Patents by Inventor American Science and Engineering, Inc.

American Science and Engineering, Inc. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20130208857
    Abstract: A detector and methods for inspecting material on the basis of scintillator coupled by wavelength-shifting optical fiber to one or more photo-detectors, with a temporal integration of the photo-detector signal. An unpixelated volume of scintillation medium converts energy of incident penetrating radiation into scintillation light which is extracted from a scintillation light extraction region by a plurality of optical waveguides. This geometry provides for efficient and compact detectors, enabling hitherto unattainable geometries for backscatter detection and for energy discrimination of incident radiation. Additional energy-resolving transmission configurations are enabled as are skew- and misalignment compensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130202089
    Abstract: An x-ray inspection system using backscatter of an x-ray beam emitted through a scan panel contiguous with, but of a material distinct from, an enclosure that contains an x-ray source by which the x-ray beam is generated. The scan panel is contoured in such a manner as to be visibly blended with a shape characterizing the enclosure. In some embodiments, the beam traverses multiple scan panels, where one or more of the scan panels may be selected for beam filtration properties. The scan panel may be disposed interior to a sliding door, and may be structured to serve as a scatter shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: American Science and Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: American Science and Engineering, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130195248
    Abstract: Apparatus for imaging items behind a concealing barrier. A source of penetrating radiation is contained entirely within a housing. A spatial modulator forms the penetrating radiation into a beam and sweeps the beam to irradiate an inspected object. A detector generates a scatter signal based on penetrating radiation scattered by contents of the inspected object, and a sensor senses motion relative to a previous position of the apparatus with respect to the inspected object. A processor receives the scatter signal and generates an image of the contents of the inspected object based at least on the scatter signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: American Science and Engineering, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130136230
    Abstract: X-ray inspection of moving cargo based on acquiring multiple image lines at one time or substantially at one time. An X-ray source with multiple-beam electron beam targets creates multiple parallel X-ray fan beams. X-ray inspection systems and methods employ such multiple-beam sources for purposes of inspecting fast moving cargo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: American Science and Engineering, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130039463
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting a vehicle by means of one or more sources and detectors of penetrating radiation. The source(s) and detector(s) are carried on a mobile conveyance and deployed at a point of operation. One source swings away from the conveyance on a deployable member, such as a boom, such that the source can irradiate a vehicle from above or below. A detector deploys outwardly from the mobile conveyance, remaining mechanically coupled to the mobile conveyance in a position in a horizontal plane, such that the detector intercepts penetrating radiation from the source positioned above the inspected vehicle, which penetrating radiation has interacted with the inspected vehicle. A ramp may be provided to allow the inspected vehicle to be driven to a position between the vertically irradiating source and a transmission detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130039453
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting clandestine fissile or radioactive material on the basis of emitted radiation and particles (such as neutrons and alpha particles) arising from within the material. Emission by the fissile or radioactive material is detected in conjunction with a conventional x-ray imaging system that includes an external source of illuminating penetrating radiation, at least one detector configured to detect at least the penetrating radiation and to generate a detector signal, and a processor configured as a detector signal discriminator to generate an output indicating whether the detector signal is triggered by an origin other than illuminating penetrating radiation. Active and passive modes of detection are described by some embodiments. Other embodiments are directed toward neutron detection, gamma ray detection with energy resolution, and designs of detectors to enhance the detection of clandestine nuclear material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: American Science and Engineering, Inc.