Control unit and control method for radiation source and radiation inspection system and method thereof

• US 7,989,770 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Yang, Guang, Ruan, Ming, Peng, Hua, Liu, Yinong, Li, Yuanjing, Zhang, Li, Li, Junli, Sun, Shangmin, Jia, Wei, Zhang, Jinyu, Liu, Yaohong, Deng, Yanli, Chen, Zhiqiang, Liang, Siyuan, Zhang, Qingjun, Xie, Yali
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Igyarto; Carolyn
• Application Number:
  US11/997,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20090065698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 250/360.1, 250/354.1
• US Class Current: 250/354.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/10 the material being confined in a container, e.g. in a luggage X-ray scanners
• 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

Abstract

A radiation inspection system is disclosed. The radiation inspection system comprises: an inspection passage through which a moving object under inspection can pass, a radiation source disposed on a side of the inspection passage for emitting radiation, an array of detectors disposed on the other side of the inspection passage opposite to the radiation source for receiving the radiation emitted from the radiation source, a detector for detecting the moving object, and a controller for receiving a signal from the detector and controlling the radiation source to emit radiation when the detector detects the moving object for radiation imaging and inspection of the moving object. According to the radiation inspection system, the controller can control the radiation source to automatically emit radiation beam based on the detection signal from the detector for inspecting the moving object. As a result, inspection efficiency is improved, safety is increased, and misoperation of the radiation source is eliminated.

Claims

1. A control unit for controlling a radiation source, wherein the radiation source being operable to emit radiation for inspecting a moving object passing through an inspection passage, the control unit comprising:

a first detector disposed downstream of the radiation source in an advancing direction of the moving object and spaced from the radiation source by a predetermined distance to detect the moving object passing through the inspection passage

a second detector disposed under the ground surface of the inspection passage upstream of the first detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and between the first detector and the radiation source; and

a controller for receiving signals from the first detector and the second detector,

wherein only when both the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation;

wherein the first detector comprises a photoelectric switch, and the second detector comprises a ground induction coil sensor.

2. The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising a third detector disposed upstream of the second detector in the advancing direction of the moving object,

wherein only when all the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation.

3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein the third detector is located between the second detector and the radiation source.

4. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the third detector comprises a light curtain switch.

5. The control unit according to claim 4, further comprising a fourth detector disposed upstream of the third detector in the advancing direction of the moving object,

wherein only when all the fourth detector, the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation.

6. The control unit according to claim 5, wherein the fourth detector is located upstream of the radiation source in the advancing direction of the moving object.

7. The control unit according to claim 6, wherein the fourth detector comprises a light curtain switch.

8. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the first detector is spaced from the ground surface by a predetermined height so as to detect only moving objects with the predetermined height.

9. A method of controlling a radiation source, wherein the radiation source being operable to emit radiation for radiation inspection of a moving object passing through an inspection passage, the method comprising steps of:

providing a first detector downstream of the radiation source in an advancing direction of the moving object at a predetermined distance from the radiation source,

providing a second detector under the ground surface of the inspection passage upstream of the first detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and between the first detector and the radiation source;

providing a controller for receiving signals from the first detector and the second detector to control the radiation source, and

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when both the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object;

wherein the first detector comprises a photoelectric switch, and the second detector comprises a ground induction coil sensor.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising steps of:

providing a third detector upstream of the second detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when all the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the third detector is located between the second detector and the radiation source.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the third detector comprises a light curtain switch.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising steps of:

providing a fourth detector upstream of the third detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when all the fourth detector, the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the fourth detector is disposed upstream of the radiation source in the advancing direction of the moving object.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the fourth detector comprises a light curtain switch.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first detector is spaced from the ground surface by a predetermined height so as to detect only moving objects with the predetermined height.

17. A radiation inspection system, comprising:

an inspection passage through which a moving object under inspection can pass,

a radiation source disposed on a side of the inspection passage for emitting radiation,

an array of detectors disposed on the other side of the inspection passage opposite to the radiation source for receiving the radiation emitted from the radiation source,

a first detector disposed downstream of the radiation source in an advancing direction of the moving object and spaced from the radiation source by a predetermined distance to detect the moving object,

a second detector disposed under the ground surface of the inspection passage upstream of the first detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and between the first detector and the radiation source;

a controller for receiving signals from the first detector and the second detector,

wherein only when both the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation for imaging and inspection of the moving object; and

wherein the first detector comprises a photoelectric switch, and the second detector comprises a ground induction coil sensor.

18. The radiation inspection system according to claim 17, further comprising a third detector disposed upstream of the second detector in the advancing direction of the moving object,

wherein only when all the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation.

19. The radiation inspection system according to claim 18, wherein the third detector is located between the second detector and the radiation source.

20. The radiation inspection system according to claim 19, wherein the third detector comprises a light curtain switch.

21. The radiation inspection system according to claim 20, further comprising a fourth detector disposed upstream of the third detector in the advancing direction of the moving object,

wherein only when all the fourth detector, the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence, the controller controls the radiation source to automatically emit the radiation.

22. The radiation inspection system according to claim 21, wherein the fourth detector is located upstream of the radiation source in the advancing direction of the moving object.

23. The radiation inspection system according to claim 22, wherein the fourth detector comprises a light curtain switch.

24. The radiation inspection system according to claim 23, wherein the first detector is spaced from the ground surface by a predetermined height so as to detect only moving objects with the predetermined height.

25. A method of inspecting a moving object with radiation, comprising steps of:

providing an inspection passage through which the moving object under inspection passes,

providing a radiation source on a side of the inspection passage for emitting radiation,

providing an array of detectors on the other side of the inspection passage opposite to the radiation source for receiving the radiation emitted from the radiation source,

providing a first detector downstream of the radiation source in an advancing direction of the moving object at a predetermined distance from the radiation source,

providing a second detector under the ground surface of the inspection passage upstream of the first detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and between the first detector and the radiation source;

providing a controller for receiving signals from the first detector and the second detector so as to control the radiation source,

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when both the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object; and

wherein the first detector comprises a photoelectric switch, and the second detector comprises a ground induction coil sensor.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising steps of:

providing a third detector upstream of the second detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when all the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the third detector is located between the second detector and the radiation source.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the third detector comprises a light curtain switch.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising steps of:

providing a fourth detector upstream of the third detector in the advancing direction of the moving object, and

controlling the radiation source by the controller to automatically emit the radiation only when all the fourth detector, the third detector, the first detector and the second detector detect the moving object in sequence.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the fourth detector is disposed upstream of the radiation source in the advancing direction of the moving object.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the fourth detector comprises a light curtain switch.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the first detector is spaced from the ground surface by a predetermined height so as to detect only moving objects with the predetermined height.