Electronic planar laminography system and method

An apparatus for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a cutting plane of a stationary object comprising:

• a scanning X-ray source;
• an X-ray detector positioned to receive X-rays from said scanning X-ray source which have passed through the stationary object, said X-ray detector comprising:
• a plurality of X-ray sensitive regions forming an array wherein each X-ray sensitive region is adapted to sense X-rays and generate X-ray intensity signal values corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon;
• and
• connections between said X-ray sensitive regions adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values to be shifted from X-ray sensitive region to X-ray sensitive region of said array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive regions represent an integration of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive region locations as said X-ray intensity signal values shift from X-ray sensitive region to X-ray sensitive region in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• a control system which coordinates positioning of said scanning X-ray source with said plurality of said X-ray sensitive regions of said X-ray detector such that:
• first X-ray image data of the stationary object is collected by a first X-ray sensitive region of said X-ray detector when said X-ray source is located at a first position wherein a first angular relationship is formed between said X-ray source at said first position and said first X-ray sensitive region of said X-ray detector during collection of said first X-ray image data;
• second X-ray image data of the stationary object is formed on a second X-ray sensitive region of said X-ray detector when said X-ray source is located at a second position wherein a second angular relationship is formed between said X-ray source at said second position and said second X-ray sensitive region of said X-ray detector during collection of said second X-ray image data;
• and
• said first X-ray image data of the stationary object at said first angular configuration and said second X-ray image data of the stationary object at said second angular configuration are combined thereby creating data representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of the stationary object.

An apparatus for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a cutting plane of a stationary object comprising:

• a scanning X-ray source which scans along a first linear path;
• an X-ray detector array positioned to receive X-rays from said scanning X-ray source which have passed through the object, said X-ray detector array comprising:
• a plurality of adjacent X-ray sensitive rows which are substantially perpendicular to said X-ray source first linear path wherein each X-ray sensitive row is adapted to sense X-rays and generate X-ray intensity signal values corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon;
• and
• connections between said adjacent X-ray sensitive rows adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values to be shifted from X-ray sensitive row to X-ray sensitive row of said X-ray detector array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive rows represent multiple angle integrations of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive row locations at a plurality of angular orientations of said scanning X-ray source locations and said X-ray detector X-ray sensitive row locations as said X-ray intensity signal values shift from X-ray sensitive row to X-ray sensitive row in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• a control system which coordinates positioning of said scanning X-ray source with the shifting of said X-ray intensity signal values of said X-ray detector in accordance with said first timing pattern thereby creating data representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of the stationary object.

An apparatus for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of an object comprising:

• a scanning X-ray source;
• a scanning X-ray detector array positioned to receive X-rays from said scanning X-ray source which have passed through the object, said scanning X-ray detector comprising:
• a plurality of X-ray sensitive elements adapted to sense and generate X-ray intensity signal values corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon, said X-ray intensity signal values thereby representing an X-ray image of a portion of the object;
• and
• connections between said X-ray sensitive elements adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values representing X-ray images to be shifted from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element of said scanning X-ray detector array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive elements correspond to an integration of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive element locations and a plurality of angular orientations of said X-ray source and said scanning X-ray detector X-ray sensitive element locations as said X-ray intensity signal values representing X-ray images shift from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• a control system which coordinates positioning of said scanning X-ray source with the shifting of said X-ray sensitive element X-ray intensity signal values in accordance with said first timing pattern such that multiple angular image projections of the first cutting plane of the object are accumulated by said scanning X-ray detector array wherein any point in the first cutting plane of the object is projected to approximately the same shifted point of the scanning X-ray detector array X-ray sensitive elements and any point outside the first cutting plane is projected to a plurality of shifted points of the scanning X-ray detector array X-ray sensitive elements during a cycle of the first timing pattern thereby accumulating data which is representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of the first cutting plane of the object.

An apparatus for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a cutting plane of an object comprising:

• a stationary X-ray source;
• a moving support for the object;
• an X-ray detector positioned to receive X-rays from said stationary X-ray source which have passed through the object, said X-ray detector comprising:
• a plurality of X-ray sensitive elements forming an array wherein each X-ray sensitive element is adapted to sense and generate an X-ray intensity signal value corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon such that said X-ray intensity signal value on any specific X-ray sensitive element is indicative of the total intensity of X-rays received by that specific X-ray sensitive element;
• and
• connections between said X-ray sensitive elements adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values to be shifted from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element of said array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive elements represent an integration of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive element locations as the X-ray intensity signal values shift from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• a control system which coordinates positioning of said moving support with the shifting of said X-ray sensitive element X-ray intensity signal values in accordance with said first timing pattern thereby accumulating data which is representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of the object.

A method for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a cutting plane of an object comprising the steps of:

• scanning the object with a scanning X-ray source;
• detecting X-rays from said scanning X-ray source which have passed through the object with an X-ray detector, said X-ray detector comprising:
• a plurality of X-ray sensitive elements forming an array wherein each X-ray sensitive element is adapted to sense and generate an X-ray intensity signal value corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon such that said X-ray intensity signal value on any specific X-ray sensitive element is indicative of the total intensity of X-rays received by that specific X-ray sensitive element;
• and
• connections between said X-ray sensitive elements adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values to be shifted from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element of said array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive elements represent an integration of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive element locations as the X-ray intensity signal values shift from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• coordinating the position of said scanning X-ray source with the shifting of said X-ray sensitive element X-ray intensity signal values with a control system in accordance with said first timing pattern thereby accumulating data which is representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of the object.

A method for producing a laminographic cross sectional image of a cutting plane of an object comprising:

• providing a stationary X-ray source;
• providing a moving support for the object;
• positioning an X-ray detector to receive X-rays from said stationary X-ray source which have passed through the object, said X-ray detector comprising:
• a plurality of X-ray sensitive elements forming an array wherein each X-ray sensitive element is adapted to sense and generate an X-ray intensity signal value corresponding to the intensity of X-rays received thereon such that said X-ray intensity signal value on any specific X-ray sensitive element is indicative of the total intensity of X-rays received by that specific X-ray sensitive element;
• and
• connections between said X-ray sensitive elements adapted to allow said X-ray intensity signal values to be shifted from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element of said array in response to shift signals corresponding to a first timing pattern such that said X-ray intensity signal values of individual X-ray sensitive elements represent an integration of X-ray intensities received at a plurality of X-ray sensitive element locations as the X-ray intensity signal values shift from X-ray sensitive element to X-ray sensitive element in response to said first timing pattern;
• and
• providing a control system which coordinates positioning of said moving support with the shifting of said X-ray sensitive element X-ray intensity signal values in accordance with said first timing pattern thereby accumulating data which is representative of a laminographic cross sectional image of a first cutting plane of the object.