Abstract: Among other things, a data communication system wirelessly transmits data between a stator and a movable unit (e.g., a rotor) as part of a computed tomography (CT) imaging modality. The data communication system includes a first magnetic portion including a first magnetic material. The first magnetic portion extends along a first axis. The data communication system includes a first conductive portion including an electrically conductive material. The first conductive portion is at least partially surrounded by the first magnetic portion. The first conductive portion extends along a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis. The first conductive portion will at least one of generate an electromagnetic field corresponding to data to be transmitted, or have induced therein a current based upon a received electromagnetic field, where the current is a function of the data to be transmitted.

Abstract: A digitally controlled amplifier (DCA) has a drive (e.g., bipolar junction) transistor with a base to accept an input signal and a collector to supply an output signal. The DCA also includes n switchable gain amplifier networks (SGANs). Each SGAN has a signal input connected to the collector of the drive transistor, an input to accept a logic signal, and a signal output to supply a switchable gain AC output signal to a load in response to the logic signal. The SGAN signal outputs are connected together, typically in parallel, to supply a digitally controlled AC output gain. An auxiliary SGAN may be connected to supply a constant gain AC output signal. Each of the SGANs may have an identical switchable AC gain and accept an independent logic signal to supply (n+1) levels of digitally controlled AC output gain.

Abstract: Devices and methods are presented for supplying logic gate signals with a data-independent delay. The method provides a logic gate comprising a pull-up network connected to a pull-down network. The method supplies binary level digital data input signals to the pull-up network and pull-down network, which may be either single-ended or complementary. The pull-up network and pull-down network regulate current through the logic gate with a delay and impedance independent of the data signals. As a result, the logic gate supplies binary level digital logic output signals in response to the data input signals, with a uniform delay. For example, the logic gates may be one of the following: NOR gate, NAND gate, AND gate, or OR gate.

Abstract: Devices and methods are presented for supplying logic gate signals with a data-independent delay. The method provides a logic gate comprising a pull-up network connected to a pull-down network. The method supplies binary level digital data input signals to the pull-up network and pull-down network, which may be either single-ended or complementary. The pull-up network and pull-down network regulate current through the logic gate with a delay and impedance independent of the data signals. As a result, the logic gate supplies binary level digital logic output signals in response to the data input signals, with a uniform delay. For example, the logic gates may be one of the following: NOR gate, NAND gate, AND gate, or OR gate.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an intra-procedure image of a region of interest of an object. The intra-procedure image includes a representation of an instrument in the object. The method further includes identifying a location of the instrument in the object in the intra-procedure image. The method further includes combining the intra-procedure image with a pre-procedure image of the region of interest. The pre-procedure image includes a planned trajectory for the instrument from a surface of the object to a target in the object and segmented structure(s) to be avoided by the instrument during the procedure. The method further includes segmenting the same structure(s) in the intra-procedure image relative to the instrument using the segmented structure(s) in the pre-procedure image. The method further includes computing a risk of the instrument contacting the structure(s) along the trajectory with the identified location, the trajectory, and the segmented structure(s) in the intra-procedure image.

Abstract: A sample-and-hold circuit is presented that is current driven at the input and current sensed at the output, using two capacitors—one at the input to the ground and second past a pair of complementary CMOS switches at the output to the ground. These capacitors in connection with an input current drive form a highpass noise transfer function that substantially reduces the 1/f noise of the switches and then rolls the transfer function off, further reducing the noise. The overall noise level is significantly lower as compared to a conventional voltage-driven and voltage-sensed sample-and-hold circuit that has a lowpass transfer function which, after integration, demonstrates a noise limit of kT/C. Depending on the circuit parameters the present sample-and-hold circuit shows an integrated noise improvement of between 5 and 10 dB over kT/C limit.

