Nautical X-ray inspection system

• US 6,658,087 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• 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: Chalmers, Alex, Squires, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Application Number:
  US10/137,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20020185612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 378/86-89
• US Class Current: 378/86
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/02 specially adapted for surface logging, e.g. from aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/222 measuring scattered radiation

Abstract

An apparatus for inspecting a physical object in a nautical environment includes a radiation source capable of directing a beam of penetrating radiation toward the physical object, and a detector capable of detecting the reaction of the physical object to the penetrating radiation. In addition to detecting the reaction, the detector is capable of delivering an output signal characterizing the physical object. Accordingly, the output signal is based upon the reaction of the physical object to the penetrating radiation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inspecting a nautical vessel in a nautical environment, the apparatus comprising:

a radiation source capable of directing a beam of penetrating radiation toward the nautical vessel, the nautical vessel having a reaction to the beam of penetrating radiation;

a detector capable of detecting the reaction of the nautical vessel, the detector being capable of delivering an output signal characterizing the nautical vessel, the output signal being based upon the reaction of the nautical vessel; and

a platform supporting the radiation source and the detector, the platform being physically unsupported by the nautical vessel.

2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the platform is on land.

3. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the platform is in a nautical environment.

4. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the output signal.

5. The apparatus as defined by claim 4 further comprising:

an analysis unit for receiving the output signal from the transmitter, the analysis unit including an image correction module.

6. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the radiation source includes an X-ray source.

7. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the detector includes a scatter-based radiation source detection device, the apparatus being free of transmission-based detection devices.

8. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the detector includes at least one of a back scatter detector, a side scatter detector, and a forward scatter detector.

9. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the nautical vessel and platform are capable of moving relative to each other.

10. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the platform is in a nautical environment.

24. The apparatus as defined by claim 9 wherein the platform is substantially stationary.

11. A method of inspecting a nautical vessel in a nautical environment, the method comprising:

spacing a radiation source from the nautical vessel, a body of water separating the radiation source from the nautical vessel;

directing a beam of penetrating radiation from the radiation source toward the nautical vessel;

moving the beam of radiation relative to the nautical vessel, the nautical vessel having a reaction to the beam of radiation;

detecting the reaction of the nautical vessel; and

producing an output signal characterizing the nautical vessel, the output signal being based upon the detected reaction of the nautical vessel.

12. The method as defined by claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting the output signal to an analysis unit.

13. The method as defined by claim 12 further comprising:

controlling the analysis unit to apply image correction to the output signal.

14. The method as defined by claim 11 wherein the beam of radiation is a pencil beam.

15. The method as defined by claim 11 wherein the reaction is detected with at least one of a back scatter detector, a side scatter detector, and a forward scatter detector.

25. The method as defined by claim 11 wherein the radiation source is substantially stationary.

16. A system for inspecting a nautical vessel in a nautical environment, the system comprising:

an X-ray source for directing X-ray radiation toward the nautical vessel, the nautical vessel having a reaction to the X-ray radiation; and

a scatter-based detector for detecting the reaction of the nautical vessel and producing an output signal based upon the reaction of the nautical vessel, a body of water separating the system from the nautical vessel.

17. The system as defined by claim 16 wherein the X-ray radiation has an energy level between 100 KeV to 1 MeV.

18. The system as defined by claim 16 wherein the X-ray radiation has an energy level that is sufficient to provide an output signal of the nautical vessel when the nautical vessel is between ten and forty feet from the system.

19. The system as defined by claim 16 further comprising:

a second nautical vessel that supports the X-ray source and the detector, the nautical vessel being remotely controllable.

20. An apparatus for inspecting a nautical vessel in a nautical environment, the apparatus comprising:

means for spacing a radiation source from the nautical vessel, a body of water separating the radiation source from the nautical vessel;

means for directing a beam of penetrating radiation from the radiation source toward the nautical vessel;

means for moving the beam of radiation relative to the nautical vessel, the nautical vessel having a reaction to the beam of radiation;

means for detecting the reaction of the nautical vessel; and

means for producing an output signal characterizing the nautical vessel, the output signal being based upon the detected reaction of the nautical vessel.

21. The apparatus as defined by claim 20 further comprising means for transmitting the output signal to an analysis unit.

22. The apparatus as defined by claim 21 further comprising means for controlling the analysis unit to apply image correction to the output signal.

23. The apparatus as defined by claim 20 wherein the means for detecting the reaction includes a scatter-based detector.