Multiple configuration electromagnetic radiation measurement system and process of implementing the same

Abstract

An x-ray measurement system includes an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays, an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays, at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system being configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system and / or an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system.

Description

PATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCTMULTIPLE CONFIGURATION ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE SAMECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 682,969 filed on August 14, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The disclosure relates to a multiple configuration electromagnetic radiation measurement system. The disclosure further relates to a process of implementing a multiple configuration electromagnetic radiation measurement system.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] Typical electromagnetic radiation measurement systems have set configurations for spatial resolution, beamforming, beam filtering, and / or the like. To change the configurations of these electromagnetic radiation measurement systems, a user must stop the manufacturing process to reconfigure and / or disassemble the system, modify the configuration, and reassemble the system. This process is timeconsuming, which results in increased costs. Moreover, this process slows a process associated with the measurement system, such as manufacturing, which likewise results in increased costs. Further, manufacturing the typical electromagnetic radiation measurement system requires a number of different parts for each different configuration. This increases manufacturing costs and complexity.

[0004] Accordingly, an electromagnetic radiation measurement system having the ability to quickly and easily change configurations is needed.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the disclosure.

[0006] In one aspect, an x-ray measurement system includes an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The x-ray measurement system in addition includes an x- ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The x-ray measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. In one aspect, the x-ray measurement system also includes where the at least one beam1C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system. In one aspect, the x-ray measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system.

[0007] In one aspect, a process includes providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The process in addition includes providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.

[0008] In one aspect, an x-ray measurement system includes an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The x-ray measurement system in addition includes an x- ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The x-ray measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system also includes where the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system. In one aspect, the x-ray measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system. In one aspect, the x-ray measurement system in addition includes where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

[0009] In one aspect, a the process includes providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The process in addition includes providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping2C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device. The process further includes where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

[0010] In one aspect, an electromagnetic measurement system includes an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic measurement system in addition includes an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system also includes where the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system. The electromagnetic measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system.

[0011] In one aspect, a process includes providing an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves. The process in addition includes providing an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.

[0012] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain aspects of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the disclosure that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0013] In this respect, before explaining at least one aspect of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the3C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of aspects in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0014] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 schematically illustrates another measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different thickness materials according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0019] Figure 5 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different transmitter types according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0020] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.4C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0022] Figure 8 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0023] Figure 9 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0024] Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0025] Figure 11 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0026] Figure 12 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0027] Figure 13 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0028] Figure 14 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0029] Figure 15 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0030] Figure 16 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0031] Figure 17 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0032] Figure 18 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0033] Figure 19 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.5C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0034] Figure 20 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0035] Figure 21 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the system implementing the x-ray measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0036] Figure 22 illustrates a process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

[0038] The disclosed system and process may be implemented with any type of electromagnetic radiation device including devices operating in the x-ray spectrum, gamma spectrum, ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, visible spectrum, infrared (IR) spectrum, and / or the like wavelength and / or energy spectrums. For brevity, the disclosure describes the disclosed system and process implementing in an x-ray spectrum. However, one of ordinary skill in the art may utilize the teachings of the disclosed system and process in other wavelength and / or energy spectrums.

[0039] The disclosed system and process may be configured with the ability to measure spectrally (energy specific) and change a spatial resolution of an x-ray gauge on-line without the need to disassemble the gauge. This may simplify the manufacturing process of the system by reducing the number of parts. Further, the disclosed system and process may allow for measurement of a composite material, which is not possible with standard x-ray gauges. Additionally, the disclosed system and process may replace some applications currently served by nucleonics, which are associated with undesirable ionizing radiation, safety and regulatory compliance, a need to interact with radioactive material, and / or the like.

[0040] The disclosed system and process may be used in various applications like thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents measurements, quantitative percentages of various constituents measurements, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents6C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurements, solid ratio measurements, and / or the like of products across different market segments.

[0041] The disclosed system and process may be used in various fields including industrial metrology, lab metrology, gauging, measurement, and / or the like. While this disclosure focuses on flat sheet product measurements, the disclosed system and process can be applied to other areas where the described advantages can be a benefit. Examples of products that may be measured by the disclosed system and process may include flat products, which may include sheets or webs of material manufactured either in continuous or discrete manners. Examples of products that may be measured by the disclosed system and process may include non-flat products, which may include tubular or other geometries such as tubes, wires, cables, profile extrusions, and / or the like. Examples of products that may be measured by the disclosed system and process may include continuously produced products, which may include plastic, paper, metallic material in roll to roll or discrete (piecewise) configurations. Examples of products that may be measured by the disclosed system and process may include non- continuous and / or loose products, which may be those products that are typically carried in a conveyor belt and / or the like. The products that may be measured by the disclosed system and process may include manufactured products, which may be solid, powder, semi-solid, wet, dry, semi-wet, and / or the like.

[0042] The disclosed system and process addresses a long-standing problem with use of x-ray in measurement of composite and / or multi-constituent products. In this regard, x-ray technology is more sensitive to composition of measured products than Beta technology. The physics of interaction of high energy x-ray photons with atoms of measured products produces secondary and tertiary interactions that can affect the accuracy and certainty of measurements. Beta also has such side effects but to lesser degree.

[0043] In this regard, x-ray technology offers several advantages over Beta technology, such as higher speeds of measurements (temporal resolution), higher precision and / or accuracy, less scattering, smaller spot and / or measurement beam size (spatial resolution), and non-nuclear based (as in Beta), which is not subject to tougher7C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT regulatory compliance in use and disposal, and / or the like. These advantages offer a manufacturer the ability to produce various products with tighter specifications and tolerances and higher quality, improving their product and operational costs.

[0044] The disclosed system and process offers various solutions overcoming composition sensitivity of x-ray measurement while preserving its advantages over Beta.

[0045] An x-ray measurement system typically includes at least these building blocks: an x-ray Generator / Transmitter (Tx); and a Detector / Receiver (Rx).

[0046] Generator / Transmitter (Tx)

[0047] In this regard, x-rays are higher energy photons and can be produced by various means. The most common type is man-made by utilizing an x-ray tube, but x- ray can also be produced by naturally decaying process of nuclear isotopes such as Am241 (direct x-ray generation). Further, x-ray can also be produced indirectly as the results of Beta particles interaction with certain materials or other means known to those skilled in the art.