Abstract: A sample processing system includes a sample carrier support configured to concurrently support multiple sample carriers in series, each sample carries carrying a respective sample to be processed. The apparatus also includes a plurality of processing stations located at different positions along the sample carry support, each processing station configured to perform a different processing act of a plurality of processing acts to be performed on each sample. The apparatus further includes a support mover that moves the sample support and hence the sample carriers sequentially from processing station to processing station for processing.

Abstract: A diffraction system configured to generate a diffraction signature based upon an angular disbursement of radiation is provided. In some embodiments, the diffraction system comprises a radiation source comprising a radiographic isotope configured to natural emit radiation due to decay. In some embodiment, the diffraction system is part of an object identification system that comprises one or more other radiation imaging modalities, such as a CT system and/or a line-scan system. By way of example, the one or more other radiation imaging modalities may perform an initial examination of an object to generate data indicative of the object. The data can be analyzed to identify an item of interest within the object, which can subsequently be examined by the diffraction system to generate a diffraction signature of the item. The diffraction signature of the item can be compared to known diffraction signatures of know items to characterize the item.

Abstract: Among other things, one or more systems and/or techniques are described for shaping a profile of radiation attenuation in a fan-angle direction via a pre-object filter (e.g., a bowtie filter) based upon a profile of an object. For example, a pre-object filter may be at least partially rotated about a filter axis and/or may be translated in a direction parallel to a direction of conveyance of the object under examination to adjust a profile of radiation attenuation in the fan-angle direction. Further, in one embodiment, the profile of radiation attenuation may be reshaped during rotation of the radiation source about the object to adjust an amount of radiation attenuation in the fan-angle direction (e.g., to adjust a profile of radiation attenuation as a shape of the object changes from a perspective of a radiation source as the radiation source is rotated about the object).

Abstract: A detector array for a radiation system includes a radiation detection sub-assembly, a routing sub-assembly, and an electronics sub-assembly. The routing sub-assembly is disposed between the radiation detection sub-assembly and the electronics sub-assembly and includes one or more layers of shielding material. For example, the routing sub-assembly may include a printed circuit board having embedded therein a shielding material configured to shield the electronics sub-assembly from at least some radiation. In some embodiments, the shielding material defines at least one opening through which a conductive element(s) passes to deliver signals between the radiation detection sub-assembly and the electronics sub-assembly.

Abstract: Among other things, an electronics assembly within an imaging system is provided. The electronics assembly includes a circuit board assembly through which a signal is delivered. The circuit board assembly defines a heat transfer opening between a first side and a second side. An electronics component is electrically coupled to the first side of the circuit board assembly. A heat transfer component supports the electronics component. The heat transfer component includes a base portion coupled to the electronics component and to the circuit board assembly. The heat transfer component includes a heat dissipation portion extending through the heat transfer opening of the circuit board assembly. The heat dissipation portion dissipates heat generated by the electronics component.

Abstract: A transport apparatus of an X-ray inspection system includes an inspection region with an entrance and an exit. The transport apparatus further includes a loading region disposed at the entrance of the inspection region, the loading region. The loading region includes a first set of X-ray attenuating curtains and a first curtain mover, which moves the curtains of the first set of X-ray attenuating curtains into and out of the loading region between areas that support objects for inspection. The transport apparatus further includes a conveyor device which moves an object for inspection residing in one of the areas from the loading region to the inspection region for inspection.

Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for calibration of a radiation system to compute a gain correction(s) are provided. A calibration procedure is performed during which a portion of the detector array is shadowed by an object, causing the detector array to be non-uniformly exposed to radiation. A portion of a projection generated from the calibration procedure and indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object is separated from a portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did traverse the object, and a gain correction(s) is computed from the portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object (e.g., and is thus indicative of radiation that merely traversed air).

