means (), the sensor means being adapted to provide a measure of one or more characteristics of a medium between the radiation detector means and a source of radioactivity, the arrangement being such that, in use, the signal processing means is configured to compensate for varying degrees of interference from unwanted isotopes by taking into account information received from the sensor means.

Radioactivity monitoring apparatus and method

In circuit testers, notably automatic test equipment for the in circuit testing of digital devices, overheating damage can result if outputs are repeatedly 'overdriven', that is, while applying a test input to a first device, an output of a second connected device is forced into a state contrary to that it would normally adopt. Damage is avoided by enforcing a cooling interval between overdriving tests based upon a list of parameters representative of the overdriven device and its environment. In order to reduce the overall test time, a parameter is based on a measurement derived from a circuit of the type under test. A first test results in device heating to a value. A cooling interval is enforced so that a subsequent test which results in further heating of the device, may be made without exceeding device maximum allowable temperature .sup.T max.

Circuit testers

Part of a printed circuit board circuit is made up of three gates (30, 31, 32) each of which are formed on a different device and interconnected by the board print so that connections (35, 36) may be established by means of probes. Associated with the inputs and outputs of each device are phantom diodes (such as diode 32) which are normally connected to circuit ground (38) but which in the case of one gate (31) are connected the supply rail (37), the device of which it forms part having been mounted in the board in the wrong orientation. By the steps of connecting one device power input pin to a test ground potential (38), raising the potential of the other power input pin via connection to a supply rail (37) and lowering the potential of an active pin (33) a diode (302) may be made to conduct current via path (304) indicating that the device (31) is wrongly orientated. The applied low potential is insufficient to bring correctly connected diodes (such as that of device 30) into conduction.

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Poole, United Kingdom

Martin J Oliver