[0048] Man-made x-ray generation has the benefit of being adjustable in energy spectrum, flux density, focal spot size, and / or the like. This is typically achieved by design of an x-ray tube and use of a programmable high voltage power supply controller.

[0049] Detector / Receiver (Rx):

[0050] The beam of x-ray emitted from Transmitter (Tx) after its interaction with measured products (transmission and / or backscatter) is detected by various sensor technologies or sensors in the receiver (Rx) subsystem. These various sensing methods and / or technologies are broadly categorized based on their ability to measure specific energies and amplitudes and / or flux of incident beam (Spectral) OR measuring and / or integrating all or most of the energies (non-spectral) present in the incident beam. Some examples are ion chambers, proportional counters, SDD (Silicon Drift Detector), pin diodes, photo diodes with scintillator, and / or the like and are well known to those skilled in the art.8C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0051] The Tx and the Rx can be positioned on opposite sides of the measured product (transmission mode) or disposed on the same side of the measured product (Backscatter mode), or a combination of detectors on both sides of measured product. The measured product’s effect on the transmitted and / or backscattered x-ray photons is proportional to the properties of the measured products such as mass and constituents which is detected by the sensor(s) and conditioning electronics in the detector and subsequently transformed algorithmically (typically in digital domain) into engineering units of use for the application.

[0052] The interactions of high energy x-ray photons with matter, which is well known to those skilled in the art, is primarily dependent on transmitted x-rays energy spectrum and flux or intensity, the product constituent(s) and / or composition, quantity present, structure (homogeneous or layered), and any energy conditioning in the path between the Tx and the Rx. Typically, the RX and the Tx operating parameters are designed to match the measurement needs of the measured product such as thickness, Basis Weight (BW) or areal density, volumetric density, partial presence or absence of constituents, and / or the like for the total product and / or its constituents, quantitative amounts of various constituents measurements, quantitative percentages of various constituents measurements, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents measurements, solid ratio measurements, and / or the like of products. Other factors that are considered in optimizing the design of the measurement system can include speed of measurement, sensitivity and / or resolution, accuracy, precision, repeatability, and / or the like.

[0053] Amongst the various interactions of the high energy photons with measured product atoms, the non-linear absorption at characteristics energy levels as a function of atomic number (i.e. material type) and production of fluoresced photons is the cause of uncertainty in quantitative measurement of interested product parameters when there are various combinations of constituents’ type, quantity and / or structure. The specificity of these reactions as a function of atomic number (element type) enables detection and quantitative measurement of measured product characteristics and its9C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT constituents. The physics of x-ray interactions with matter is well known to those skilled in the art.

[0054] The full spectral and / or partial and / or selective energy detection of the received photons’ energies as the result of its interaction with measured product can be utilized and processed electronically and algorithmically by techniques such as x-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), x-ray Diffraction (XRD), and / or the like to measure the desired properties of the measured products. The drawbacks of such techniques in on-line industrial applications are slow speeds of measurement, low sensitivity, adverse influence of atmospheric conditions, cost, and / or the like, where unlike the laboratory conditions, the measured product is moving relatively fast, its presentation with respect to the Tx and Rx heads changes unpredictably, its constituents’ quantity changes, the absorption of secondary produced and / or fluoresced photons is variably changing depending on variation in the measured products as well as air density between the measurement heads, and / or the like.

[0055] Therefore, it is the aim of the disclosed device and process to enable practical useful measurement of composite materials in production I industrial applications overcoming the above-mentioned limitations. Another aim of the disclosed device and process is to overcome the traditional x-ray measurement limitation of being composition sensitive. Another aim of the disclosed device and process is to provide a practical solution that can easily be adopted to various measured product characteristics and / or recipes on-line and without the need for changeover of hardware in production environments. Another aim of the disclosed device and process is to enable the optimized measurement of product by utilizing the most suitable spatial and temporal resolution configuration of the measurement system.

[0056] These aims and other objectives are achieved through the following capabilities and / or combinations of:

[0057] An x-ray generator and / or Tx subsystem where its operating parameters such as energy levels, spectrum, flux, and / or the like can be changed on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands. The Tx can have one10C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT or more energy generators (typically x-ray tubes) arranged to achieve various measurement capabilities.

[0058] A Detector / Rx subsystem where its operating parameters such as gain, response time, sensitivity, energy selectivity, spectral response, and / or the like can be changed on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands. The Rx sensing element could be non-energy specific, such as an ion chamber, and / or spectral, such as an SDD. The sensing element can be a single element, a pixelated element, and / or more than one element. The pixelated sensing element(s) can be arranged linearly, in a matrix, in circular and / or other patterns. Likewise, non-pixelated sensing element(s) can be arranged linearly, in a matrix, in circular and / or other patterns.

[0059] The Rx can deploy both non-energy specific and spectral sensing element(s) of various technologies. The Rx can deploy more than one sensing element corresponding to one or more incoming sources of energies. A Tx and Rx positioned on either side of the measured products. A Tx and Rx positioned on the same side of the measured products. A Tx and Rx positioned on the same side of the measured products and another Rx positioned on the other side of the measured product. A Tx and / or Rx with more than one generating and / or detecting sub system.

[0060] Signal processing subsystems configured to be adopted for various measurement system configurations on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands.

[0061] Algorithmic processing subsystems configured to adopt to various configurations of the measurement system on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands.

[0062] A human machine interface (HMI) or remote means to enable selection of various measurement system configuration based on user’s command or measured product recipes. A processing unit capable of managing recipes, output and input interfaces, visualization, storage, and / or other capabilities typically provided in industrial environments.11C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0063] A mechanism for introducing various energy shaping elements in a path of measurement on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands. A mechanism for introducing and / or enabling selection of various energy shaping elements in the path of measurement on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands. A mechanism for enabling selection of various beam spot sizes on demand typically through software controlled settings and / or commands.

[0064] While parts of these sub-systems may be known in the art, it is their inventive combination with energy shaping mechanisms deployed in the Tx and / or Rx sides and / or their combination with varying Tx and / or Rx characteristics and / or parameters that is innovative as further disclosed below.

