Hand-held portable backscatter inspection system
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11561320-B2
Publication Date
2023-01-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present specification describes a compact, hand-held probe or device that uses the principle of X-ray backscatter to provide immediate feedback to an operator about the presence of scattering and absorbing materials, items or objects behind concealing barriers irradiated by ionizing radiation, such as X-rays. Feedback is provided in the form of a changing audible tone whereby the pitch or frequency of the tone varies depending on the type of scattering material, item or object. Additionally or alternatively, the operator obtains a visual scan image on a screen by scanning the beam around a suspect area or anomaly.
Core Innovation
A hand-held imaging device includes a housing, at least one sensor positioned in the housing configured to generate a first set of data representative of a position or a movement of the hand-held imaging device relative to the object, an X-ray source positioned within the housing configured to generate an X-ray beam, detectors configured to generate scan data corresponding to energy scattered from the object, a display coupled to the housing, and a processing system including at least one processor positioned within the housing. The processing system receives the first set of data and the scan data, corrects the scan data using the first set of data, and generates an image based on the corrected data.
The device is used by causing the X-ray source to emit the X-ray beam, moving the hand-held imaging device relative to the object, and causing the image to be displayed on the display. The processing uses movement and position data from the hand-held device to correct scattered-energy scan data so that an image is generated while the device is moved relative to the object.
The disclosed approach further includes using sensors to track movement, including gyroscope and accelerometer, and correcting scan data by computing active pixels and dwell time per pixel location based on the tracked movement. The system generates images after correcting scan data for beam movement, and it includes a shaped X-ray beam and detector arrays to collect X-ray backscatter for near real-time operator feedback.
The system optionally provides operator feedback by converting scan data into an audible tone whose pitch varies with the scatter signal, and in some cases generating near real-time 2D scan images. Imaging may include collimator arrangements including vanes and collimator grids and rotating or oscillating collimators for raster or swept trajectories, with a coarse-to-fine scanning workflow triggered by audible anomaly detection.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is directed to a method of scanning an object with a hand-held imaging device in which sensor-derived position or movement data is used to correct scattered-energy scan data and generate a displayed image while the device is moved relative to the object. Six inventive features are identified across the provided claim coverage.
Sensor-based correction of backscatter scan data for image generation
Receiving a first set of data representative of position or movement of a hand-held imaging device relative to the object together with scan data corresponding to energy scattered from the object, correcting the scan data using the first set of data, and generating an image based on the corrected data.
Hand-held emission, relative movement, and displayed image output
Causing an X-ray source to emit an X-ray beam, moving the hand-held imaging device relative to the object, and causing the image to be displayed on a display coupled to the housing.
Using accelerometer and/or gyroscope position or movement sensing
Configuring the at least one sensor to include an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope to generate the first set of data representative of position or movement of the hand-held imaging device relative to the object.
Collimation with rotating geometry-limited beam shaping
Employing a collimator in which at least one collimator comprises a circular disc with a specified radius and a radially extending slit from near the disc center to near the disc edge, and utilizing collimator assemblies including rotating collimators for projection patterns.
Scanning data representing atomic number of concealed material
Making the scan data represent an atomic number of material concealed within or behind part of the object, where the concealed material is narcotics, explosives, or currency.
Coarse-to-fine scanning workflow with audible anomaly detection
Triggering a coarse scanning pattern and a fine scanning pattern using audible anomaly detection tied to operator feedback based on the scan data.
Across the provided independent claim and noted dependent refinements, the core claimed coverage centers on using sensor-derived position or movement data to correct scattered-energy scan data and generate a displayed image during hand-held relative motion, with refinements relating to accelerometer or gyroscope sensing, scanning data for concealed material, collimator geometry or rotation, and audible-driven coarse-to-fine scanning workflow.
Stated Advantages
Enables image generation using corrected scan data while the hand-held imaging device is moved relative to the object.
Provides near real-time operator feedback via an audible tone whose pitch varies with the scatter signal.
Documented Applications
Concealed material scanning in which scan data represents atomic number of material concealed within or behind part of an object, including narcotics, explosives, or currency.
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