Patent · US Expired

Automatic threat detection based on illumination by penetrating radiant energy

US5179581A · kind A · utility

218Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 1991
Grant dateJan 12, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 4, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01V5/222
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Automatic threat detection in association with imaging which relies on a backscatter detector and illumination by a flying spot source of penetrating radiation. The digital backscatter image is processed to produce a histogram. The histogram is compared to a predetermined threat characteristic and an alarm is sounded if the histogram exceeds the threat characteristic. The threat characteristic is derived in an empirical fashion and automatically modified based on sensing selected parameters associated with the scanning. Operator control over the threat characteristic is also implemented. The flying spot source is also associated with a transmit detector to produce a transmit image. The transmit image is also processed against predetermined parameters for threat assessment. The predetermined parameters are also operator variable.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.