Inspection method and apparatus with single color pixel imaging

• US 5,253,283 A
• Filed: 12/23/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Science and Engineering Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Science and Engineering Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Annis, Martin, Riley, Gerard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Application Number:
  US07/811,685
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 378/44, 378/46, 378/51, 378/62, 378/86, 378/87, 378/90, 378/99, 378/100, 358/111
• US Class Current: 378/98.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/22 Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/222 measuring scattered radiation

Abstract

An inspection system using penetrating radiation wherein pixels corresponding to transmitted radiation which has been attenuated to at least a predetermined level are displayed in a first color. Pixels which correspond to radiation which has been backscattered to a least predetermined level are displayed in a second color, and pixels which correspond to the remainder of the transmitted radiation are displayed in a third color. Additionally, the brightness of the color of each pixel is controlled in dependence on how far above or below the predetermined level the detected transmitted or scattered signal is.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information resulting from the inspection of an object with penetrating radiation, comprising the steps of,

after an object has been illuminated with penetrating radiation, receiving radiation which corresponds to a first type of interaction with said object and radiation which corresponds to a second type of interaction with said object,

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a first presettable level of said first type of interaction in a fist predetermined single color, and

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a second presettable level of said second type of interaction in a second, predetermined single color.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein pixels which correspond to both at least said firs presettable level of said first type of interaction and at least said second presettable level of said second type of interaction as displayed in said second, predetermined single color.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first type of interaction is the attenuation of radiation by said object and said second type of interaction is the backscattering of radiation by said object.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of controlling the brightness of said first and second colors depending on the magnitude of the received radiation corresponding to said first and second types of interaction.

5. An apparatus for displaying information resulting from the inspection of an object with penetrating radiation, comprising:

means for illuminating an object with penetrating radiation,

means for receiving radiation which is transmitted through said object,

means for receiving radiation which is backscattered from said object,

means for displaying pixels which correspond to at least a first presettable level of attenuation of the transmitted radiation in a first predetermined single color, and

means for displaying pixels which correspond to at least a second presettable level of backscattered radiation in a second predetermined single color.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including:

means for displaying pixels which correspond to transmitted radiation which is attenuated less than said first presettable level of attenuation in a third predetermined single color.

7. A method of displaying information resulting from the inspection of an object with penetrating radiation, comprising the steps of,

after an object has been illuminated with penetrating radiation, receiving radiation which corresponds to a first type of interaction with said object and radiation which corresponds to a second type of interaction with said object,

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a first presettable level of said first type of interaction in a first predetermined single color, and

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a second presettable level of said second type of interaction in a second, predetermined single color, and

displaying pixels which correspond to less than one of said first and second levels in a third predetermined single color.

8. A method of displaying information resulting from the inspection of an object with penetrating radiation, comprising the steps of,

illuminating an object with penetrating radiation,

after said radiation interacts with said object, receiving radiation which is transmitted through said object and radiation which is backscattered from said object,

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a first presettable level of attenuation of the transmitted radiation in a first predetermined single color, and

displaying pixels which correspond to at least a second presettable level of backscattered radiation in a second predetermined single color.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising the step of,

displaying pixels which correspond to transmitted radiation which is attenuated less than said first presettable level of attenuation in a third predetermined single color.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the brightness of said first color is controlled in dependence on how far above said first presettable level of attenuation, the attenuation of said transmitted radiation which is received is, and wherein the brightness of said second color is controlled in dependence on how far above said second presettable level of backscattered radiation, the received backscattered radiation is.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the brightness of said first color is controlled in dependence on how far above said first presettable level of attenuation, the attenuation of said transmitted radiation which is received is, and wherein the brightness of said second color is controlled in dependence on how far above said second presettable level of backscattered radiation, the received backscattered radiation is.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the brightness of said third color is controlled in dependence on how far beneath said first presettable level of attenuation said transmitted radiation which is received is.