US 7,679,065 B2Granted

Data display system and method

AssigneeCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

InventorsJames Richard Tickner, Yi Liu

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Abstract

Methods and systems are used to form an image of the contents of an object for display. A neutron mass attenuation matrix n and a gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix g are formed. A composition matrix and a density matrix are calculated whose respective elements Rij and Xij are each defined as a function of the elements nij and the corresponding elements gij. Rij represents an average composition of material within the object between a source which generated the radiation and a point (i,j). Xij represents an approximate amount of material within the object between the radiation source and the point (i,j). A quality matrix is calculated whose elements Qij are defined as a function of the elements nij and the elements gij and represents a measure of the reliability of the determination of the elements of Rij. The image formed for display contains information from R, X, and Q.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A method for processing transmission data from neutron and gamma-ray radiation to form an image of an object's contents, the neutron and gamma-ray radiation having traversed through the object and representing a measure of neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation introduced by the object, the method comprising:

forming a neutron mass attenuation matrix n from the measure of neutron attenuation;
forming a gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix g from the measure of gamma-ray attenuation;
calculating a composition matrix R whose elements Rij are defined as a function of the elements nij from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the corresponding elements gij from the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the composition matrix representing an average composition of material within the object between a source which generated the radiation and a point (i,j);
calculating a density matrix X whose elements Xij are defined as a function of the elements nij from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the corresponding elements gij from the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the density matrix representing an approximate amount of material within the object between the radiation source and the point (i,j);
calculating a quality matrix Q whose elements Qij are defined as a function of the elements nij from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the elements gij of the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the quality matrix representing a measure of the reliability of the determination of the elements of Rij;
and
forming an image of the contents of the object for display;
wherein the image contains information from R, X, and Q.

5 more elements

A system for processing neutron and gamma-ray transmission data to form an image, the system comprising:

a data input device to receive neutron and gamma-ray radiation having traversed through an object and representing a measure of neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation introduced by the object;
a processor to:
form a neutron mass attenuation matrix from the measure of neutron attenuation;
form a gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix from the measure of gamma-ray attenuation;
calculate a composition matrix R whose elements Rij are defined as a function of elements nij from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the corresponding elements gij of the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the composition matrix representing an average composition of material between a source which generated the radiation and a point (i,j);
calculate a density matrix X whose elements Xij are defined as a function of the elements nij from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the corresponding elements gij from the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the density matrix representing an approximate amount of material between the radiation source and the point (i,j);
calculate a quality matrix Q as a function of the elements from the neutron mass attenuation matrix and the elements of the gamma-ray mass attenuation matrix, the quality matrix representing a measure of the reliability of the elements of Rij;
form an image for display;
wherein the image contains information from R, X, and Q.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.