Patents Assigned to GE Homeland Protection, Inc.
-
Patent number: 7483511Abstract: A method of determining a presence of items of interest within a cargo container is disclosed. The method includes obtaining information from an initial radiation scan of at least one of the cargo container and contents therein, identifying a target portion of the cargo container in response to the information obtained, transmitting a target radiation beam along the target portion of the cargo container, and detecting radiation received in response to the transmitting. The method further includes analyzing the detected radiation for a presence of items of interest, and in response to the analyzing, generating a first signal indicative of the presence of the items of interest, or generating a second signal indicative of an absence of the items of interest.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2007Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Bendahan, William Joseph Kelly, Forrest Frank Hopkins
-
Patent number: 7463721Abstract: A secondary collimator for an X-ray scattering device with horizontal plates and vertical plates arranged perpendicular thereto, the vertical plates being arranged parallel to one another and being inclined by a pre-determinable scattering angle to a transmission direction of an X-ray beam, and the horizontal plates being aligned fan-shaped onto a single point, namely to the X-ray source, and the horizontal plates with the vertical plates forming a rectangular grid with the vertical plates and being combined to form a collimator unit. Moreover, the invention relates to an X-ray scattering device for baggage check with an X-ray source, with a primary collimator which only lets through a fan beam, with a secondary collimator for projecting an area of an item of luggage and with a scattering detector, the secondary collimator being arranged between the item of luggage to be examined and the scattering detector and being developed as mentioned above.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey Harding, Helmut Strecker, Dirk Kosciesza, Stephan Olesinski
-
Patent number: 7456393Abstract: A device is provided for testing surfaces of a card for the presence of explosives, drugs or other substances of interest. The device includes a slot for receiving the card. Thin metallic wiper blades are dispose in alignment with the slot and wipe over surfaces of the card as the card is passed through the slot. Thus, substances on the surface of the card are transferred to the wiper blade. The wiper blade then is enclosed and rapidly heated to desorb the material retrieved from the card. The enclosure then is placed in communication with a detector to test for the presence of substances of interest.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2004Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Joseph D. Napoli
-
Patent number: 7448248Abstract: The calibration tool is provided for use with a detector, such as a detector for detecting trace amounts of one or more substances of interest. The calibration tool includes a body with at least one reservoir for retaining the calibration solution therein. A nib projects from the body and communicates with the reservoir. The nib can be wiped across a detection surface and the detection surface then may be presented to a detector. The detector then can be calibrated for the particular substance of interest in the calibration solution. The calibration tool may include plural reservoirs isolated from one another and plural nibs for applying the calibration solution to a detection surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection Inc.Inventors: Loucinda Carey, Kurt Bistany
-
Patent number: 7443958Abstract: The invention relates to an electron window 1 for a liquid-metal anode 2 in the form of a membrane 4. It is provided according to the invention that the electron window 1 has ridges 10 and depressions 11. In addition, the invention relates to a liquid-metal anode 2 into which such an electron window 1 according to the invention is inserted. The invention further relates to an X-radiator which has a liquid-metal anode 2 according to the invention. The invention also relates to a method for operating a liquid-metal anode 2 in which, during the production of X-radiation, stronger turbulence 5 is produced in the flow of the liquid metal below the electron window 1 at the ridges 10.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2005Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
-
Patent number: 7439682Abstract: A circuit for driving the current for inductive loads such as a electron beam deflection coil for an x-ray generator system. The circuit includes two selectable voltage levels which are provided by a high level voltage source and a low level voltage source or, alternatively, by a low level voltage source and a boosting converter. A plurality of switches for selecting the voltage source allow only one voltage source to be connected to the load at any given time, and for selecting the polarity of the current through the coil. The high level voltage source is selected when the load is charging or discharging. The low level voltage source is selected when the load is operating in a constant current mode, where a high frequency switching device uses the low level voltage source to generate a pulse width modulation waveform according to a reference current duty cycle to control the voltage across the load.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2007Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Antonio Caiafa, Juan Antonio Sabate
-
Patent number: 7411670Abstract: A photonic crystal based collection probe is provided. The probe includes a photonic crystal configured to guide and condition a beam of Raman scattered photons. Further, the device includes a spectrograph in optical communication with the photonic crystal and configured to receive Raman scattering from the photonic crystal. The device may be employed in a Raman spectrometer system.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2006Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Anis Zribi, Ayan Banerjee, Shivappa Ningappa Goravar, Shankar (nmn) Chandrasekaran, Sandip Maity, Glenn Scott Claydon, Stacey Joy Kennerly, Todd Ryan Tolliver, David Cecil Hays, Sheila Neumann Tandon, Long Que, Christopher Fred Keimel
-
Patent number: 7409039Abstract: A nonintrusive inspection apparatus is described of the kind having a base frame, an elongated shield on the base frame, a conveyor belt passing through the shield which is used for transporting closed containers, and a rotating CT scanner subsystem which is used for scanning the container on the conveyor belt. The CT scanner subsystem is mounted through the shield to the base frame. The shield provides sufficient rigidity for the CT scanner subsystem. A cover is positioned over the CT scanner subsystem, but only over a portion of the shield, thereby allowing for a person on one side of the shield to see a person on an opposite side of the shield.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2004Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Andrew J. Banchieri, David E. Kresse
-
Patent number: 7406192Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the change in position of an item of luggage in order to examine a suspect region in this item of luggage.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2004Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Armin Schmiegel, Helmut Strecker
-
