Patents Assigned to Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
  • System and method for trace detection using dual ionization sources
    Patent number: 9952179
    Abstract: A dual source ionizer includes a first ionization source and a second ionization source. The first ionization source is configured to generate a first electric field. The first electric field has a first field strength that is insufficient to form NOx? ions. The second ionization source is configured to generate a second electric field. The second electric field has a second field strength that is sufficient to form ozone and the NOx? ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrey N. Vilkov, Jack A. Syage
  • Inspection systems with two X-ray scanners in a first stage inspection system
    Patent number: 9915752
    Abstract: This invention is directed towards finding, locating, and confirming threat items and substances. The inspection system is designed to detect objects that are made from, but not limited to, special nuclear materials (“SNM”) and/or high atomic number materials. The system employs advanced image processing techniques to analyze images of an object under inspection (“OUI”), which includes, but is not limited to baggage, parcels, vehicles and cargo, and fluorescence detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristian R. Peschmann
  • Ultra wide band detectors
    Patent number: 9891314
    Abstract: An ultra-wide band microwave based personnel/passenger screening system, and in particular, a system for material specific detection, uses non-ionizing radiation in which focused beams of low intensity microwave radiation are projected in rapid succession at an individual as they walk through a portal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward James Morton, Anthony J. Peyton
  • Methods for improving processing speed for object inspection
    Patent number: 9880314
    Abstract: The present specification describes methods and systems for inspecting objects by means of penetrating radiation where objects are conveyed through the penetrating radiation and subsequent images of objects are reviewed by an operator. Specifically, the present specification describes a system that decouples the synchronization between cessation of image generation on the display and image acquisition through conveyance of the article. Further, the present specification discloses methods for compensating for image acquisition inefficiencies involving article separation by the queuing conveyor and the post-stop back belt process, resulting in throughput enhancement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Pfander, Ronald James Hughes
  • Simultaneous image distribution and archiving
    Patent number: 9870150
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a storage system for enabling the substantially concurrent storage and access of data that has three dimensional images processed to identify a presence of a threat item. The system includes a source of data, a temporary storage memory for receiving and temporarily storing the data, a long term storage, and multiple workstations adapted to display three dimensional images. The temporary storage memory is adapted to support multiple file input/output operations executing substantially concurrently, including the receiving of data, transmitting of data to workstations, and transmitting of data to long term storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix YaikNan Liu, Zhongming Wu, Benny Taiklin Wong, Ron Jeppesen
  • Dual mode X-ray vehicle scanning system
    Patent number: 9835756
    Abstract: A variable mode X-ray transmission system is provided that can be operated in low or high dose rate modes depending upon the area or portion of the vehicle to be screened. In one embodiment, variable dose rate is achieved by use of a novel collimator. The systems disclosed in this application enable the scanning of a vehicle cab portion (occupied by people, such as a driver) at low dose rate, which is safe for human beings, while allowing the scanning of the cargo portion (unoccupied by people) at a high dose rate. Rapid switching from low dose rate to high dose rate operating mode is provided, while striking a balance between high material penetration for cargo portion and low intensity exposure that is safe for occupants in the cab portion of the inspected vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • X-ray scanner with partial energy discriminating detector array
    Patent number: 9823383
    Abstract: The present specification describes a scanning/inspection system configured as a dual-view system using dual-energy sensitive stacked detectors that are partially populated with multi-energy discriminating detectors for overall enhanced energy resolution and therefore improved discrimination of materials through better estimation of material physical properties such as density and effective atomic number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerard Andrew Hanley
  • Combined scatter and transmission multi-view imaging system
    Patent number: 9823201
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a multi-view X-ray inspection system having, in one of several embodiments, a three-view configuration with three X-ray sources. Each X-ray source rotates and is configured to emit a rotating X-ray pencil beam and at least two detector arrays, where each detector array has multiple non-pixellated detectors such that at least a portion of the non-pixellated detectors are oriented toward both the two X-ray sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Drive-through scanning systems
    Patent number: 9817151
    Abstract: A drive-through scanning system comprises a radiation generating means arranged to generate radiation at two different energy levels and direct it towards a scanning volume, detection means arranged to detect the radiation after it has passed through the scanning volume, and control means arranged to identify a part of a vehicle within the scanning volume, to allocate the part of the vehicle to one of a plurality of categories, and to control the radiation generating means and to select one or more of the energy levels depending on the category to which the part of the vehicle is allocated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Portable security inspection system
    Patent number: 9791590
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a radiographic inspection system for screening an area. The inspection system has a container that defines an enclosed volume, a radiation source positioned within the enclosed volume, a detector array, a movable structure attached to a portion of the base of the container, and a controller programmed to move the movable structure to achieve an optimum height of the radiation source's field of view based upon a plurality of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Systems and methods for automated, rapid detection of high-atomic-number materials
    Patent number: 9772426
