Morpho Detection, Inc.

Quantum Magnetics, Inc.

Smiths Detection Inc.

Erik Edmund Magnuson

Christopher Williams Crowley

Charles R Moeller

Julian D Shaw

Alan G Sheldon

Samit Kumar Basu

Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov

Sankaran Kumar

Pablo Jose Prado

Pedro Andres Garzon

Hacene Boudries

Young Kyo Lee

Hector Robert

David C Skvoretz

Alejandro Pedro Bussandri

Yong-Wah Kim

A line-frequency rotary transformer is provided, including a primary core and a secondary core. The primary core is magnetically couplable to the secondary core. The primary core includes a first plurality of E-core steel laminates arranged in a first ring couplable to a stator. The primary core includes a primary winding disposed within the first ring and configured to transmit line-frequency AC power. The secondary core includes a second plurality of E-core steel laminates arranged in a second ring couplable to a gantry. The gantry is rotatably couplable to the stator. The secondary core includes a secondary winding disposed within the second ring and is configured to receive a line-frequency AC power induced in the secondary winding through the primary core and the secondary core by the primary winding.

Line-frequency rotary transformer for computed tomography gantry

A nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) sensor assembly includes an active sensor coil configured to transmit radiofrequency (RF) signals to an object of interest and receive return RF signals from the object of interest to generate sensor signals substantially representative of the return signals. The at least one reference coil is configured to receive environmental RF signals to generate reference signals at least partially representative of the environmental RF signals. The at least one reference coil is co-located with the active sensor coil. The active sensor coil and the at least one reference coil are in communication with a correction unit configured to remove interference components from the sensor signals using the reference signals.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance system and method of using the same to remove interference components from sensor signals

A contraband detection system is provided. The contraband detection system includes an X-ray system including a front X-ray transmitter/detector and a rear X-ray transmitter/detector. The contraband detection system further includes a quadrupole resonance (QR) system comprising a first QR coil, and a second QR coil, wherein the first and second QR coils are located between the front and rear X-ray transmitter/detectors, and wherein the first and second QR coils are constructed from a material having a low mass attenuation coefficient and a high conductivity such that the first and second QR coils do not substantially interfere with transmitting X-rays and detecting emitted photons using the X-ray system. The contraband detection system further comprise a computing device coupled to the X-ray system and the QR system, the computing device configured to detect contraband based on signals received from the X-ray system and the QR system.

Systems and methods for detecting contraband using quadrupole resonance and X-ray detection

A method for imaging an object is provided. The method includes acquiring tomographic image data of the object at a plurality of frequencies, generating a composite image of the object at each of the plurality of frequencies using the acquired tomographic image data, determining a scaling factor for a first material at each of the plurality of frequencies, determining a scaling factor for a second material at each of the plurality of frequencies, and decomposing the composite images into a first discrete image and a second discrete image using the determined scaling factors, wherein the first discrete image contains any region of the object composed of the first material and the second discrete image contains any region of the object composed of the second material.

Systems and methods for object imaging

A method of operating a screening system includes applying an electromagnetic field to a subject in a region at least partially enclosed by electromagnetic shielding, and measuring an output from a sensor. The output is representative of an interaction of the electromagnetic field and the subject. A trace vapor is collected from the subject within the region, and the trace vapor is identified. Based on the measured sensor output and the identified trace vapor, whether a target material is associated with the subject is determined.

Screening system and method for operating the same

Apparatus and method for varying field strength in a magnetic resonance system while keeping a relatively uniform magnetic field distribution. In an embodiment, a two-pole, generally u-shaped magnet assembly generates a static and uniform magnetic field. The magnet assembly includes two facing magnet poles separated by an air gap. Holes may be formed with the magnet poles. The field control rods may be placed at a pre-determined distance into these holes and symmetrically or asymmetrically moved across each magnet poles in a controlled manner to change the magnetic field strength while keeping the uniform magnetic field distribution. Maximum magnetic field strength may occur when the rods are removed. Minimum magnetic field strength may occur when the rods are fully inserted.

Apparatus and method for varying magnetic field strength in magnetic resonance measurements

A Q-damping subsystem for either an NQR or NMR contraband detection receiver for effectively reducing the dead time and increasing sensitivity of the contraband detection system. The invention acts as an addition to the standard transmit circuits of NQR and NMR based scanners and spectrometers. The active Q-damping devices require additional circuitry for an NQR/NMR detection receiver and a programming for the control thereof. Typically, the detection receiver generates a high-voltage RF pulse on the order of 200-1000 V with normal operation of 100-300 microseconds in length to provide sufficient magnetic field characteristics to perturb the precessing nuclei. The NQR or NMR detection receiver electronics are very sensitive and have to detect a very weak nuclear induction pulse signal that is in the nano/micro-volt range. The invention encompasses several embodiments of the detection receiver with the Q-damping subsystem which include: a transformer coupled resistive damping circuit; an inductively coupled resistive damping circuit; a shunt capacitor/resistor damping circuit; a grounded shunt capacitor/resistor damping circuit; a common mode choke transient suppression damping circuit; a multi-stage Q-damping circuit; and a full-wave Q-damping circuit.

Active Q-damping sub-system using nuclear quadrupole resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance for improved contraband detection

A system for detecting a target substance within a class of explosives and narcotics containing quadrupolar nuclei through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The system applies an RF signal to a coil (,) to excite the substance under test. If the target material is present, an NQR signal will be picked up by the same coil, That signal is compared with known NQR signals in frequency and amplitude. A signal is displayed in an appropriate way if a threshold value of the NQR signal is equalled or exceeded. The empty coil is statically tuned by means of adjusting the location or capacitance values, or both, of static tuning capacitors (,) in the coil. The coil is tuned after the specimen is inserted into the coil by means of an auto-tune feature (,). Effective RFI shielding (,) is provided to prevent external contaminating signals from being detected by the coil and to prevent RF signals from escaping from the scanner. The invention also includes the method for performing tests with the system.

System and method for contraband detection using nuclear quadrupole resonance

Automatic tuning apparatus and method for substance detection using

Apparatus for tuning a system for detecting a target substance through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The apparatus tunes an RF coil which is employed to excite the substance under test. The tuning apparatus includes a series of fixed value capacitors switched in the tuning circuit by controllable switches. A programmable controller is employed to control the switching and thereby the tuning of the coil.

A system for detecting a target substance within a class of explosives and narcotics containing quadrupolar nuclei through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The system applies an RF signal to a coil to excite the substance under test. If the target material is present, an NQR signal will be picked up by the same coil. That signal is compared with known NQR signals in frequency and amplitude. A signal is displayed in an appropriate way if a threshold value of the NQR signal is equalled or exceeded. The coil is tuned by means of an auto-tune feature. Effective RFI shielding is provided to prevent external contaminating signals from being detected by the coil and to prevent RF signals from escaping from the scanner. The invention also includes the method for performing tests with the system.

Growing community of inventors

Cardiff, CA, United States of America

Erik Edmund Magnuson