Abstract: Among other things, a tire inspection system and method are provided. A radiation source and a detector array are configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. During a first examination of a tire, the tire has a first orientation relative to the axis of rotation, and during a second examination, the tire has a second orientation relative to the axis of rotation. For example, between the first examination and the second examination, the tire is at least one of shifted with respect to the axis of rotation or rotated about a tire rotation axis (e.g., perpendicular to the axis of rotation) to change the orientation of the tire relative to the axis of rotation. In this manner, imagery of the tire may be developed, which can be inspected to identify irregularities, etc., in the tire, for example.

Abstract: A receiving antenna for wirelessly receiving data between a stator of a computed tomography (CT) imaging modality and a rotor of the CT imaging modality is provided. The rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The receiving antenna includes a dielectric portion and a conductive portion coupled to the dielectric portion. A second surface of the conductive portion extends between a first end and a second end along a conductive axis that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis. The second surface of the conductive portion has a first length at a first length location along a first length axis that is substantially parallel to the conductive axis. The second surface of the conductive portion has a second length at a second length location along a second length axis that is substantially parallel to the conductive axis. The first length is different than the second length.

Abstract: Among other things, a detector unit for a radiation detector array is provided. The detector unit includes a radiation detection sub-assembly including a scintillator and a photodetector array. A first routing layer is coupled to the photodetector array of the radiation detection sub-assembly at a first surface of the routing layer. An electronics assembly includes an analog-to-digital converter that converts an analog signal to a digital signal. A second routing layer is disposed between the A/D converter and the first routing layer. A shielding element is disposed between the A/D converter and the second routing layer. The shielding element shields the A/D converter from the radiation photons. The second routing layer couples the electronics sub-assembly to the first routing layer. A first coupling element couples the A/D converter to the second routing layer.

Abstract: A radiation system includes a first rotating unit that rotates about a first axis of rotation. The first rotating unit includes a first radiation source that generates radiation within a first radiation spectrum. The radiation system includes a second rotating unit that rotates about a second axis of rotation. The second rotating unit includes a detector array that detects at least a portion of the radiation generated by the first radiation source. The first and second rotating units may rotate, synchronously, asynchronously, at the same speed and/or at different speeds relative to one another.

Abstract: Among other things, a detection assembly of a radiation detector system is provided. In some embodiments, the detection assembly comprises a plurality of detector elements. Respective detector elements include a scintillator array, a photodetector array supporting the scintillator array on a first side of the photodetector array, and an electrical contact disposed on a second side of the photodetector array. In some embodiments, the detection assembly includes a printed circuit board. The electrical contact of respective detector elements is bonded to the printed circuit board to physically and electrically couple respective detector elements to the printed circuit board. A method of fabricating a detection assembly of a radiation detector system is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an RF power amplifier with a controller and an impedance matching network. The RF power amplifier is configured to drive a load in electrical communication with the RF power amplifier. The impedance matching network is located electrically between the RF power amplifier and the load. The impedance matching network is configured to match an output impedance of the RF power amplifier and an impedance of the load. The impedance matching network includes a set of fixed value impedance matching circuits configured to provide different discrete values. The RF amplifier includes a variable DC power supply powering RF transistors to result in a variable output impedance for the amplifier. The controller selects an impedance matching circuit of the capacitor presets and/or the right setting for the variable DC supply that result in minimum reflected power to match the output impedance of the amplifier to the output load impedance.

Abstract: A multi-zone analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided that includes a track-and-hold (T/H) stage having a bandwidth of L Hertz (Hz) to accept an analog input signal, a clock input to accept a clock signal with a clock frequency of P Hz, and N deinterleaved signal outputs with a combined bandwidth of M Hz. N×(P/2)=M, L>Q×M, and Q is an integer >1. The T/H stage is able to sample an analog input signal in the Qth Nyquist Zone, where Q is an integer. A quantizer stage has N interleaved signal inputs connected to corresponding T/H stage signal outputs, a clock input to accept the clock signal, and an output to supply a digital output signal having a bandwidth of M Hz. A packaging interface typically connects the T/H stage to the quantizer stage, and has a bandwidth less than the clock frequency.