Abstract: An inspection system that forms material sensitive X-ray images of items under inspection. The images are decomposed into basis function images using basis functions representative of materials of interest. The decomposed images may be processed separately to detect concentrations of a material of interest corresponding to one or more of the basis functions. When operated in this mode, the inspection system may be used in applications such as material sorting or security screening. At least one basis function is selected to distinguish a material of interest from other materials likely contained with the item, allowing one of the basis function images to be analyzed to obtain information about a specific material of interest. The images may be automatically analyzed or may be superimposed for display with different visual characteristics assigned to the components associated with each basis function for analysis by a human operator.

Abstract: A multi-level contraband detection system. At a first level, the system obtains volumetric information about an item under inspection. The volumetric information provides a basis for identifying suspect objects in the item under inspection and their locations. The location information is expressed in a first coordinate system relative to the device used for first level scanning. When first level scanning identifies a suspicious object, the item under inspection is passed to a second level scanner that can take further measurements on the suspicious objects. The second level machine is controlled in a second coordinate system. A translation between the two coordinate systems is obtained by registering a multi-dimensional image obtained at the first level with positioning information obtained at the second level. Registration is performed using a coarse and then a fine registration process for quick and accurate registration.

Abstract: A multiview X-ray based inspection system detects contraband such as explosives, weapons, drugs and money in packages such as baggage. Each bag moves through at least three stationary, fan-shaped beams of x-rays that are in parallel planes spaced from each other in the direction of bag travel, to produce three projection views of the bag taken from different angles. These projection views are processed to extract two-dimensional outlines of likely individual objects in the bag, and the two-dimensional outlines are matched between different projection views to extract three-dimensional outlines of likely objects in the bag. The system uses these three-dimensional outlines to estimate effective atomic numbers and mass densities of material in these objects, and then to determine the presence of likely contraband in the baggage by testing these estimates against windows in a multi-dimensional space in which one dimension is effective atomic number and another is mass density.

Abstract: An X-ray inspection device (10) for detecting a specific material of interest in items of various sizes and shapes (24A, 24B, 24C) includes an X-ray source system located at an inspection region and constructed to expose the examined item to at least one beam of X-ray radiation, and one or more X-ray detection systems (60, 80, 100). The X-ray inspection device also includes one or more dimension detectors (120) constructed to measure a selected dimension of the examined item, an interface system connected to receive X-ray data and dimension data, and a computer programmed to utilize the data for recognition of the specific material of interest and to indicate its presence in the examined item. Each detection system includes one or more arrays of X-ray detectors arranged in a linear, circular or semi-spherical geometry.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for finding a specific material superimposed on an unknown background when the locations of the specific material and the background are unknown, for example, inside an item of baggage. The invention comprises exposing an area of an item to be inspected to x-rays of two substanitally different energies, making effective use of the characteristic material specific differences in photoelectric effect scattering and Compton scattering, and comparing the pairwise differential attenuation of the x-rays at nearby exposed subareas to determine whether differences in attenuation can be attributed to the presence of different amounts of the specific material overlying the respective subareas. The most probable subareas are indicated on a standard image on a monitor as being the most likely location of the overlying specific material.

Abstract: An inspection system for detecting a specific material of interest in items of baggage or packages includes a multi-view X-ray inspection probe and one or more material sensitive probes. The multi-view X-ray inspection probe employs X-ray radiation transmitted through or scattered from an examined item to identify a suspicious region inside the item. An interface is used to receive from said X-ray inspection probe X-ray data providing spatial information about the suspicious region and to provide this information to a selected material sensitive probe. The material sensitive probe then acquires material specific information about the previously-identified suspicious region and provides it to a computer. The computer uses a high level detection algorithm to identify presence of the specific material in the suspicious region. The material sensitive probe may be a directional probe such as a coherent scatter probe, or a non-directional probe such as a Compton scatter probe or an NQR probe.

Abstract: An X-ray inspection device for detecting a specific material of interest (typically contraband, for example, weapons, drugs, money, explosives) in items of various sizes and shapes includes an X-ray source system located at an inspection region and constructed to expose the examined item to at least one beam of X-ray radiation, one or more x-ray detection systems located at the inspection region and constructed to detect x-ray radiation modified by the examined item. The X-ray inspection device also includes one or more dimension detectors constructed to measure a selected dimension of the examined item, an interface system connected to receive X-ray data and dimension data, and a computer programmed to utilize the data for recognition of the specific material of interest and to indicate its presence in the examined item. The X-ray detection systems detect transmitted and/or scattered X-ray radiation utilizing several different geometries.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for finding a specific material superimposed on an unknown background when the locations of the specific material and the background are unknown, for example, inside an item of baggage. The invention comprises exposing an area of an item to be inspected to x-rays of two substanitally different energies, making effective use of the characteristic material specific differences in photoelectric effect scattering and Compton scattering, and comparing the pairwise differential attenuation of the x-rays at nearby exposed subareas to determine whether differences in attenuation can be attributed to the presence of different amounts of the specific material overlying the respective subareas. The most probable subareas are indicated on a standard image on a monitor as being the most likely location of the overlying specific material.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for finding a specific material superimposed on an unknown background when the locations of the specific material and the background are unknown, for example, inside an item of baggage. The invention comprises exposing an area of an item to be inspected to x-rays of two substanitally different energies, making effective use of the characteristic material specific differences in photoelectric effect scattering and Compton scattering, and comparing the pairwise differential attenuation of the x-rays at nearby exposed subareas to determine whether differences in attenuation can be attributed to the presence of different amounts of the specific material overlying the respective subareas. The most probable subareas are indicated on a standard image on a monitor as being the most likely location of the overlying specific material.

Abstract: A system for interactively controlling multiple parameters affecting an audio output, the system employing a controller with a visual display (e.g., a cathode ray tube) for displaying an icon that is a visual representation of an input sound signal in a multidimensional space and an input device (e.g., a mouse) used to control the location of the icon on the display. The controller generates a multiple parameter control signal that is based upon the location of the icon and is used by a sound signal processing circuit to control multiple parameters affecting an audio output. The icons are images of the sources of sound input signals. The sound signal processing circuit has M times N controllable amplifiers arranged in an M by N matrix in which each of the M inputs is distributed to N controllable amplifiers and the outputs of M controllable amplifiers are combined to provide each of the N outputs.