[0065] The x-ray energy spectral content can be modified by various means to achieve the desired outcome. One method is through software control of energy and flux output of the Tx (x-ray tube). Without being limiting, another method is the use of different materials, such as energy shaping elements, in the path of the Tx to measured product and / or path of measured product to Rx. The advantage of such arrangement is the ability to achieve various energy shaping scenarios as needed for measurement of various product types and compositions as well as eliminating and / or reducing undesired side effects of x-ray interaction with matter. The materials of energy shaping elements can also be engineered to provide not only primary effects, but also secondary emissions such as fluoresced radiations that can be leveraged to provide other advantageous measurements capabilities.

[0066] Another advantaged is gained through the inventive step of having more than one energy shaping element that can be introduced in the path on demand typically under software controlled settings / command. This achieves the ability to utilize advantageous excitation modes of the measured products and / or detection of advantageous energies to not only overcome the undesired side effects of fluorescence and / or absorption edge effects but also quantitively measure constituents in the measured products.12C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0067] The ability to programmatically introduce various energy shaping elements in the paths can be realized by various means. Without being limiting, one such method is a rotatable wheel with various Energy Shaping elements that can be positioned in the x-ray path(s). Other mechanisms could be deployed by those skilled in the mechanical engineering field.

[0068] These energy shaping elements can be positioned in the path statically, sequentially, on continuously varying.

[0069] The energy shaping elements can be discrete or continuous, such as linearly or non-linearly varying, as some examples shown in Figure 10, Figure 11 , and Figure 12. The beam spot size can be changed by introducing various shapes and / or geometries and / or elements of beamforming and / or collimation in the path.

[0070] Without being limiting, various beamforming and / or collimator elements can be positioned in the path utilizing a wheel. Other mechanisms could be deployed by those skilled in the mechanical engineering field. The various collimators element can be introduced statically, sequentially, or continuously varying.

[0071] The beamforming and / or collimator elements can be discrete or continuous, such as linearly or non-linearly varying, as some examples shown in Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8, and Figure 9.

[0072] Various energy shaping element(s) and beamforming and / or element(s) can be combined in one mechanism such as a wheel and / or means as shown in Figure 18, Figure 19, and Figure 20.

[0073] Energy Shaping wheel(s) and / or collimating wheel(s) can be combined in the Tx, the Rx and / or both as shown in Figure 15 and Figure 16 to realize other and more energy shaping capabilities and therefore more measurement possibilities.

[0074] More than one energy shaping means and / or wheel can be combined in the Tx, the Rx and / or both as shown in Figure 18, Figure 19, and Figure 20 to realize other and more energy shaping capabilities leveraging primary, secondary and / or tertiary beam interactions and therefore more measurement possibilities of measured product such single or multiple material, composite, layered structures.13C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0075] Various combinations of Tx settings, Rx settings, energy shaping element(s) and / or beamforming and / or collimation element(s) can be deployed to enable measurement of various products and products changeovers.

[0076] Energy Shaping elements and / or collimating elements can be introduced at various discrete steps or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rate and / or frequencies. Various combinations of the Tx, the Rx, the energy shaping elements and / or the beamforming and / or collimation elements can be realized at discrete steps and / or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rates and / or frequencies.

[0077] The rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the Tx and / or the Rx operating parameters change(s) to further gain other advantages such as improving a signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) through chopper, synchronous, freeze frame (reduces smearing), non-linear, and / or other signal processing methods.

[0078] The rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the Tx and / or the Rx operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents.

[0079] The rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the Tx and / or the Rx operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or machine directions.

[0080] The rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the Tx and / or the Rx operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or14C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT machine directions deploying pixelated and / or segmented sensing elements alone or in combination with single and / or more than one incident energy source.

[0081] The rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of Tx and / or Rx operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents depending on the desired timing such as production startup, stop, upset, recipe change, troubleshooting, diagnosis, standardization, linearization, calibration, verification, and / or the like.

[0082] The above-mentioned implementations, devices, capabilities and / or the like are not limited to x-ray spectrum. On the contrary, one of ordinary skill in the art may utilize the disclosed system and process in other wavelength and / or energy spectrums.

[0083] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0084] Figure 2 schematically illustrates another measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0085] In particular, Figure 1 schematically illustrates an x-ray measurement system 100 configured as a transmission type measurement system; and Figure 2 schematically illustrates the x-ray measurement system 100 configured as a backscatter type measurement system. Further, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be implemented in a system 900.

[0086] The system 900 may be configured for manipulating, modifying, manufacturing, and / or the like a product 901 . Further, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured to measure some aspect of the product 901 .

[0087] The x-ray measurement system 100 may include an x-ray transmitter 104, an x-ray receiver 102, at least one beam former device 200, at least one energy shaping device 300, and / or the like. In particular, the at least one beam former device 200 may be configured to change a beamforming configuration of the operation of the x- ray measurement system 100; and the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the operation of the x-ray15C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurement system 100. Accordingly, various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter 104, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver 102, configurations of the at least one beam former device 200, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device 300 can be implemented and / or deployed to enable measurement of various products and products changeovers.

[0088] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 can be introduced at various discrete steps or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rate and / or frequencies. In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, various combinations of the x-ray transmitter 104, the x-ray receiver 102, the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 can be realized at discrete steps and / or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rates and / or frequencies. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement only the at least one beam former device 200. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device 200. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement only the at least one energy shaping device 300. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device 300. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device 200 and the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0089] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to further gain other advantages such as improving a signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) through chopper, synchronous, freeze frame (reduces smearing), non-linear, and / or other signal processing methods.

[0090] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in16C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents.

[0091] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or machine directions.

[0092] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or machine directions deploying pixelated and / or segmented sensing elements alone or in combination with single and / or more than one incident energy source.

[0093] In aspects of the x-ray measurement system 100, the rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or receiver operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents depending on the desired timing such as production startup, stop, upset, recipe change, troubleshooting, diagnosis, standardization, linearization, calibration, verification, and / or the like.

[0094] Additionally, the x-ray measurement system 100 may include at least one processor 106, at least one signal processing system 108, at least one17C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT collimator / energy shaping control system 110, an x-ray controller 112, a human machine interface (HMI) 114, a gauge measurement and control processor 116, at least one x-ray generator 120, at least one sensing element 122, and / or the like. However, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be implemented with fewer components.

