Separate lateral processing of backscatter signals
First Claim
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1. An inspection system for characterizing an object concealed by a concealing surface, the system comprising:
- a. a source of penetrating radiation for emitting a beam, the beam having an orientation and being incident upon the concealing surface at a plane of incidence, the source having a source position;
b. a first scatter detector having a specified position with respect to the source position, a beam orientation, and a first field of view, the first field of view subtending a first solid angle, the first scatter detector generating a first signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object;
c. a second scatter detector having a second field of view, the second field of view subtending a second solid angle of larger magnitude than the first solid angle, the second scatter detector disposed at a specified position with respect to the source position exterior to the position of the first scatter detector, the second scatter detector generating a second signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object; and
d. a processor for determining an effective depth of the object with respect to the plane of incidence on the basis of at least the first and second signals.
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Abstract
A system and a method for determining the depth of an object with respect to a surface behind which the object is concealed. The intensity of x-rays backscattered from the object is measured by at least two backscatter detectors disposed at different positions with respect to the scattering object. The depth of a scattering source within the volume penetrated by the x-rays is derived from the ratio of scattered x-rays measured by the detectors.
206 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An inspection system for characterizing an object concealed by a concealing surface, the system comprising:
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a. a source of penetrating radiation for emitting a beam, the beam having an orientation and being incident upon the concealing surface at a plane of incidence, the source having a source position;
b. a first scatter detector having a specified position with respect to the source position, a beam orientation, and a first field of view, the first field of view subtending a first solid angle, the first scatter detector generating a first signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object;
c. a second scatter detector having a second field of view, the second field of view subtending a second solid angle of larger magnitude than the first solid angle, the second scatter detector disposed at a specified position with respect to the source position exterior to the position of the first scatter detector, the second scatter detector generating a second signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object; and
d. a processor for determining an effective depth of the object with respect to the plane of incidence on the basis of at least the first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for analyzing an object concealed by a surface, the method comprising:
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a. illuminating the surface with a beam of penetrating radiation emanating from a source;
b. detecting radiation scattered by the object by a first and a second scatter detector, the second detector having a field of view subtending a larger field of view than a field of view subtended by a field of view of the first detector, such that radiation scattered by an object disposed at a greater distance from the source of penetrating radiation is preferentially detected by the second radiation detector;
c. generating a first signal corresponding to penetrating radiation scattered by the object and detected by the first scatter detector;
d. generating a second signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object and detected by the second scatter detector; and
e. determining a position of the object on the basis of at least the first and second signals.
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8. A method for analyzing an object concealed within an enclosure, the method comprising:
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a. illuminating the enclosure with a beam of penetrating radiation;
b. generating a first signal corresponding to penetrating radiation scattered by the object and detected by a first detector disposed at a first detector position;
c. generating a second signal corresponding to penetrating radiation scattered by the object and detected by a second detector disposed at a second detector position; and
d. determining an effective depth of the object on the basis of at least the first and second signals.
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9. A device for inspecting a container with penetrating radiation, the device comprising:
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a. a bed movable along a first direction;
b. a source of penetrating radiation, mounted on the bed for providing a beam;
c. a first scatter detector disposed at a first detector position for generating a first signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by an object;
d. a second scatter detector having a field of view, disposed at a second detector position, for generating a second signal corresponding to penetrating radiation that has been scattered by the object;
such that the beam is caused to traverse the container as the bed is moved, and the first and second signal are used to characterize a distance of the object in a depth direction transverse to the first direction.
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Specification