X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Specific application – Absorption
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-15
2001-02-06
Bruce, David V. (Department: 2876)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Specific application
Absorption
C378S008000, C378S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185272
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various X-ray baggage scanning systems are known for detecting the presence of contraband in baggage or luggage, prior to loading the baggage onto a commercial aircraft. In recent years there has developed considerable interest in detecting explosive materials that may be hidden in baggage. Since many explosive materials may be characterized by a range of densities differentiable from that of other objects typically found in baggage, explosives are generally amenable to detection by X-ray equipment. A common technique of measuring a material's density is to expose the material to X-rays and to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the material, the absorption being indicative of the density.
With the tremendous growth of the travel industry, there has been a recent trend to automatically detect the presence of such explosive materials with X-rays. Different X-ray systems have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,547 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,758, both issued in the names of Krug et al. and assigned to Vivid Technologies of Waltham MA (hereinafter the '547 and '758 Patents), describe an X-ray line scanner for automatically scanning luggage (hereinafter the “Vivid Machine”), while U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,552, issued to Peschmann and assigned to InVision Technologies of Foster City, Calif., describes a CT scanner for automatically scanning luggage (hereinafter the “InVision Machine”).
Current Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) regulations define the requirements for certifying automated explosive detection systems and imply high sensitivity (high probability of detection) and high specificity (low probability of false alarms). Throughput is also currently defined by these regulations. The certifiable level of throughput with high sensitivity and high specificity is difficult to achieve in systems which must complete the processing of a bag while it is in the scanner, and stop the conveyor if necessary to accomplish that end.
While both the Vivid and Invision Machines are designed to automatically detect explosives, to date the Vivid Machine has not been certified by the FAA. The throughput of the Invision Machine is insufficient because it does not continuously scan bags. The belt is stopped for each bag, and a variable number of slices are acquired for each bag depending upon the contents of the bag. Therefore, it is impossible to reliably predict throughput of the machine.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the infirmities of these prior art systems.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an automatic X-ray detection system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic X-ray detection baggage scanning system capable of acquiring sufficient data at a desired data rate while an item passes through the system so as to eliminate the need to take a variable number of slices so that the conveyor can continuously transfer bags through the system without stopping the conveyor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic X-ray detection system capable of reliably providing a certifiable level of throughput with high sensitivity and high specificity.
And another object of the present invention to increase the throughput, while reducing the overall costs of an automatic X-ray detection system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved system architecture for use in such systems.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved software architecture for an automated X-ray baggage scanning system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide improved data processing techniques to meet certification requirements and yet use known multi-processor systems for processing the data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a system for automatically detecting predetermined image information contained with data representative of a scanned image of an object is described. The system comprises a system architecture including:
one or more data processes to fill shared memory with the data;
one or more detection processes to detect the presence of the predetermined image information from the data in shared memory;
one or more display processes to display information related to (a) the data and (b) the presence of the predetermined image information from the data in shared memory; and
a controller process constructed and arranged so as to support the data, detection and display processes substantially independently of one another all on the same computer system having predetermined resources so that the resources are used in an optimal timely fashion.
In one embodiment the system further includes conveying items so as to sequentially scan a plurality of objects. In another embodiment the detection processes provide detection and classification data relating to the presence or absence of the predetermined image information. In another embodiment the detection processes coordinate themselves, while in another embodiment the detection processes are controlled by a controller. In yet another embodiment access to the shared bulk memory is controlled by the controller, while in another embodiment access to the shared bulk memory is controlled by an access flag. In still another embodiment the imaging data can be stored in an archive subsystem, which can contain either non-volatile or volatile memory, or both. In another embodiment, the data is acquired from a scanner, which preferably is a CT scanner. The system can display information related to at least one CT slice, as well as associated detection data. The CT data can be displayed in the order that the detection processes are completed with respect to each scanned item, or in the order each item enters the scanner. In addition suspected objects can be marked in the displayed images, for example as synthetic projections of the items containing the objects. In another embodiment, additional information associated suspected objects detected can also be displayed. For example, suspected objects in said display information can be marked and information related to a suspected object can be linked to the marks. The information displayed can automatically change as the items move through the scanner, and the display of information related to at least one of said CT slices and associated detection data can be suspended in order to examine the display. False detection of a suspected object can be cleared by the operator. Additional information can be displayed including data representing items that are awaiting to be displayed, and/or the number of items that have been scanned; and/or identification numbers associated with such items; and/or the number of such items; and/or information regarding any items that are awaiting detection includes displaying item identification numbers associated with such items.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is capable of detecting and classifying objects contained within or concealed by items scanned by the apparatus. The detection apparatus comprises:
at least one CT x-ray scanner constructed and arranged so as to generate CT data representative of a plurality of CT slices of a scanned item;
a communication subsystem in communication with the CT x-ray scanner;
a detection and classification subsystem constructed and arranged so as to process CT data and provide detection and classification data related to the absence or the suspected presence of detected objects associated with one or more CT slices of a scanned item;
a bulk shared memory comprising a plurality of memory slots constructed to store CT data and detection and classification data related to the detection and classification of suspected objects derived from the CT data; and
a control subsystem cooperative with (1) the
Bechwati Ibrahim M.
Crawford Carl R.
Hiraoglu Muzaffer
Simanovsky Sergey
Analogic Corporation
Bruce David V.
McDermott & Will & Emery
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