3D stereoscopic X-ray system

• US 20030081720A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inventojaya Sendirian Berhad
• Inventors: Faris, Sadeg M., Swift, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,904,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/41
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/10 with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

The present invention provides a means to augment or upgrade a traditional single beam 2D x-ray system to produce 3D stereoscopic output. The system utilizes the cross-sectional beam divergence of a single source x-ray unit to generate perspective information. This is achieved by scanning the object twice where the object is shifted parallel to the cross-sectional beam plane between scans. The resulting two scans can be displayed on a 3D stereoscopic viewing system to produce a 3D stereoscopic representation of the object thus revealing all three-depth dimensions. The invention includes a method of converting a 2D x-ray system to a 3D x-ray system requiring no changes to an x-ray generation portion, optics portion or sensing system portion of said 2D x-ray system. The method includes coupling a 3D stereoscopic image processor to a 2D processor and installing a mechanical shift system and coupling said shift system to said 3D stereoscopic image processor and a object carrying device.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic x-ray system for scanning objects comprising:

an x-ray source;

a collimator;

an object-carrying device;

a sensor; and

an object shift system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said object shift system performs a first scan, by having the object pass under said sensor along a first trajectory;

said system performs a second scan by moving said object to the right along a second trajectory and said conveyor belt is reversed and the object scans back through said sensor along a third trajectory.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein results of said first and second scan are combined into a 3D stereoscopic image.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said first scan generates a right perspective and said second scan generates a left perspective.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said object shift system performs a first scan, by having the object pass under said sensor along a first trajectory;

said system performs a second scan by rotating said object 2-5 degrees about an axis of said first trajectory and said conveyor belt is reversed and the object scans back through said sensor along a second trajectory.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein results of said first and second scan are combined into a 3D stereoscopic image.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said first scan generates a right perspective and said second scan generates a left perspective.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said object carrying device contains one or more metal or other dense material alignment marks.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said alignment marks appear on the final scanned images.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said alignment marks are used by a 3D stereo image processor to align the right and left image pairs.

12. The system of claim 13 wherein said object shift system performs a first scan, by having the object pass under said sensor along a first trajectory and

said system performs a second scan by moving said object to the right along a second trajectory and said conveyor belt is reversed and the object scans back through said sensor along a third trajectory.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein results of said first and second scan are combined into a 3D stereoscopic image.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said first scan generates a right perspective and said second scan generates a left perspective.

11. A 3D Stereo Add-On system for modifying a 2D X-ray system to a 3D stereoscopic system wherein said 2D system comprises an X-ray source, a collimator, a conveyor system for carrying an object, a 2D processor, a sensor and a 2D display said add-on system comprising:

a 3D stereoscopic image processor coupled to said 2D processor;

a mechanical shift system coupled to said 3D stereoscopic image processor and coupled to said object-carrying device;

a 3D image storage device coupled to said 3D stereoscopic image processor and a 3D display coupled to said 3D stereoscopic image processor, wherein said 3D stereo add-on system requires no changes to the X-ray generation, optics or sensing system portions of said 2D X-ray system.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said object shift system performs a first scan, by having the object pass under said sensor along a first trajectory;

and

said system performs a second scan by rotating said object 2-5 degrees about an axis of said first trajectory and said conveyor belt is reversed and the object scans back through said sensor along a second trajectory.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein results of said first and second scan are combined into a 3D stereoscopic image.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first scan generates a right perspective and said second scan generates a left perspective.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said object carrying device contains one or more metal or other dense material alignment marks.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said alignment marks appear on the final scanned images.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said alignment marks are used by a 3D stereo image processor to align the right and left image pairs.

21. A method of converting a 2D x-ray system to a 3D x-ray system requiring no changes to an x-ray generation portion, optics portion or sensing system portion of said 2D x-ray system comprising:

coupling a 3D stereoscopic image processor to a 2D processor; and

installing a mechanical shift system and coupling said shift system to said 3D stereoscopic image processor and a object carrying device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein a 3D image storage device is coupled to said 3D stereoscopic image processor.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said mechanical shift system includes one or more alignment marks.