[0095] The at least one beam former device 200 may be configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the at least one x-ray generator 120, which may include prior to interaction with the product 901 and / or post interaction with the product 901 . In aspects, the at least one beam former device 200 may be configured to manipulate the x-rays before and / or after the x-rays penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 . In aspects, the at least one beam former device 200 may be configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, shape, and / or the like the beam generated by the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the at least one x-ray generator 120.

[0096] Further, the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be configured to change an energy, a spectrum, and / or the like of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the at least one x-ray generator 120, which may include prior to interaction with the product 901 and / or post interaction with the product 901 . In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be configured to manipulate the x-rays before and / or after the x-rays penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 . In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be a filter, an optical filter, a transformer, an optical transformer, and / or the like.

[0097] In operation, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured to generate and transmit x-rays with the x-ray transmitter 104 toward the product 901 . The x-ray measurement system 100 may be further configured to detect the x-rays with the x-ray receiver 102 after the x-rays penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 .

[0098] Additionally, the x-ray measurement system 100 may implement the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 to manipulate the x-rays before and / or after the x-rays penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 . Further, the x-ray measurement system 100 may set and / or change a configuration of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy18C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT shaping device 300, which results in a different configuration to manipulate the x-rays before and / or after the x-rays penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 .

[0099] Further, the x-ray transmitter 104 may utilize the x-ray controller 112, the at least one processor 106, and / or the like to control operation of the at least one x-ray generator 120. Further, the x-ray transmitter 104 may utilize the at least one collimator / energy shaping control system 110 to control operation of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0100] Additionally, the x-ray receiver 102 may utilize the at least one processor 106, and / or the like to control operation of the at least one sensing element 122, the at least one signal processing system 108, and / or the like. Further, the x-ray receiver 102 may utilize the at least one collimator / energy shaping control system 110 to control operation of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0101] Further, the x-ray receiver 102 may utilize the at least one sensing element 122 and the at least one signal processing system 108 to capture the x-rays that penetrate and / or backscatter from the product 901 . The x-rays received by the x- ray receiver 102 and / or the at least one sensing element 122 may be provided to the at least one signal processing system 108 and subsequently may be provided to the gauge measurement and control processor 116. The gauge measurement and control processor 116 may process the x-rays received by the x-ray receiver 102 and / or the at least one sensing element 122 and may provide the x-rays to the human machine interface (HMI) 114. Further, the human machine interface (HMI) 114 may be utilized by user to control operation of the x-ray measurement system 100 including operation of the at least one collimator / energy shaping control system 110 to control operation of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0102] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 and / or other components of the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured to generate characteristics of the product 901 . The characteristics of the product 901 may be provided to the human machine interface (HMI) 114 and / or the system 900. In aspects, the system 900 may operate in response to the characteristics of the product 901 provided by the x-ray19C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurement system 100. The characteristics of the product 901 may be thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density, volumetric density, partial presence constituents, absence of constituents, quantitative amounts of various constituents measurements, quantitative percentages of various constituents measurements, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents measurements, solid ratio measurements, and / or the like for the product 901 and / or its constituents.

[0103] With reference to Figure 1 , the x-ray measurement system 100 is implemented with the x-ray receiver 102 and the x-ray transmitter 104 on opposite sides of the product 901. Accordingly, the x-ray measurement system 100 implemented in Figure 1 may be a transmission type measurement device.

[0104] With reference to Figure 2, the x-ray measurement system 100 is implemented with the x-ray receiver 102 and the x-ray transmitter 104 on a same side of the product 901 . Accordingly, the x-ray measurement system 100 implemented in Figure 2 may be a backscatter type measurement device.

[0105] Figure 3 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different thickness materials according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0106] In particular, Figure 3 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 with different types of the x-ray receiver 102 and different thickness of the product 901. In particular, Figure 3 illustrates implementations of the x- ray measurement system 100 that may implement the x-ray receiver 102 as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, and / or the like.

[0107] Further, Figure 3 illustrates the variation in an amount of attenuation and / or backscatter of the x-rays depending on a material characteristic of the product 901. The material characteristic of the product 901 may be a thickness a basis weight, an areal density, a volumetric density, a ratio, a percentage, and / or the like of a material, a type of material, types of materials, thicknesses of the different types of materials, quantitative amounts of various constituents measurements, quantitative20C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT percentages of various constituents measurements, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents measurements, solid ratio measurements, and / or like of the product 901. For example, different materials in a composite implementation of the product 901 . Further, Figure 3 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a transmission type device.

[0108] Figure 4 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0109] In particular, Figure 4 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 with different types of the x-ray receiver 102. In particular, Figure 3 illustrates implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 that may implement the x-ray receiver 102 as a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, and / or the like. Further, Figure 4 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a backscatter type measurement device.

[0110] Figure 5 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different transmitter types according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0111] In particular, Figure 5 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 with different types of the x-ray receiver 102. In particular, Figure 5 illustrates that the x-ray receiver 102 may be a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, and / or the like. Further, Figure 5 illustrates that the x-ray transmitter 104 may be a non-spectral transmitter, a spectral transmitter, a combined spectral and non-spectral transmitter, and / or the like. In aspects, a non-spectral transmitter can be nuclear based where it is practically mono- energetic or a powered XRAY where output would be a continuum (Bremsstrahlung) of energies up to the highest KeV settings of power supply. Additionally, Figure 5 illustrates that the x-ray receiver 102 may be a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, and / or the like. Further, Figure 5 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a transmission type and a backscatter type measurement device.21C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0112] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0113] In particular, Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 with at least one beam former element 202 on a surface 204 of the at least one beam former device 200. In this aspect, the at least one beam former device 200 is implemented with a wheel, disk, a blade, and / or the like configuration.

[0114] The surface 204 may be configured to limit and / or collimate transmission of x-rays through the at least one beam former device 200. On the other hand, the at least one beam former element 202 may be configured to allow transmission of x-rays through the at least one beam former device 200.

[0115] In aspects, the at least one beam former element 202 may be configured with an edge configuration 206 that defines the at least one beam former element 202. In this regard, each of the implementations of the at least one beam former element 202 may implement a different implementation of the edge configuration 206. In aspects, the edge configuration 206 of the at least one beam former element 202 may control, form, size, and / or the like a beam of energy. Accordingly, different implementations of the at least one beam former element 202 may provide different beamforming configurations.

