Time of flight backscatter imaging system
First Claim
1. An X-ray imaging apparatus for determining a surface profile of an object under inspection and positioned at a distance from said apparatus, comprising:
- a flying spot X-ray source for producing a flying spot scanning beam of X-rays directed toward said object;
a transmission imaging system comprising a pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source;
a detector assembly adapted to provide a signal representative of an intensity of X-rays backscattered from said object;
processing circuitry adapted to determine a time difference between when the flying spot X-ray source is switched on and when the backscattered X-rays arrive at the detector assembly and adapted to output data representative of the surface profile of the object under inspection; and
processing circuit adapted to operate the pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source only when said flying spot scanning beam is not interacting with said object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present application discloses an X-ray imaging apparatus for determining a surface profile of an object under inspection that is positioned at a distance from the apparatus. The X-ray imaging system has an X-ray source for producing a scanning beam of X-rays directed toward the object, a detector assembly for providing a signal representative of an intensity of X-rays backscattered from the object, and processing circuitry to determine a time difference between when the X-ray source is switched on and when the backscattered X-rays arrive at the detector assembly. The processing circuitry is adapted to output data representative of the surface profile of the object under inspection.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An X-ray imaging apparatus for determining a surface profile of an object under inspection and positioned at a distance from said apparatus, comprising:
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a flying spot X-ray source for producing a flying spot scanning beam of X-rays directed toward said object; a transmission imaging system comprising a pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source; a detector assembly adapted to provide a signal representative of an intensity of X-rays backscattered from said object; processing circuitry adapted to determine a time difference between when the flying spot X-ray source is switched on and when the backscattered X-rays arrive at the detector assembly and adapted to output data representative of the surface profile of the object under inspection; and processing circuit adapted to operate the pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source only when said flying spot scanning beam is not interacting with said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An X-ray imaging apparatus for determining the presence and location of a threat beneath an exterior surface of an object under inspection, comprising:
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a pencil beam X-ray source for producing a scanning pencil beam of X-rays directed toward said object; a transmission imaging system comprising a pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source; a detector assembly adapted to provide a first signal representative of an intensity of the X-rays backscattered from said exterior surface of the object under inspection and a second signal representative of an intensity of the X-rays backscattered from said threat beneath the exterior surface of the object under inspection; processing circuitry adapted to determine a first time difference between when the pencil beam X-ray source is switched on and when the X-rays backscattered from the exterior surface of the object under inspection arrive at the detector assembly and a second time difference between when the pencil beam X-ray source is switched on and when the X-rays backscattered from the threat beneath the exterior surface of the object under inspection arrive at the detector assembly and adapted to output data representative of a surface profile of the object under inspection based upon at least one of said first time difference or second time difference; and processing circuitry adapted to operate the pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source only when said scanning pencil beam is not interacting with said object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining a surface profile of an object under inspection, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning the object under inspection at a distance from an X-ray imaging apparatus, wherein said X-ray imaging apparatus comprises a backscatter X-ray source and a detector array and further comprises a transmission X-ray source; operating said backscatter X-ray source to produce a scanning pencil beam of X-rays directed toward said object; operating said transmission X-ray source to produce a beam of X-rays directed toward said object only when said backscatter X-ray source is not operating; detecting a signal representative of an intensity of the X-rays backscattered from said object, using said detector array; determining a time difference between when the backscatter X-ray source is switched on and when the backscattered signal is detected; and outputting data representative of the surface profile of the object under inspection. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification