X-ray scanning system and method for inspecting an object

A method of x-ray scanning and inspecting an object, the method comprising:

• moving a first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner about an object being scanned, with a moving device;
• scanning at least a first side of the object with the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, while the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner is moving about the object, and generating a first compilation of scanning data;
• moving the object being scanned relative to a fixed second x-ray scanner;
• scanning at least a second side of the object with the fixed second x-ray scanner, while the object is moving, and generating a second compilation of scanning data, wherein the second side of the object is different than the first side of the object;
• and
• integrating the first compilation of scanning data with the second compilation of scanning data.

An x-ray scanning system for inspecting an object, the system comprising:

• a first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner configured and disposed for backscatter imaging comprising a first x-ray beam source and a first x-ray detector:
• the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner has a moving device and is configured and disposed to move to a first position and to move from the first position to a second position:
• a second imaging x-ray scanner comprising a second x-ray beam source and a second x-ray detector;
• a data integrator configured and disposed to receive and integrate the first compilation of scanning data and the second compilation of scanning data and to output the integrated compilations of scanning data to an inspection station:
• a controller configured and disposed to control at least one of the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner and the second x-ray scanner;
• the inspection station is configured and disposed to present the integrated scanning data for the inspecting of the object;
• the x-ray scanning system is configured and disposed for at least one of a) and b), wherein a) and b) are:
• a) selecting a first position for the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner;
• moving the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner to the first selected position;
• performing a first scan of at least a first side of a first object with the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, while at least one of the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner and the first object are moving, and generating a first compilation of scanning data;
• moving at least one of a second x-ray scanner and the first object being scanned, wherein the first object or the second x-ray scanner is moved relative to the other;
• performing a second scan of at least a second side of the first object with the second x-ray scanner, while the at least one of the second x-ray scanner and the first object are moving, and generating a second compilation of scanning data, wherein the second side of the first object is different than the first side of the first object;
• integrating the first compilation of scanning data with the second compilation of scanning data;
• moving the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner to a second position, wherein the second position is different than the first position and different relative to a position of the second scanner;
• and
• moving at least one of the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, the first object, and a second object and performing a third scan of the first or the second object with the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, while the at least one of the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, the first or the second object are moving;
• and
• wherein the selecting of the first position of the first mobile x-ray scanner for the first scan, the moving of the first object being scanned for the second, and the moving of the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner to a second position for a third scan, are based upon mitigating crosstalk between the first x-ray beam source and the second x-ray detector and between the second x-ray beam source and the first x-ray detector;
• and
• b) moving the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner about an object being scanned, with a moving device;
• scanning at least a first side of the object with the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner, while the first mobile backscatter imaging x-ray scanner is moving about the object, and generating a first compilation of scanning data;
• moving the object being scanned relative to a fixed second x-ray scanner;
• scanning at least a second side of the object with the fixed second x-ray scanner, while the object is moving, and generating a second compilation of scanning data, wherein the second side of the object is different than the first side of the object;
• and
• integrating the first compilation of scanning data with the second compilation of scanning data.