Covert surveillance using multi-modality sensing

Inventors

Morton, Edward James

Assignees

Rapiscan Systems Inc

Abstract

The present specification discloses a covert mobile inspection vehicle with a backscatter X-ray scanning system that has an X-ray source and detectors for obtaining a radiographic image of an object outside the vehicle. The systems preferably include at least one sensor for determining a distance from at least one of the detectors to points on the surface of the object being scanned, a processor for processing the obtained radiographic image by using the determined distance of the object to obtain an atomic number of each material contained in the object, and one or more sensors to obtain surveillance data from a predefined area surrounding the vehicle.

Core Innovation

The invention provides an inspection system having an X-ray scanning system with an X-ray source configured to emit X-ray beams and a plurality of detectors configured to acquire data representative of a radiographic image of an object located proximate to the inspection system. The system includes one or more sensors adapted to determine data representative of a distance from at least one of the plurality of detectors to an area on a surface of the object. A processor processes the obtained radiographic image and applies a correction to the obtained radiographic image based on the determined distance data.

The core processing applies a distance-based correction to the obtained radiographic image, where the correction includes intensity correction that accounts for image location distance. The distance-based correction uses predefined distance thresholds and distance-dependent factors to reduce intensity for image regions beyond a first predefined distance and increase intensity for regions within a second predefined distance. The correction also includes geometric correction so that the image provides an accurate representation of the shape of the object in the image.

The distance data is obtained using distance sensors configured to determine distance-related information from the detector to the object surface area, including light-based range finding and infrared return-time sensing. The imaging configuration is supported by detector arrangements and detector materials, including semiconductor detector materials having a wide bandgap and/or narrow bandgap, and specific materials such as CdTe, CdZnTe, HgI, and HPGe, as well as configurations using a pencil beam and backscatter detection.

Claims Coverage

The patent provides two independent claims covering an inspection system and a method for obtaining a radiographic image. Across these independent claims, the core inventive features are centered on distance-determined image correction for a detector-based radiographic image, with the distance determined by one or more sensors and the image corrected by a processor.

Both independent claims require acquisition of a radiographic image with an X-ray scanning system, determination of detector-to-surface distance data using one or more sensors, and processor-based correction of the radiographic image based on that distance data.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications