US 2016/0238543 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSPECTION OF CONTAINED MATERIALS

Abstract

A method for the inspection of contained flowable materials within containers, such as detecting an explosive liquid in a luggage, and an apparatus for performing the method are described. The method includes the steps of: performing a radiation scan, using X-rays or Gamma rays, of a target item container of contained flowable material in a radiation scanning system to derive a spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved measured dataset of the intensity of radiation emergent from the target item; considering the spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved dataset of transmitted radiation intensity to be nominally determined in accordance with a relationship: └O┘·└δ┘=└λ┘ where the operators └δ┘ and └λ┘ define, respectively, physical parameters describing the liquid and the container and the system response and the operator └O┘ defines the relationships between the system response and the liquid and container parameters; numerically processing the measured dataset by operator inversion in order to derive a best fit solution of: [δ]=[O]−1·[λ]; and using that derived solution to determine the threat status of the target item.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for the inspection of contained flowable materials within containers, the method comprising the steps of:

performing a radiation scan of a target item container of contained flowable material in a radiation scanning system to derive a spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved measured dataset of the intensity of radiation emergent from the target item;
considering the spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved dataset of transmitted radiation intensity to be nominally determined in accordance with a relationship:
[O]·[δ]=[λ]
where δ is a notional theoretical set of elements related to parameters inherent in a target item that characterise the scanning response of the target item, λ is a system response vector in space and energy comprising the spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved radiation intensity response produced by a target item, and O is a space and material derived operator, which projects vector δ on to the scanning system response vector λ;
numerically processing the measured dataset in order to derive a best fit solution of:
[δ]=[O]−1·[λ]
using that derived solution to determine the threat status of the target item.

4 more elements

An apparatus for the scanning of flowable contained materials within containers, the apparatus comprising:

a radiation scanning system comprising at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector system spaced therefrom to define a scanning zone, the detector system being adapted to derive a spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved measured dataset of the intensity of radiation emergent from a target item within the scanning zone;
a data storage module to store a spectroscopically resolved measured dataset of the intensity of radiation emergent from a scanned target item;
a numerical analysis module adapted to perform the following steps:
modelling the spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved dataset of transmitted radiation intensity as nominally determined in accordance with a relationship:
[O]·[δ]=[λ]
where δ is a notional theoretical set of elements related to parameters inherent in a target item that characterise the scanning response of the target item, λ is a system response vector in space and energy comprising the spatially distributed and spectroscopically resolved radiation intensity response produced by a target item, and O is a space and material derived operator, which projects vector 6 onto the scanning system response vector λ;
numerically processing the measured dataset in order to derive a best fit solution of:
[δ]=[O]−1·[λ]
using that derived solution to determine the threat status of the target item.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for the inspection of contained materials

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for the inspection of contained materials

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22