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:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 12, 1999
Sergey Simanovsky, Lynn, MA (US);
Ibrahim M. Bechwati, Roslindale, MA (US);
Muzzafer Hiraoglu, Woburn, MA (US);
Carl R. Crawford, Brookline, MA (US);
Analogic Corporation, Peabody, MA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting concealed objects in computed tomography data are disclosed. Sheet-shaped objects such as sheet explosives can be detected by a CT scanning system, in particular, a CT baggage scanning system. The invention analyzes CT voxels in a subregion in proximity to the sheet object to determine if the sheet object is concealed in an electronic device or is “sandwiched” within an item such as a book or magazine. To detect electronic concealment, the number of voxels in a subregion that contains the object having a density above a predetermined threshold is counted and the ratio of that number of voxels to the number of object voxels is computed. If the ratio exceeds a threshold, then it is concluded that the object is concealed in electronics. In response, the CT scanning system can alter discrimination parameters to allow the object to be classified as a threat. For “sandwich” concealment, layers on opposite sides of a sheet object are examined. The mean and standard deviation of density values for the voxels are computed. Where the mean density exceeds a predetermined threshold and the standard deviation is below a different threshold, for at least one of the layers, then it is concluded that the sheet object is sandwiched within an innocuous object such as a magazine or a book.