[0116] When a particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 is arranged in alignment with the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102, as shown by a measurement path 130, the particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 may allow transmission of x-rays therethrough, thus forming a beam of the x-ray. In this regard, the measurement path 130 may be a measurement path of the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102. In aspects, the measurement path 130 may be a beam alignment area.

[0117] Figure 6 further illustrates a plurality of different implementations of the at least one beam former element 202. In aspects, implementations of the at least one beam former element 202 may be circular shaped, square-shaped, rectangular shaped, polygonal shaped, irregular shaped, and / or the like. Further, implementations of the at22C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT least one beam former element 202 may be oriented in different manners in the at least one beam former device 200 to provide different beamforming configurations.

[0118] In aspects, the at least one beam former element 202 may be configured to shape a beam spot beam solid angle, or both the beam spot and the beam solid angle of a radiation beam with respect to a material layer of the product 901 . For example, the at least one beam former element 202 may be configured as a collimator that may be configured to shape a stream of radiation beam so that only those travelling parallel to a specified direction are allowed through. Other examples of the at least one beam former element 202 may include, without limitation, a pinhole collimator, a converging collimator, a cone-beam collimator, and / or the like. In aspects, the at least one beam former element 202 may include a beam shutter configured to control operation of the at least one beam former element 202 to shape or limit a beam solid angle of radiation beam.

[0119] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 of the at least one beam former device 200 may be achieved by rotation around a rotational axis 212 of the at least one beam former device 200. In this regard, rotating the at least one beam former device 200 about the rotational axis 212 as shown by rotational arrow 214 may provide the desired implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. In other words, indexing a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 in alignment with the measurement path 130 may provide a desired beamforming configuration. In this regard, indexing may include discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. In aspects, continuous motion as described herein may include a rate of change of speed, frequency, and / or the like. In aspects, the frequency or the speed could be constant, variable in a linear fashion (ramp up and down), non-linear, and / or the like.

[0120] In aspects, the rotation of the at least one beam former device 200 may be implemented by an indexing device 250 shown schematically in Figure 6. The indexing device 250 may be implemented by one or more motors, actuators, support frames, transmissions, and / or the like configured to move the at least one beam former device23C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT200 to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 with the measurement path 130.

[0121] Figure 7 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0122] In particular, Figure 7 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 with an implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 with a varying shape defined by the edge configuration 206. Other shapes defined by the edge configuration 206 could include non-linear shapes. Accordingly, arranging or indexing a portion of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130 provides the desired beamforming configuration by the at least one beam former device 200.

[0123] In this aspect, alignment of a particular portion of the at least one beam former element 202 of the at least one beam former device 200 may be achieved by rotation around the rotational axis 212. In this regard, rotating the at least one beam former device 200 about the rotational axis 212 as shown by rotational arrow 214 may provide the desired portion of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130.

[0124] Figure 8 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0125] In particular, Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary linear implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 with the at least one beam former element 202 on and / or within the surface 204 of the at least one beam former device 200.

[0126] When a particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 is arranged in alignment with the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102, as shown by the measurement path 130, the particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 may allow transmission of x-rays therethrough, thus forming a beam of the x-ray.

[0127] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 of the at least one beam former device 200 may be achieved by linear movement of the at least one beam former device 200 parallel to the arrow 216 to24C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT provide the desired implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. The linear movement of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one beam former element 202 may be implemented by the indexing device 250.

[0128] Figure 9 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0129] In particular, Figure 9 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 with an implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 with a varying shape defined by the edge configuration 206. Accordingly, arranging a portion of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130 provides the desired beamforming by that portion of the at least one beam former device 200.

[0130] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one beam former element 202 of the at least one beam former device 200 may be achieved by linear movement of the at least one beam former device 200 parallel to the arrow 216 to provide the desired portion of the at least one beam former element 202 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. The linear movement of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one beam former element 202 may be implemented by the indexing device 250.

[0131] In some aspects, the at least one beam former device 200 may include marked portions on the surface 204 and / or on other locations of the at least one beam former device 200. For example, uncoated portions, blank spots, marks, and / or the like that may be sensed by a sensor of the x-ray measurement system 100. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may include sensors for sensing the marked portions of the at least one beam former device 200 for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device 200.

[0132] Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0133] In particular, Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 with at least one energy shaping element 30225C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT within and / or on a surface 304 of the at least one energy shaping device 300. In this aspect, the at least one energy shaping device 300 is implemented with a wheel, disk, and / or the like configuration.

[0134] The surface 304 may be configured to limit and / or form transmission of x- rays through the at least one energy shaping device 300. On the other hand, the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured to allow transmission of x-rays through the at least one energy shaping device 300 as well as shape an energy of the x-rays through the at least one energy shaping element 302.

[0135] In aspects, the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured with a material configuration 306 that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element 302. In this regard, each of the implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may implement a different implementation of the material configuration 306. In aspects, the material configuration 306 of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may filter, transform, and / or the like a beam of energy. Accordingly, different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may provide different energy transforming configurations.

[0136] When a particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 is arranged in alignment with the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102, as shown by a measurement path 130, the particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may allow transmission of x-rays therethrough as well as shaping an energy of a beam of the x-ray.

[0137] Figure 10 further illustrates a plurality of different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302. In aspects, implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x-rays, may generate photons in response to the x-rays, and / or the like.

[0138] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 of the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be achieved by rotation around a rotational axis 312 of the at least one energy shaping device 300. In this regard, rotating the at least one energy shaping device 300 about the rotational axis26C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT312 as shown by rotational arrow 314 may provide the desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. In other words, indexing a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in alignment with the measurement path 130.

[0139] In aspects, the rotation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be implemented by an indexing device 350 shown schematically in Figure 10. The indexing device 350 may be implemented by one or more motors, actuators, support frames, transmissions, and / or the like configured to move the at least one energy shaping device 300 to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 with the measurement path 130.

[0140] Figure 11 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0141] In particular, Figure 11 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 with implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302 with a different shape defined by the material configuration 306. Accordingly, arranging or indexing a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130 provides the desired energy shaping configuration by the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0142] Figure 12 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0143] In particular, Figure 12 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 with a varied materials implemented in the material configuration 306. Accordingly, arranging or indexing a portion of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130 provides the desired energy shaping configuration by the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0144] Figure 13 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.27C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0145] In particular, Figure 13 illustrates an exemplary linear implementation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 with the at least one energy shaping element 302 on and / or within the surface 304 of the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0146] When a particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 is arranged in alignment with the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102, as shown by the measurement path 130, the particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 may allow transmission of x-rays therethrough and accordingly shaping an energy of a beam of the x-ray.