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an inspection system that has a radiation source, a detector array, an inspection region, and a processing unit, where the processing unit a) obtains a radiographic image, b) segments the radiographic image based on radiation attenuation or transmission, c) identifies at least one segmented area on the radiographic image, d) filters the at least one segmented area using at least one geometric filter, e) generates feature vectors using the filtered segmented area; and f) compares the feature vectors against predefined values to determine whether a high-atomic-number object is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Armistead, Jr., William Chang, Edward D. Franco, Joseph Bendahan, Jolyon A. Browne
  • Imaging, data acquisition, data transmission, and data distribution methods and systems for high data rate tomographic X-ray scanners
    Patent number: 9747705
    Abstract: The present invention is an X-ray system having a source-detector module, which includes X-ray sources and detectors, for scanning an object being inspected, a scan engine coupled to the source-detector module for collecting scan data from the source detector module, an image reconstruction engine coupled to the scan engine for converting the collected scan data into one or more X-ray images, and a scan controller coupled with at least one of the source detector module, the scan engine, and the image reconstruction engine optimize operations of the X-ray system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Systems and methods for the automatic detection of lithium batteries in cargo, baggage, parcels, and other containers
    Patent number: 9733385
    Abstract: The present specification discloses methods for scanning objects for the presence of lithium batteries. Normalized transmission X-ray data is used to generate organic, effective Z, and attenuation-based images. These images are then segmented using a combination of thresholding and region growing techniques to identify regions of interest. The regions are classified as lithium batteries or other objects, based on characteristics such as area of the region, its organic intensity, Zeff number, shape, spatial arrangement and texture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ed Franco, Ling Tang, Jing Ye Shea, Minyang Huang, Jolyon Browne
  • Optimization of the source firing pattern for X-ray scanning systems
    Patent number: 9726619
    Abstract: The present application discloses a computed tomography system having non-rotating X-ray sources that are programmed to optimize the source firing pattern. In one embodiment, the CT system is a fast cone-beam CT scanner which uses a fixed ring of multiple sources and fixed rings of detectors in an offset geometry. It should be appreciated that the source firing pattern is effectuated by a controller, which implements methods to determine a source firing pattern that are adapted to geometries where the X-ray sources and detector geometry are offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Thompson, William Robert Breckon Lionheart, Edward James Morton
  • Detector systems
    Patent number: 9714920
    Abstract: A detection system comprising a plurality of magnetic field generators and a plurality of magnetic field detectors located adjacent to a detection area, and a control system arranged to generate magnetic field using the generators, and, for each of the generators, to make measurements of the magnetic field generated using each of the detectors, and processing means arranged to process the measurements to generate a data set characterizing the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: RAPISCAN SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: William Robert Breckon Lionheart, Anthony Peyton, Xiandong Ma
  • Scanner systems
    Patent number: 9688517
    Abstract: A crane including support means arranged to support a load and to move the load along a path, and a scanner including a radiation source and radiation detection means arranged to scan a scanning volume. The path is arranged to pass through the scanning volume so that the scanner can scan the load as it moves along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • X-ray scanning system
    Patent number: 9675306
    Abstract: This specification discloses methods and systems for generating a stereo image of an object that is positioned within an imaging volume. The object is positioned within the imaging volume. Two stationary X-ray source points are selected and activated. X-rays from both stationary X-ray source points are transmitted through the object being scanned and detected using detector elements positioned across the imaging volume and opposite the stationary X-ray source points. Image data sets from the X-rays detected by the detector elements are generated and then combined to produce the stereo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Miniaturized ion mobility spectrometer
    Patent number: 9646811
    Abstract: By utilizing the combination of a unique electronic ion injection control circuit in conjunction with a particularly designed drift cell construction, the instantly disclosed ion mobility spectrometer achieves increased levels of sensitivity, while achieving significant reductions in size and weight. The instant IMS is of a much simpler and easy to manufacture design, rugged and hermetically sealed, capable of operation at high temperatures to at least 250° C., and is uniquely sensitive, particularly to explosive chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William J Kaye, Robert M. Stimac
  • X-ray scanners and X-ray sources therefor
    Patent number: 9638646
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an X-ray scanner that has an electron source and an anode. The anode has a target surface with a series of material areas spaced along it in a scanning direction. The material areas are formed from different materials. The electron source is arranged to direct electrons at a series of target areas of the target surface, in a predetermined order, so as to generate X-ray beams having different energy spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • X-ray inspection system that integrates manifest data with imaging/detection processing
    Patent number: 9632206
    Abstract: The present specification discloses systems and methods for integrating manifest data for cargo and light vehicles with their X-ray images generated during scanning. Manifest data is automatically imported into the system for each shipment, and helps the security personnel to quickly determine the contents of cargo. In case of a mismatch between cargo contents shown by manifest data and the X-ray images, the cargo may be withheld for further inspection. In one embodiment, the process of analyzing the X-ray image of the cargo in conjunction with the manifest data is automated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shehul Sailesh Parikh, Balamurugan Sankaranarayaran, Jeffrey Bryan Abel, Siva Kumar, Joseph Bendahan