US 6,151,381 A · Gated transmission and scatter detection for x-ray imaging

Abstract

An inspection system for inspecting an enclosure and its contents using temporally gated sources of penetrating radiation. A first source produces an intermittent first beam having a duration of inactivity while a second sources produces a second beam, which may have an energy spectrum differing from that of the first beam, during the inactivity of the first beam. One detector generates a transmission signal based on penetrating radiation transmitted through the enclosure while a scatter detector generates a scatter signal based on penetrating radiation scattered by the contents of the enclosure. The scatter detector may be gated for non-detection during the pulsing of the transmission beam. A processor derives properties of the contents of the enclosure on the basis of the transmission signal and the scatter signal.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An inspection system for inspecting an enclosure having contents, the system comprising:

a. a first source for producing an intermittent first beam of penetrating radiation having a duration of inactivity,
b. at least one detector for generating a transmission signal based on at least the penetrating radiation transmitted through the enclosure;
c. a second source for producing a second beam of penetrating radiation,
d. at least one detector for generating a scatter signal based on at least the penetrating radiation scattered by the contents of the enclosure during the duration of inactivity of the first source;
and
e. a processor for deriving properties of the contents of the enclosure on the basis of the transmission signal and the scatter signal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gated transmission and scatter detection for x-ray imaging

Life of this patent

Gated transmission and scatter detection for x-ray imaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18