Patents Assigned to Spectrum San Diego, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8116431
    Abstract: A dual energy x-ray imaging system searches a moving automobile for concealed objects. Dual energy operation is achieved by operating an x-ray source at a constant potential of 100KV to 150KV, and alternately switching between two beam filters. The first filter is an atomic element having a high k-edge energy, such as platinum, gold, mercury, thallium, lead, bismuth, and thorium, thereby providing a low-energy spectrum. The second filter provides a high-energy spectrum through beam hardening. The low and high energy beams passing through the automobile are received by an x-ray detector. These detected signals are processed by a digital computer to create a steel suppressed image through logarithmic subtraction. The intensity of the x-ray beam is adjusted as the reciprocal of the measured automobile speed, thereby achieving a consistent radiation level regardless of the automobile motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Spectrum San Diego, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Winn Smith
  • Patent number: 7957506
    Abstract: A dual energy x-ray imaging system searches a moving automobile for concealed objects. Dual energy operation is achieved by operating an x-ray source at a constant potential of 100 KV to 150 KV, and alternately switching between two beam filters. The first filter is an atomic element having a high k-edge energy, such as platinum, gold, mercury, thallium, lead, bismuth, and thorium, thereby providing a low-energy spectrum. The second filter provides a high-energy spectrum through beam hardening. The low and high energy beams passing through the automobile are received by an x-ray detector. These detected signals are processed by a digital computer to create a steel suppressed image through logarithmic subtraction. The intensity of the x-ray beam is adjusted as the reciprocal of the measured automobile speed, thereby achieving a consistent radiation level regardless of the automobile motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Spectrum San Diego, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Winn Smith
  • Patent number: 7742568
    Abstract: A dual-energy x-ray imaging system searches a moving automobile for concealed objects. Dual energy operation is achieved by operating an x-ray source at a constant potential of 100 KV to 150 KV, and alternately switching between two beam filters. The first filter is an atomic element having a high k-edge energy, such as platinum, gold, mercury, thallium, lead, bismuth, and thorium, thereby providing a low-energy spectrum. The second filter provides a high-energy spectrum through beam hardening. The low and high energy beams passing through the automobile are received by an x-ray detector. These detected signals are processed by a digital computer to create a steel suppressed image through logarithmic subtraction. The intensity of the x-ray beam is adjusted as the reciprocal of the measured automobile speed, thereby achieving a consistent radiation level regardless of the automobile motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Spectrum San Diego, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Winn Smith
  • Patent number: 6757008
    Abstract: A linescan camera is used in conjunction with a mechanical scanning mechanism to acquire high-resolution images of an area under video surveillance. The video signal from the linescan camera is converted into a digital data stream, compressed, and stored in a digital memory. Under control of an operator, full-field images are selectively recalled from the digital memory and converted to a lower resolution for display on a monitor. The operator selects a region-of-interest from the full-field display through the use of a computer pointing device, such as a mouse. The selected area is then displayed on the monitor in its full acquired resolution, thereby allowing the operator to view high-resolution images of a large area under surveillance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Spectrum San Diego, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven W. Smith