Patent number: 7388206Abstract: A method and apparatus for discriminating the types of radiation interacting with an integrated radiation detector having of a pulse-mode operating photosensor which is optically coupled to a gamma-ray scintillator sensor and a neutron scintillator sensor and uses an analog to digital converter (ADC) and a charge to digital converter (QDC) to determine scintillation decay times and classify radiation interactions by radiation type. The pulse processing provides for, among other things, faithful representation of the true energy spectrum of the gamma radiation field and allows for radioisotope identification by searching for the presence of characteristic energy lines in the gamma energy spectrum. The pulse shape discrimination method ensures that the high sensitivity and resolution of the isotope identification function is not affected during operation in mixed neutron-gamma fields.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2006Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Adrian Ivan
-
Patent number: 7368719Abstract: Disclosed herein are scintillating materials, methods for their manufacture, and method for their use. In one embodiment, a scintillator comprises the formula A2LnBX6, wherein A comprises thallium (Tl), a Group IA element, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing, Ln comprises cerium, B comprises a Group IA element, and X comprises iodine (I) or an iodine compound, wherein the iodine compound comprises iodine (I) and an element selected from the group consisting of fluoride (F), chloride (Cl), bromide (Br), and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. Also disclosed are radiation detectors and methods for their use.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Alok Mani Srivastava, Steven Jude Duclos, Holly Ann Comanzo, Sergio Paulo Martins Loureiro
-
Patent number: 7355703Abstract: A lateral flow device is disclosed. The lateral flow device includes a substrate having a flow path and a detection zone disposed along the flow path. The detection zone includes an immobilized target-binding moiety directed against a target of a Raman-active complex. A portion of the detection zone has a dimension that is less than another dimension of the lateral flow device upflow from the detection zone or a first region of the detection zone has a chemical difference from a second region of the detection zone. Also disclosed are methods of conducting a lateral flow assay and methods of making a lateral flow device.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Frank John Mondello
-
Patent number: 7338638Abstract: The invention is directed to a trap material use in a chemical trace detection portal for detecting trace amounts of contraband, and more particularly for detecting vapors and particles emitted from drugs and explosive devices. The trap material is made of a metallic foam material, such as aluminum foam metal, copper foam metal, stainless steel foam metal, or a silica-carbon foam metal, which have high thermoconductivity and reduced density, as compared to conventional trap materials, thereby ensuring that the internal temperature of the subject trap rapidly achieves the temperature required during desorbing of the trace materials.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2003Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: William J. McGann, Kevin J. Perry, Sherry L. Lepine
-
Patent number: 7327137Abstract: An inspection system positions a balancing shim to asymmetrically balance a magnetic field generated by an inductive sensor, which forms part of the inspection system. Additionally, relays and capacitors used to tune the inductive sensor to a desired resonance frequency are geometrically arranged to minimize electrical interference generated by operation of the relays and capacitors. A shielding device, which may be formed on a printed circuit board, protects a magnetic field generated by the inductive sensor from external electromagnetic interference. A slot positioned in the inductive sensor may be used to tune a resonant mode of the inductive sensor to accurately and particularly detect metallic shanks and/or other metallic objects in shoes, socks, and/or clothing.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Crowley, Michael Urbach, Oscar Mitchell, Kevin Derby, Adam Drew
-
Patent number: 7327092Abstract: A circuit for driving the current for inductive loads such as an electron beam deflection coil for an x-ray generator system. The circuit includes two selectable voltage levels provided by a high level and a low level source. A plurality of switches selects the voltage level and determines the polarity of the current through the coil. The high level source is selected when the load is charging or discharging. The low level source is selected when the load is operating in a constant current mode, where a high frequency switching device controls the voltage through the load by switching the low level source to generate a PWM waveform according to a reference current duty cycle. A feedback loop monitors the current through the load to adjust the duty cycle of the PWM waveform to more accurately control the current through the load.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2005Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Antonio Caiafa, Juan Antonio Sabate
-
Patent number: 7324627Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the momentum transfer spectrum of elastically scattered X-ray quanta includes an anode having a focus extended in Y-direction which emits X-radiation in the X-direction, a primary collimator extending in the Y-direction which allows through only X-radiation aimed at a single isocenter, wherein the isocenter is the originating point of a Cartesian coordinates system, an examination area, a scatter collimator arranged between said examination area and the isocenter and configured to allow through only scattered radiation from an object introduced in said examination area, wherein the radiation is emitted at a fixed angle of scatter (?), and a detector. The X-component of a scatter voxel of the object is imaged onto the Z-component of the detector, and the detector is located in the Y-Z plane, distanced from the Z-axis, and developed as a two-dimensional pixellated detector having a plurality of energy-resolving detector elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
-
Patent number: 7283613Abstract: A method of measuring a momentum transfer spectrum of elastically scattered X-ray quanta which emanate from a scatter voxel inside an object to be examined is described. A scatter voxel emits X-radiation in an X-direction and has a primary collimator which allows through only primary radiation aimed at a single isocentre at the origin of a Cartesian coordinates system. The X-ray quanta are emitted at an angle of scatter (?) with a constant Z-component (?z). The method includes simultaneous recording of the energy spectrum of scatter quanta from the scatter voxel at different angles of scatter (?) with a spatially-resolving and energy-resolving detector in the Y-Z plane, determining the momentum transfer from the geometric data of the radioscopy unit for different angles of scatter (?), and combining respective diffraction profiles belonging to different angles of scatter (?) to produce a total-diffraction profile.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
-
Patent number: 7233644Abstract: A high speed computed tomography x-ray scanner using a plurality of x-ray generators. Each x-ray generator is scanned along a source path that is a segment of the scanner's source path such that each point in the source path is scanned by at least one tube. X-ray generators and detectors can be arranged in different scan planes depending on the available hardware so that a complete and near planar scan of a moving object can be assembled and reconstructed into an image of the object.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: GE Homeland Protection, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Bendahan, Walter I Garms