Heimann Systems Gmbh

Analogic Corporation

Smiths Heimann Gmbh

Knut Beneke

Dirk Naumann

Claus Meder

Uwe Siedenburg

Rainer Henkel

Stefan Ullrich

Hans J Weedon

Steven Neil Urchuk

Helmut Thoma

Stephen J Quigley

Hermann Ries

Joerg Nittikowski

Aissa Abdulmagid

Jörg Nittikowski

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for selectively inhibiting radiation from being generated by a radiation source are provided. A radiation source comprises an electrically conductive gate situated between a cathode and an anode. When a voltage potential is created between the gate and the cathode, a flow of electrons between the cathode and the anode is mitigated, thus inhibiting radiation from being generated by the radiation source. When the voltage potential is removed or lessened, electrons may more freely flow between the cathode and the anode to generate radiation. In some embodiments, a calibration, such as a dark calibration, may be performed while the gate mitigates the flow of electrons. Moreover, in some embodiments, an accelerating voltage applied to the radiation source may be held substantially constant when radiation is generated as well as when radiation generation is inhibited.

Dynamic control of radiation emission

A method of processing an X-ray image of articles contained in a transilluminated object and made visible for an observer on a monitor screen, includes the following steps: Placing individual markings about the image of certain, previously determined articles and automatically and stepwise combining the individual markings into a final added marking if at least two individual markings mutually fit. The combining step includes the steps of comparing for fit mutually facing sides of two adjoining individual markings and determining a ratio of an overlapping area of the two adjoining individual markings to the total area of at least one of the two adjoining individual markings.

Method of processing X-ray images

A method for the detection of a specific material in an object (), especially in a piece of luggage, using electromagnetic beams, whereby the intensities of non-absorbed beams from at least three beam planes () in corresponding detector arrays () are measured and evaluated, using the following steps according to the invention: 1. generating an at least two-dimensional picture of the object () from the measured intensity values; 2. selecting one of the spatial regions displayed in the picture as a basis of the value of a material value, which is determined from intensity measurements, for examination; 3. determining at least one spatial-geometric value in the region to the examined from positional data of a two-dimensional picture and from intensity values using a stored value of a specific, absorption-influenced value of a suspected material. 4. determining, in addition, the corresponding spatial-geometric value solely from three-dimensional geometric values, which are determined from measured intensity values; and 5. comparing, directly or indirectly, values of the spatial-geometric values determined in steps 3 and 4, or values derived therefrom, in order to determine if the suspected material is actually present.

Method and device for detecting a given material in an object using electromagnetic rays

In the representation of X-ray images, an atomic number characteristic for an X-rayed sub-object () is determined from X-ray beams having different energies and the absorption values determined in that process, to which specific colors and shades are assigned. The representation of the color intensity is influenced so that, when representing objects () having the same X-ray absorption on a monitor (), the colors appear equally bright to the viewer. To that end, while the pre-set color for the objects () is maintained, the brightness of the different colors is adjusted to an equal or approximately equal brightness, taking into account the spectral sensitivity of the human eye.

Method for adjusting color in an image

A method for image management of X-ray images stores the images in files along with reduced-size versions of the images and additional information relating to the images. A user may preview each image in a reduced-size display, based on the reduced-size image, which preview may also include the additional information. The image may then be selected from the display for complete display of the original image.

Method for image management of X-ray images

In an inspection device for inspecting objects for explosives and other items prohibited for travel, particularly in carry-on baggage, a transport shaft ( ) where there is little space, has incorporated thereabout radiation sources ( ), which generate at least three beams (FX , FX , FX ) at which are directed at corresponding linear detectors ( ). This transport shaft ( ) is extended by incorporation of equipment or system components ( ) that are not part of the inspection system ( ), or by additional system components ( ) being integrated into a housing ( ) of the inspection device ( ), with a necessary radiation protection for the inspection device in compliance with radiation protection regulations being provided by a shielding ( ) placed on or around a piece of equipment or its system components ( ) already existing in the transport system ( ), ideally in front of the transport shaft ( ).

Inspection device

A method of optimizing an X-ray image representing an article transilluminated by X-rays, includes the following steps: detecting the X-rays leaving the article after transillumination thereof by the X-rays; processing, in a computer, the detected X-rays as image dots to obtain an image; applying the image dots to an image memory; scanning the image dots according to gray scale values thereof; comparing the scanned gray scale values with a desired threshold gray scale value; upon finding an image dot which is other than the desired threshold gray scale value, counting subsequent image dots to obtain an image zone A; determining the gray scale values of the image dots of the image zone A; and expanding the gray scale values of the image dots of the image zone A to higher image dot values for effecting a local brightening of the X-ray image in the image zone A by the higher image dot values.

Method for the image optimization of an x-ray image

An image processing method for recognizing a material contained in an article includes the following steps: transilluminating the article with X-rays; generating, by an X-ray detector, signals representing the X-rays passing through the article; applying the signals to a computer system as continuous image data; subdividing the image data into defined zone-wise image strips; briefly storing the image strips in an image data memory; and determining the material from the image strips before a completion of the transilluminating step.

Growing community of inventors

Ober-Olm, Germany

Knut Beneke