[0147] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 of the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be achieved by linear movement of the at least one energy shaping device 300 parallel to the arrow 316 to provide the desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. The linear movement of the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be implemented by the indexing device 350.

[0148] Figure 14 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0149] In particular, Figure 14 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one energy shaping device 300 with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 with a varying material defined by the material configuration 306. Accordingly, arranging a portion of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130 provides the desired energy shaping by that portion of the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0150] Alignment of a particular implementation of the at least one energy shaping element 302 of the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be achieved by linear movement of the at least one energy shaping device 300 parallel to the arrow 316 to provide the desired portion of the at least one energy shaping element 302 in conjunction with the measurement path 130. The linear movement of the at least one28C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be implemented by the indexing device 350.

[0151] In some aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 may include marked portions on the surface 304 and / or on other locations of the at least one energy shaping device 300. For example, uncoated portions, blank spots, marks, and / or the like that may be sensed by a sensor of the x-ray measurement system 100. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may include sensors for sensing the marked portions of the at least one energy shaping device 300 for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0152] In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured with different materials, different transmissions of light and / or electromagnetic waves in different wavelengths and / or energies, different mono layer and / or composite layers of various materials, and / or atomic numbers, different frequency responses, different spectral responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, different metallic and non-metallic layers, and / or the like.

[0153] In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured with materials engineered to provide not only primary effects, but also secondary emissions such as fluoresced radiations that can be leveraged to provide other advantageous measurements capabilities. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured with different emission spectrums. In particular, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured absorb a photon and emit another photon with a different energy, wavelength, and / or the like. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured with various metals such as Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, a combination thereof, and / or the like. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy29C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT shaping element 302 may be configured with an aluminum-based material, aluminum- based filter, and / or the like.

[0154] In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may include one or more filter layers configured to attenuate a predetermined range of wavelengths corresponding to a range of energy levels associated with fluorescence from a material layer of the product 901 . In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured to emit a radiation beam. In some embodiments, the range of energy levels can be predetermined based on the energy of radiation beam and one or more K-edge energy levels associated with a material layer of the product 901. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be composed of various metals such as Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, or a combination thereof depending on the range of energy levels to be filtered. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may include a plurality of layers where each layer is configured to filter a corresponding range of energy levels. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be configured to apply beam hardening to a radiation beam. In aspects, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 may include a material configured to selectively attenuate lower energy photons of a radiation beam. In some embodiments, a material of beam the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the at least one energy shaping element 302 can include various metals such as Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, etc. depending on material composition of a material layer of the product 901 to be measured and a range of thickness of the material layer of the product 901 to be measured.

[0155] Figure 15 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.30C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0156] Figure 16 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0157] Figure 17 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the at least one beam former device combined with an implementation of the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0158] In particular, Figure 15, Figure 16, and Figure 17 illustrate exemplary implementations of the at least one beam former device 200 with the at least one beam former element 202 of the at least one beam former device 200 combined with the at least one energy shaping device 300 with the at least one energy shaping element 302.

[0159] Any arrangement or combination of the previously described implementations of the at least one beam former element 202 and the at least one energy shaping element 302 may be combined in a single combined implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 and the at least one energy shaping device 300. In this case, Figure 15, Figure 16, and Figure 17 are merely exemplary of some of the possible combinations of the at least one beam former element 202 and the at least one energy shaping element 302.

[0160] Figure 18 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0161] In particular, Figure 18 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300. In particular, Figure 18 illustrates implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 on a single side or both sides of the product 901 , that may implement the at least one energy shaping device 300 on single side or both sides of the product 901 , and / or that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 on a single side and / or both sides of the product 901 . Further, Figure 18 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a transmission type device.31C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0162] Figure 19 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different receiver types and different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0163] In particular, Figure 19 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300. In particular, Figure 19 illustrates implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 on one side of the product 901 , that may implement the at least one energy shaping device 300 on one side of the product 901 , and / or that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 and the at least one energy shaping device 300 on one side of the product 901 . Further, Figure 19 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a backscatter type device.

[0164] Figure 20 illustrates exemplary implementations of a measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device and / or the at least one energy shaping device according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0165] In particular, Figure 20 illustrates exemplary implementations of the x-ray measurement system with different implementations of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300. In particular, Figure 20 illustrates implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 on both sides of the product 901 , that may implement the at least one energy shaping device 300 on both sides of the product 901 , and / or that may implement the at least one beam former device 200 and the at least one energy shaping device 300 on both sides of the product 901 . Further, Figure 20 illustrates that the x-ray measurement system 100 is being implemented as a transmission and a backscatter type device.

[0166] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be implemented in a scanner. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be implemented in a scanner with an embedded frame. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may32C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT be implemented with a pneumatic, electric, and / or the like shutter to provide fail-safe operation.

[0167] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured for measuring thickness, moisture, basis weight, coating weight, barrier and / or various layers for extrusion, converting, flexible packaging, rubber calendering, nonwovens, paper, metals, extrusion coating & laminating, and / or the like. In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured for measuring wall thickness, flaws, length and speed, composition, and other dimensional properties of pipes, tubes, metals, converting, nonwovens, rubber, plastic, paper, film, foil, and / or the like.

[0168] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured to implement the at least one beam former element 202 to be introduced statically, sequentially, or continuously varying. In aspects, the at least one beam former element 202 may be discrete or continuous, such as linearly or non-linearly varying. In aspects, various implementations of the at least one energy shaping element 302 and the at least one beam former element 202 may be combined in one mechanism.

[0169] In aspects, the at least one beam former device 200 and the at least one energy shaping device 300 may be combined in the x-ray transmitter 104, the x-ray receiver 102 and / or both to realize other and more energy shaping capabilities and therefore more measurement possibilities. In aspects, more than one implementation of the at least one beam former device 200 can be combined in the x-ray transmitter 104, the x-ray receiver 102 and / or both to realize other and more energy shaping capabilities leveraging primary, secondary and / or tertiary beam interactions and therefore more measurement possibilities of measured product such single or multiple material, composite, layered structures.

