Patents Assigned to Science & Engineering, Inc.
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Patent number: 7555099Abstract: An X-ray imaging inspection system for bags and packages. Transmission imaging is performed using a fan beam and a segmented detector, while scatter imaging is performed with a scanned pencil beam, with both beams active simultaneously. Cross-talk between the beams is mitigated by a combination of shielding, scatter detector design, positioning and orientation, and image processing. Image processing subtracts the measured radiation scattered from the transmission beam into the scatter detectors, reducing cross-talk.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2007Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Peter J. Rothschild, Jeffrey R. Schubert, Aaron D. Pailes
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Patent number: 7551718Abstract: Methods for characterizing an inspected object on the basis of attenuation determined from pair-wise illuminated voxels. A beam of penetrating radiation characterized by a propagation direction and an energy distribution is scanned across an object, while scatter detectors with collimated fields-of-view detect radiation scattered by each voxel of the inspected object that is intercepted by the incident beam of penetrating radiation. By calculating the attenuation of penetrating radiation between pairs of voxels of incidence of the incident beam, a tomographic image is obtained characterizing the three-dimensional distribution of attenuation in the object of one or more energies of penetrating radiation, and thus of various material characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Peter J. Rothschild
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Patent number: 7551714Abstract: A system and methods for identifying contents of an enclosure such as an air cargo container. A three-dimensional image indicative of at least one of the CT number and the density of contents of the enclosure is obtained using penetrating radiation such as x-rays. If one or more suspect regions are identified among contents of the enclosure, a collimated neutron beam is activated to traverse each suspect region and fluorescent emission from the suspect region is detected, allowing material within the suspect region to be characterized based at least on the detected fluorescent emission. Additionally, the collimated neutron beam may be employed for neutron imaging of the contents of the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Peter J. Rothschild
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Patent number: 7551715Abstract: Systems and methods for inspecting an object with a scanned beam of penetrating radiation are disclosed. Scattered radiation from the beam is detected, in either the backward or forward direction. Characteristic values of the backscattered radiation are compared to expected reference values to characterize the object. Additionally, penetrating radiation transmitted through the inspected object may be combined with scatter information. In certain embodiments, the inspected field of view is less than 0.1 steradians, and the detector is separate from the source of penetrating radiation and is disposed, with respect to the object, such as to subtend greater than 0.5 steradians in the field of view of the object.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2006Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Peter Rothschild, Jeffrey Schubert, William J. Baukus, William Wade Sapp, Jr., Richard Schueller, Joseph Callerame, William Randall Cason
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Patent number: 7538325Abstract: An x-ray inspection system for identifying fissile material includes one or more sources of penetrating radiation that generate first, second, and third instantaneous spectra where the object is exposed to the second only if there is no penetration of the first and the object is exposed to the third only if there is no penetration of the second. Further, the source of the second and the third spectra is a source adapted to provide single pulses. Consequently, ambient levels of radiation may be held below cabinet levels while identifying objects containing fissile material.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Andrey V. Mishin, William Wade Sapp, Jr., Peter Rothschild
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Publication number: 20090116617Abstract: An apparatus and method for inspecting personnel or their effects. A first and second carriage each carries a source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation incident on a subject. A positioner provides for synchronized relative motion of each carriage vis-à-vis the subject in a direction having a vertical component. A detector receives radiation produced by at least one of the sources after the radiation interacts with the subject.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2008Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventors: Richard Mastronardi, Dean Fleury, Jeffrey R. Schubert, Joseph DiMare, Richard Schueller, Alexander Chalmers
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Publication number: 20090103686Abstract: An inspection system based on penetrating radiation in which the field of view of a scan may be varied. First and second primary limiting apertures are provided for interposition between a source of penetrating radiation and an inspected object. This allows for significantly increasing the flux of penetrating radiation on this narrowed region of interest, thereby advantageously improving detectability. The relative position of the source with respect to either the first or the second aperture may be varied, in a direction either along, or transverse to, a normal to the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventor: Peter J. Rothschild
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Patent number: 7505562Abstract: A system and methods are provided for imaging an object, based on activating an array of discrete X-ray sources in a prescribed temporal pattern so as to illuminate the object with a beam varying in spatial orientation, and detecting X-rays of the beam after interaction with the object and generating a detector signal. An image of the object may then be constructed on the basis of the time variation of the detector signal. The discrete X-ray sources may be moved during the course of inspection, moreover, the prescribed temporal pattern may constitute a Hadamard code. The discrete sources may be carbon nanotube x-ray sources.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Dan-Cristian Dinca, Richard Mastronardi, Peter J. Rothschild
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Patent number: 7505556Abstract: An inspection system based upon an imaging enclosure characterized by an enclosing body, or skin. A source of penetrating radiation and a spatial modulator for forming the penetrating radiation into a beam, are both concealed entirely within the body of an enclosure such as a shipping container for convenient operational deployment. Multiple modules, such as for providing power and for enclosing an operator console may be coupled to the imaging enclosure. An image is formed of the contents of the object based in part on the scatter signal and the relative motion signal. A detector, which may be separate or part of the scatter detector module, may exhibit sensitivity to decay products of radioactive material.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2006Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Alex Chalmers, Louis W. Perich, Peter Rothschild, William John Baukus
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Publication number: 20080310591Abstract: A system and method for inspecting an object with multiple sources of substantially coplanar penetrating radiation. Irradiation of the inspected object by the sources is temporally sequenced such that the source of detected scattered radiation is unambiguous. Thus, multiple views of the inspected object may be obtained and image quality may be enhanced.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2008Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventor: W. Randall Cason
