Combined scatter and transmission multi-view imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746674-B2
Application number	US-201715787823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2012
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

The present specification discloses a multi-view X-ray inspection system having, in one of several embodiments, a three-view configuration with three X-ray sources. Each X-ray source rotates and is configured to emit a rotating X-ray pencil beam and at least two detector arrays, where each detector array has multiple non-pixellated detectors such that at least a portion of the non-pixellated detectors are oriented toward both the two X-ray sources.

First claim

I claim:

1. An X-ray inspection system for scanning an object, the inspection system comprising:
a first X-ray source configured to rotate and emit a first X-ray beam having a first transmission path defined by a first area;
a second X-ray source configured to rotate and emit a second X-ray beam having a second transmission path defined by a second area, wherein the second X-ray source is positioned apart from the first X-ray source and wherein an overlap of the first area and the second area define an scanning area;
a first detector array placed on an opposite side of the scanning area relative to the first X-ray source;
a second detector array placed on an opposite side of the scanning area relative to the second X-ray source; and
at least one controller configured to control a rotation of the first X-ray source and a rotation of the second X-ray source such that the first X-ray beam and second X-ray beam are concurrently activated but do not cross.

2. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray source is at a same vertical level but is horizontally displaced from the second X-ray source.

3. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray source is both vertically and horizontally displaced from the second X-ray source.

4. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray source is configured to emit a pencil beam and configured to rotate over a predetermined angle of rotation.

5. The X-ray inspection system of claim 4 , wherein the second X-ray source is configured to emit a pencil beam and configured to rotate over a predetermined angle of rotation.

6. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first detector array or the second detector array comprises one or more non-pixellated detectors.

7. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a third X-ray source configured to rotate and emit a third X-ray beam having a third transmission path defined by a third area, wherein the third X-ray source is positioned apart from the first X-ray source and the second X-ray source and wherein an overlap of the first area, second area, and third area define the scanning area.

8. The X-ray inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the third X-ray source is positioned vertically above the first X-ray source and the second X-ray source and wherein the first X-ray source is horizontally displaced from the second X-ray source.

9. The X-ray inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the first X-ray source, the second X-ray source and the third X-ray source are each configured to simultaneously emit the first X-ray beam, the second X-ray beam, and the third X-ray beam.

10. The X-ray inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the first X-ray source is configured to scan the object by starting at a substantially vertical position and moving in a clockwise manner.

11. The X-ray inspection system of claim 10 , wherein the third X-ray source is configured to scan the object by starting at a substantially downward vertical position and moving in a clockwise manner.

12. The X-ray inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the second X-ray source is configured to scan the object by starting at a substantially horizontal position and moving in a clockwise manner.

13. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the first X-ray source to begin scanning the object in a direction that does not overlap with an initial scanning direction of the second X-ray source, thereby eliminating cross talk between the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam.

14. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein each detector of the first detector array and the second detector array is configured to be irradiated by only one X-ray beam at a time.

15. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein each detector of the first detector array and the second detector array comprise at least one of CdZnTe, CdTe, HgI, Si or Ge.

16. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first detector array or second detector array is configured to detect gamma rays when the first X-ray source and the second X-ray source is switched off by switching from a current integrating mode to a pulse counting mode.

17. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first detector array or the second detector array comprises at least two backscatter detectors and a transmission detector positioned between the at least two backscatter detectors.

18. The X-ray inspection system of claim 17 , wherein the at least two backscatter detectors and the transmission detector are positioned within a single plane facing the object begin scanned and wherein the transmission detector has a smaller exposed surface area than each of the at least two backscatter detectors.

19. The X-ray inspection system of claim 17 , further comprising a fixed collimator positioned between the transmission detector and one of the at least two backscatter detectors.

20. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray source and the second X-ray source each comprise an anode X-ray tube, a rotating collimator assembly, a bearing, a drive motor, and a rotary encoder.

21. The X-ray inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive data representing a speed of the object and, based upon said data, adjust at least one of a rotation speed of the first X-ray source or second X-ray source, a data acquisition rate, or an X-ray tube current.

Assignees

• Rapiscan Systems Inc

Inventors

• Morton Edward James

Classifications

• H05G1/70

  Circuit arrangements for X-ray tubes with more than one anode; Circuit arrangements for apparatus comprising more than one X ray tube {or more than one cathode (H05G1/58 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2223/1016

  X-ray · CPC title

• G01N2223/05

  by diffraction, scatter or reflection · CPC title

• G01N23/203

  Measuring back scattering · CPC title

• G01N23/20083 Primary

  by using a combination of at least two measurements at least one being a transmission measurement and one a scatter measurement · CPC title