[0170] In aspects, various combinations of settings of the x-ray transmitter 104, the x-ray receiver 102, the at least one beam former device 200, the at least one energy shaping device 300 and / or the like may be deployed by the x-ray measurement system 100 to enable measurement of various products and products changeovers.

[0171] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping33C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT device 300 may be introduced at various discrete steps or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rate and / or frequencies.

[0172] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured with various combinations of the x-ray transmitter 104, the x-ray receiver 102, the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 and the x-ray measurement system 100 configured to implement the same at discrete steps and / or continuous, such as linear and non-linear, rates and / or frequencies.

[0173] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that a rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path may be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to further gain other advantages such as improving a signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) through chopper, synchronous, freeze frame (reduces smearing, which may be a benefit of freeze frame), non-linear, and / or other signal processing methods.

[0174] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that a rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents.

[0175] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that a rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements of the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or machine directions.34C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0176] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that a rate and / or frequency of introducing various elements the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents at various locations of measured products such as edges, lanes, lengths, and / or the like in cross and / or machine directions deploying pixelated and / or segmented sensing elements alone or in combination with single and / or more than one incident energy source.

[0177] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured such that a rate and / or frequency of introducing the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300 in the measurement path can be selected alone or in combination with rate and / or frequency of the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 operating parameters change(s) to enable measurement of different measured product characteristics and / or constituents depending on the desired timing such as production startup, stop, upset, recipe change, troubleshooting, diagnosis, standardization, linearization, calibration, verification, and / or the like.

[0178] In aspects, the at least one x-ray generator 120 may be implemented by an x-ray tube, naturally decaying process of nuclear isotopes such as Am241 (direct x- ray generation), produced indirectly as the results of Beta particles interaction with certain materials, and / or other means known to those skilled in the art. Further, the at least one x-ray generator 120 may be configured to be adjustable in energy spectrum, flux density, focal spot size, and / or the like. This is typically achieved by design of an x- ray tube and use of a programmable high voltage power supply controller.

[0179] In aspects, the at least one sensing element 122 may be implemented with one or more ion chambers, proportional counters, SDDs (Silicon Drift Detector), pin diodes, photo diodes with scintillator, and / or the like. In aspects, the at least one sensing element 122 can deploy both non-energy specific and spectral sensing element(s) of various technologies. In aspects, the at least one sensing element 12235C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT can deploy more than one sensing element corresponding to one or more incoming sources of energies.

[0180] In aspects, the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102 may be positioned on either side of the measured products. In aspects, the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102 may be positioned on the same side of the measured products. In aspects, the x-ray transmitter 104 and the x-ray receiver 102 may be positioned on the same side of the measured products and another Rx positioned on the other side of the measured product. In aspects, the x-ray transmitter 104 and / or the x-ray receiver 102 may be configured with more than one generating and / or detecting sub system.

[0181] Figure 21 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the system implementing the x-ray measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0182] In particular, Figure 21 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the system 900 implementing the x-ray measurement system 100. More specifically, the system 900 may be configured as a coating and lamination system taking a base material adding coats of material and a laminate onto the base material. In aspects, the base material may be the product 901 throughout the process. Further, the system 900 may include multiple implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100. In particular, the x-ray measurement system 100 may be implemented on a scanning device to scan across areas of the product 901 and accordingly measure aspects of the product 901 throughout processing by the system 900. Aspects of the system 900 and the x-ray measurement system 100 are merely exemplary of the many numerous other possible implementations of the x-ray measurement system 100 contemplated by the disclosure.

[0183] In aspects, the x-ray measurement system 100 and / or other components of the x-ray measurement system 100 may be configured to generate characteristics of the product 901 . The characteristics of the product 901 may be provided to the system 900. In aspects, the system 900 may operate in response to the characteristics of the product 901 provided by the x-ray measurement system 100. The characteristics of the product 901 may be thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal36C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT density, volumetric density, partial presence constituents, absence of constituents, quantitative amounts of various constituents measurements, quantitative percentages of various constituents measurements, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents measurements, solid ratio measurements, and / or the like for the product 901 and / or its constituents.

[0184] Figure 22 illustrates a process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0185] In particular, Figure 22 illustrates a process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600. In particular, it should be noted that the process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 is merely exemplary and may be modified consistent with the various aspects disclosed herein. Moreover, the process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 of the disclosure may include a process of manufacturing the x-ray measurement system 100. It should be noted that the process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may be performed in a different order consistent with the aspects described above. Moreover, the process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may be modified to have more or fewer process steps consistent with the various aspects disclosed herein.

[0186] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include providing an x-ray transmitter and an x-ray receiver together with at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device 602. In this regard, the providing an x-ray transmitter and an x-ray receiver together with at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device 602 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0187] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include indexing the at least one beam former element to control, form, size, and / or the like of a beam of energy 604. In this regard, the indexing the at least one beam former element to control, form, size, and / or the like of a beam of energy 604 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.37C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT

[0188] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include indexing the at least one energy shaping element to define an energy shaping of a beam of energy 606. In this regard, the indexing the at least one energy shaping element to define an energy shaping of a beam of energy 606 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0189] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include operating the x-ray transmitter to generate a beam of energy 608. In this regard, the operating the x-ray transmitter to generate a beam of energy 608 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0190] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include operating the x-ray transmitter to generate a beam of energy 608. In this regard, the operating the x-ray transmitter to generate a beam of energy 608 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0191] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include operating the x-ray receiver to measure a transmission and / or backscatter of the beam of energy 610. In this regard, the operating the x-ray receiver to measure a transmission and / or backscatter of the beam of energy 610 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0192] The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system 600 may include determining product constituent(s) and / or composition based on the measurement by the x-ray receiver 612. In this regard, the determining product constituent(s) and / or composition based on the measurement by the x-ray receiver 612 may include any one or more materials, structures, arrangements, processes, and / or the like as described herein.

[0193] Accordingly, the disclosure has set forth an electromagnetic radiation measurement system having the ability to quickly and easily change configurations. In38C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT particular, the disclosure has set forth an electromagnetic radiation measurement system having the ability to quickly and easily change configurations utilizing at least the at least one beam former device 200 and / or the at least one energy shaping device 300.

[0194] One EXAMPLE: an x-ray measurement system includes an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The x-ray measurement system in addition includes an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The x-ray measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system also includes where the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system. The x-ray measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system.