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Patent number: 7435080Abstract: A system and method for providing continuous measurement and control of a combustion device by altering the fuel composition delivered thereto. The system includes devices for sensing related information, such as fuel characteristics, combustion characteristics, or other device characteristics, and controlling the performance of the combustion device based on the sensed information. Performance control occurs via addition of one or more additives to the fuel to adjust combustion characteristics. Via such sensing and performance control, consistent combustion device performance may be maintained, despite varying fuel characteristics. In one variation, sensing occurs for the fuel delivered to the combustion device, and one or more additives are added to the fuel, based on the composition and flow rate for the fuel.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2005Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Combustion Science & Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Joklik, Richard J. Roby, Michael S. Klassen, John L. Battaglioli, Andrew J. Hamer, Diwakar Vashishat
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Publication number: 20080211431Abstract: A method and apparatus for modulating at least one of energy and current of an electron beam in a linac for fast switching of particle beam energy on a time scale comparable with, and shorter than, the interval between linac pulses. Such modulation may be achieved by dividing, in a coupler, a radio-frequency (RF) field into field components and coherently adding these components in a phase shifting section to selectively direct the RF field to a chosen section of the linac. The phase shifting section may include at least one arm containing at least one fast switch and at least one phase changer. In specific embodiments, the phase shifting section may include an electronically controlled plasma switch and a plasma short.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventors: Andrey V. Mishin, Aleksandr Y. Saverskiy
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Patent number: 7400701Abstract: A system and method for inspecting an object with multiple sources of penetrating radiation. Irradiation of the inspected object by the sources is temporally sequenced such that the source of detected scattered radiation is unambiguous. Thus, multiple views of the inspected object may be obtained and image quality may be enhanced, even in a compact geometry in which the beams are substantially coplanar.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventor: W. Randall Cason
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Publication number: 20080111080Abstract: An x-ray inspection system for identifying fissile material includes one or more sources of penetrating radiation that generate first, second, and third instantaneous spectra where the object is exposed to the second only if there is no penetration of the first and the object is exposed to the third only if there is no penetration of the second. Further, the source of the second and the third spectra is a source adapted to provide single pulses. Consequently, ambient levels of radiation may be held below cabinet levels while identifying objects containing fissile material.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventors: Andrey V. Mishin, William Wade Sapp, Peter Rothschild
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Publication number: 20080049899Abstract: Methods for characterizing an inspected object on the basis of attenuation determined from pair-wise illuminated voxels. A beam of penetrating radiation characterized by a propagation direction and an energy distribution is scanned across an object, while scatter detectors with collimated fields-of-view detect radiation scattered by each voxel of the inspected object that is intercepted by the incident beam of penetrating radiation. By calculating the attenuation of penetrating radiation between pairs of voxels of incidence of the incident beam, a tomographic image is obtained characterizing the three-dimensional distribution of attenuation in the object of one or more energies of penetrating radiation, and thus of various material characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventor: Peter Rothschild
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Publication number: 20080037707Abstract: An X-ray imaging inspection system for bags and packages. Transmission imaging is performed using a fan beam and a segmented detector, while scatter imaging is performed with a scanned pencil beam, with both beams active simultaneously. Cross-talk between the beams is mitigated by a combination of shielding, scatter detector design, positioning and orientation, and image processing. Image processing subtracts the measured radiation scattered from the transmission beam into the scatter detectors, reducing cross-talk.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.Inventors: Peter J. Rothschild, Jeffrey R. Schubert, Aaron D. Pailes
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Patent number: 7218704Abstract: An inspection system based upon an enclosed conveyance such as a van, capable of road travel, for inspecting persons or objects. The conveyance is characterized by an enclosing body, or skin. A source of penetrating radiation and a spatial modulator for forming the penetrating radiation into a beam, both contained entirely within the body of the enclosed conveyance, irradiate the person or object with a time-variable scanning profile. A detector module generates a scatter signal based on the scatter of penetrating radiation. A proximity sensor may be employed to generate a relative motion signal based on a relative disposition of the conveyance and the inspected object. An image is formed of the contents of the object based in part on the scatter signal and the relative motion signal. A detector, which may be separate or part of the scatter detector module, may exhibit sensitivity to decay products of radioactive material.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: William L. Adams, Alex Chalmers, Lee Grodzins, Louis W. Perich, Peter Rothschild
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Patent number: 7170397Abstract: A system and method for waking a person includes the provision of tactile stimulation in a repeating interrupted pattern upon the detection of an alarm signal indicative of an event for which the person should be awakened. In one embodiment, a device for waking a person comprises a circuit for generating a driver signal in response to an alarm signal, the driver signal having a repeating interrupted pattern; an electrically controlled switching device having a control input, a power input and a power output, the power input being connectable to a power source, the control input being connected to receive the driver signal from the circuit; and a tactile stimulation device connected to the power output of the electrically controlled switching device, the tactile stimulation device being configured to produce a tactile stimulation.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Combustion Science & Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Roby, Michael S. Klassen, Jacqueline DuBois, Glenn Gaines, Erin Ashley
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Patent number: RE39396Abstract: A device for inspecting a cargo container such as a motor vehicle or freight pallet, with penetrating radiation. A source of penetrating radiation is mounted on a moveable bed, thereby allowing a beam of penetrating radiation to sweep the large container. At least one detector is also mounted on the bed, either on the side of the source or on a boom, so that, as the beam is scanned across the container, the container and any contents of the container are characterized by transmitted or scattered radiation, or both.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2002Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: American Science and Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Roderick Swift, Andrew Tybinkowski
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Patent number: D545229Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2006Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Combustion Science & Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Roby, Michael S. Klassen, Leo Eskin, MacLain M. Holton, Albert E. Straus