# US 10,371,648 B2 · Radiography systems based on distributed ray source

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- Number: US 10,371,648 B2
- Document ID: US10371648B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/301,345
- Filed: 2015-12-14
- Published: 2017-05-04
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-17
- Assignees: Nuctech Company Limited
- Applicants: Nuctech Company Limited
- Inventors: Li Zhang; Xin Jin; Huaping Tang; Qingping Huang; Yunda Sun; Zhiqiang Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371648B2

## CPC

- G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material
- G01N 23/046: using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
- G01V 5/224: {Multiple energy techniques using one type of radiation, e.g. X-rays of different energies}
- G01N 2223/3307: source and detector fixed; object moves
- G01N 2223/423: multispectral imaging-multiple energy imaging
- G01N 2223/643: object on conveyor
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a radiography system including: a ray source, comprising a plurality of X-ray generators which are distributed on one or more planes intersected with a moving direction of an object being inspected; a detector module comprising a plurality of detection units; a data collection circuit; a controller, configured to control at least two X-ray generators of the plurality of X-ray generators in the ray source to generate X-rays alternately such that the object is scanned by the generated X-rays; and control the detector module and the data collection circuit to respectively obtain detection data corresponding to the at least two X-ray generators; and a data processing computer, configured to create images of the object being inspected in view angles of the at least two X-ray generators based on the detection data. The above embodiments may implement a multi-view-angle perspective imaging system within a single scan plane by utilizing a distributed X-ray source and reuse of the detectors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A radiography system comprising:
a ray source comprising a plurality of X-ray generators which are distributed on one or more planes intersected with a moving direction of an object being inspected;
a detector module comprising a plurality of detection units and configured to receive X-rays transmitting through the object being inspected;
a data collection circuit coupled to the detector module and configured to convert a signal generated by the detector module into detection data;
a controller connected to the ray source, the detector module and the data collection circuit, and configured to control at least two X-ray generators of the plurality of X-ray generators in the ray source to generate X-rays alternately such that object is scanned by the generated X-rays as moving of the object, and control the detector module and the data collection circuit to respectively obtain detection data corresponding to the at least two X-ray generators;
a data processing computer configured to create images of the object being inspected in view angles of the at least two X-ray generators based on the detection data;
wherein the ray source implements pulse-type emitting so as to emit X-rays only within a sampling period of the detector module and stop emitting the X-rays outside the sampling period of the detector module; wherein the detector module detects rays from different X-ray generators in the ray source, and in each collection process, rays emitted from only one X-ray generator are collected by the detector module at a time; and
wherein the radiography system further comprises an object border detection apparatus, the object border detection apparatus configured to detect an object border of the object before the object passes through a scan plane; wherein an X-ray generator is selected according to the detected object border such that the generated X-ray covers the object completely.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the detector module comprises a low-energy detector and a high-energy detector located behind the low-energy detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the ray source comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube X-ray generators or a plurality of magnetic-confinement X-ray generators.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of X-ray generators are configured to generate high-energy X-rays and low-energy X-rays in a switching way.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of X-ray generators are arranged on a support in an L shape, an inverted-L shape, a U shape or an arc shape, for emitting the X-rays to the detector module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the ray source comprises a first row of X-ray generators and a second row of X-ray generators, which are configured to respectively generate high-energy X-rays and low-energy X-rays in a switching way under control of the controller; and the detector module comprises a first row of detectors and a second row of detectors arranged in parallel, which are configured to respectively make response to high-energy X-rays and low-energy X-rays.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of X-ray generators are distributed in pairs, two target points in a pair being close to each other in a spatial distance and having a sequential emitting order, one of which is configured to generate the X-rays using a high voltage with a first energy, and the other of which is configured to generate the X-rays using a high voltage with a second energy.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of X-ray generators are configured to use high voltage with a first energy at one emitting process, and use high voltage with a second energy at the next emitting process, and so on back and forth.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, at least one of the plurality of X-ray generators is determined to be activated according to spatial resolutions of images to be achieved along a conveying direction under each view angle in connection with a current conveying speed and/or a signal-to-noise ratio of the images.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The radiography system according to claim 1, at least one of the plurality of X-ray generators is manually determined to be activated according to a projection angle to be viewed; or an X-ray generator in a best perspective view angle is determined according to a shape and a size of a target object.