Radiographic systems employing multi-linear arrays of electronic radiation detectors
First Claim
1. A radiographic system for generating a radiograph-type image of an opaque specimen comprising:
- means for generating a beam of radiation;
an array of sensors aligned with said beam comprising;
a plurality of sensors, each adapted to sense and signal the intensity of any radiation falling thereon,signal connection means for connecting said sensors of said array in columns, said signal connection means being adapted to allow signals from each of said sensors of a given column to be shifted to an adjacent sensor of said given column in response to a shift control signal, anddata output means for outputting signals from said columns in response to an output control signal;
image display means responsive to said outputted signals from said data output means for producing an image representative of said outputted signals;
motion means for transversing said beam of radiation with said opaque specimen in a direction that is substantially parallel with said columns of said sensors; and
synchronization means for generating said shift control and output control signals and synchronizing them with the relative motion between said opaque specimen and said beam of radiation, whereby said opaque specimen passes through said beam of radiation at substantially the same rate as said signals of said sensors are shifted along said columns of sensors of said planar array.
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Abstract
A scanning radiographic system employing a multi-linear array. The system includes a source of electronic radiation, which is focused upon the multi-linear array. The multi-linear array includes radiation sensors each of which is adapted to generate an intensity signal as a function of the amount of radiation sensed thereby. Each sensor has associated therewith a means for holding or storing its respective intensity signals. The intensity signals thus held may be continually up-dated to reflect subsequent intensity signals resulting from additional radiation sensed by the respective sensors. An opaque object to be scanned by the radiographic system passes through the beam of radiation in a controlled fashion. This controlled motion is synchronized and coordinated with the shifting of the up-dated intensity signals so that the speed and course of travel of a particular up-dated intensity signal through the holding means of a given group of said sensors is optically aligned with the speed and course of travel of the radiation passing through a given area of the opaque specimen. In this fashion, there is generated one up-dated intensity signal corresponding to a given area of the opaque specimen. These up-dated intensity signals are then collected and processed by a suitable visual system.
146 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A radiographic system for generating a radiograph-type image of an opaque specimen comprising:
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means for generating a beam of radiation; an array of sensors aligned with said beam comprising; a plurality of sensors, each adapted to sense and signal the intensity of any radiation falling thereon, signal connection means for connecting said sensors of said array in columns, said signal connection means being adapted to allow signals from each of said sensors of a given column to be shifted to an adjacent sensor of said given column in response to a shift control signal, and data output means for outputting signals from said columns in response to an output control signal; image display means responsive to said outputted signals from said data output means for producing an image representative of said outputted signals; motion means for transversing said beam of radiation with said opaque specimen in a direction that is substantially parallel with said columns of said sensors; and synchronization means for generating said shift control and output control signals and synchronizing them with the relative motion between said opaque specimen and said beam of radiation, whereby said opaque specimen passes through said beam of radiation at substantially the same rate as said signals of said sensors are shifted along said columns of sensors of said planar array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for producing a radiograph-type image of an opaque specimen having increased resolution and imaging speed, comprising the steps of:
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(a) constructing a multi-linear array having a plurality of radiation sensors arranged in columns and rows thereon, each of said sensors being adapted to generate an intensity signal proportional to the intensity of the radiation sensed thereby, and each of said sensors having a storage element connected thereto; (b) aligning a beam of radiation with said multi-linear array; (c) storing said intensity signals of each sensor in its respective storage element; (d) shifting the intensity signals stored in each of said storage elements to a different storage element at controlled time intervals, said adjacent storage element being connected to a radiation sensor that is adjacent to the radiation sensor having the storage element from where the intensity signals are shifted; (e) augmenting the intensity signals of said storage elements after the shifting of step (d) in order to account for newly generated intensity signals received from the respective radiation sensors connected to each of said storage elements; (f) creating relative motion between said opaque object and said array, said opaque object moving with respect to said array at a controlled speed; (g) synchronizing the shifting of step (d) with the relative motion of step (f) so that the augmenting of step (e) is always based on intensity signals derived from sensed radiation passing through substantially the same small cross-sectional areas of said opaque object. (h) repeating step (d), (e), (f), and (g) until the opaque object has passed completely through said beam of radiation, (i) processing the augmented signals to create a radiograph-type image, each of said augmented signals representing the accumulated radiation that has passed through a specific small cross-sectional area of said opaque object during the time said opaque object was moving through said beam of radiation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A scanning radiographic system comprising:
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a multi-linear array having a plurality of radiation sensors lying in a single plane and arranged in an ordered fashion, each of said sensors being adapted to generate an intensity signal proportional to the intensity of the radiation sensed thereby, said multi-linear array including; holding means for holding the intensity signals generated by each of said radiation sensors, each of said holding means being adapted to up-date the intensity signal held therein with other newly generated intensity signals resulting from additional radiation sensed by its respective sensor, first shifting means for serially shifting said up-dated signals through the holding means associated with defined groups of said sensors in response to a first clock signal, said defined groups of sensors comprising specified patterns of said radiation sensors, and second shifting means for serially shifting said up-dated signals out of the holding means associated with at least one of the sensors of each of said defined groups of sensors in response to a second clock signal; a clock source for generating said first and second clock signals; placement means for placing an opaque specimen to be scanned by said radiographic system above said multi-linear array; motion means for creating relative motion between said placement means and multi-linear array, said motion means being adapted to cause the relative motion thus created to follow a course substantially the same as said specified patterns; a source of radiation placed above said placement means for directing a beam of radiation through said opaque specimen and onto said array; and synchronization means for synchronizing said motion means with said first clock signal, whereby the speed and course of travel of a particular updated signal through the holding means of a given group of said sensors is optically aligned with the speed and course of travel of the radiation passing through the given area of said opaque specimen. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification