The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 22, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1998
Ibrahim M Bechwati, Roslindale, MA (US);
Sergey Simanovsky, Lynn, MA (US);
Muzaffer Hiraoglu, Woburn, MA (US);
Carl R Crawford, Brookline, MA (US);
Analogic Corporation, Peabody, MA (US);
Abstract
Sheet explosives can be detected by analyzing voxels surrounding a test voxel. If the density is sufficiently different, it is concluded that the test voxel is associated with a sheet object. Sheet objects can also be detected by eroding the CT data then subtracting from the original data, leaving only thin sheet-shaped objects. A connectivity process can be applied to voxels to combine them into objects after sheets are detected. A dilation function can then be performed to replace surface voxels. A corrected mass can be computed and compared to mass thresholds to classify the object as to whether it poses a threat. Multiple mass thresholds can be used. Bulk objects can be detected by a modified morphological connected components labeling (CCL) approach which performs a series of erosion and dilation steps to separate adjacent objects in the data such that they can be individually labeled and analyzed. A merging process can be used to reconnect related items, such as multiple sticks, that were separated during an erosion step. The merging process allows multiple objects that would individually pass as non-threat items to be combined into a single item that is correctly classified as a threat. The system can also identify objects that contain liquids, if desired.