[0195] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted39C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCTEXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The x- ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio, and / or the like of a material.

[0196] The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.40C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCTThe x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at41C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x-rays, and / or generate different photons in response to the x-rays. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with aluminum, an aluminum-based material, and / or an aluminum-based filter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least42C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product. The system of the above-noted EXAMPLE the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, where the x-ray measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

[0197] One EXAMPLE: a process includes providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The process in addition includes providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.

[0198] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The43C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x- ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x- ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement44C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the45C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x- rays, and / or generate different photons in response to the x-rays. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one46C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT energy shaping element is configured with aluminum, an aluminum-based material, and / or an aluminum-based filter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

[0199] One EXAMPLE: an x-ray measurement system includes an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The x-ray measurement system in addition includes an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The x-ray measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system also includes where the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system. The x-ray measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system. The x-ray measurement system in addition includes where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

[0200] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to47C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x- ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non- linearly to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The x- ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam48C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio, and / or the like of a material. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, where spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The x-ray49C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy50C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x-rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of electromagnetic energy in different wavelengths, different interference characteristics, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic and / or non-metallic layers. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, and / or a combination thereof. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system51C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The x- ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product. The system of the above-noted EXAMPLE the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, where the x-ray measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

[0201] One EXAMPLE: a process includes providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays. The process in addition includes providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device. The process further includes where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

[0202] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The x-ray measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter52C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x- ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x- ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE53C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, where spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, where the indexing54C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x- rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path,55C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

[0203] One EXAMPLE: an electromagnetic measurement system includes an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic measurement system in addition includes an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic measurement system moreover includes at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system also includes where the at56C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system. The electromagnetic measurement system further includes where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system.

[0204] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver to enable measurement of various products. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products. The electromagnetic57C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The electromagnetic measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The electromagnetic measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density58C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio of an organic material (such as a polymer) and an inorganic alloy. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, where spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or59C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The electromagnetic measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform electromagnetic waves differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the60C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT electromagnetic waves, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of electromagnetic energy in different wavelengths, different interference characteristics, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic and / or non-metallic layers. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The electromagnetic measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The electromagnetic61C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT measurement system of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product. The system of the above-noted EXAMPLE the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

[0205] One EXAMPLE: a process includes providing an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves. The process in addition includes providing an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves. The process moreover includes providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device. The process also includes changing a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.

[0206] The above-noted EXAMPLE may further include any one or a combination of more than one of the following EXAMPLES: The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or62C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical63C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT transformer. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the electromagnetic receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, where spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position64C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT of the at least one beam former device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration. The process of the abovenoted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform electromagnetic waves differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the electromagnetic waves, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident electromagnetic waves. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE includes providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, where the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy65C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; where the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and where the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product. The process of the above-noted EXAMPLE where the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

[0207] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0208] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" or extending "onto" another element, it can be66C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT directly on or extend directly onto another element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" or extending "directly onto" another element, there are no intervening elements present. Likewise, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being "over" or extending "over" another element, it can be directly over or extend directly over another element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly over" or extending "directly over" another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to another element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements present.

[0209] Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures.

[0210] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and / or "including" when used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0211] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with67C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0212] Further in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, the methods described herein are intended for operation with dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, PCs, PDAs, semiconductors, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic arrays, cloud computing devices, and other hardware devices constructed to implement the methods described herein.

[0213] It should also be noted that the software implementations of the disclosure as described herein are optionally stored on a tangible storage medium, such as: a magnetic medium such as a disk or tape; a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid state medium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other rewritable (volatile) memories. A digital file attachment to email or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium, as listed herein and including art- recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.

[0214] Additionally, the various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented in a non-generic computer implementation. Moreover, the various aspects of the disclosure set forth herein improve the functioning of the system as is apparent from the disclosure hereof. Furthermore, the various aspects of the disclosure involve computer hardware that it specifically programmed to solve the complex problem addressed by the disclosure. Accordingly, the various aspects of the disclosure improve the functioning of the system overall in its specific implementation to perform the process set forth by the disclosure and as defined by the claims.

[0215] The artificial intelligence and / or machine learning may utilize any number of approaches including one or more of cybernetics and brain simulation, symbolic, cognitive simulation, logic-based, anti-logic, knowledge-based, sub-symbolic, embodied68C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT intelligence, computational intelligence and soft computing, machine learning and statistics, and the like.

[0216] The many features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the detailed specification, and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the disclosure which fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the disclosure.69C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docx

Claims

PATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCTCLAIMS:1 . An x-ray measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the x-ray measurement system comprising: an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays; an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays; and at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system; and wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system.

2. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

3. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

4. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.70C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT5. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

6. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.

7. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

8. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.

9. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

10. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.71C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT11 . The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

12. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.

13. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x- ray transmitter.

14. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

15. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

16. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

17. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative72C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio of an organic material (such as a polymer) and an inorganic alloy.

18. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.

19. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.

20. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.21 . The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.

22. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.

23. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.73C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT24. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 23, wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

25. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

26. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 19, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

27. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

28. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

29. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

30. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.74C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT31 . The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

32. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

33. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

34. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

35. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.

36. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 35, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

37. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x-rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays.75C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT38. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

39. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of electromagnetic energy in different wavelengths, different interference characteristics, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic and / or non-metallic layers.

40. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof.41 . The x-ray measurement system according to claim 30, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

42. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.

43. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.76C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT44. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.

45. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

46. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

47. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

48. A system comprising the x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 , the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

49. A process of implementing an x-ray measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the x-ray measurement system comprising: providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays; providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays; providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device; and changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.77C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT50. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.51 . The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

52. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.

53. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x- ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

54. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x- ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.78C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT55. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

56. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.

57. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

58. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

59. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

60. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.61 . The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.79C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT62. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

63. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

64. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

65. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements.

66. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.

67. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.80C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT68. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.

69. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.

70. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.71 . The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.

72. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 71 , wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

73. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

74. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 67, further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises81C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

75. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

76. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

77. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

78. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.

79. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

80. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.82C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT81 . The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

82. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

83. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.

84. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 83, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

85. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x- rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays.

86. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.83C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT87. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers.

88. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof.

89. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 78, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

90. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.91 . The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.

92. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.84C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT93. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

94. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

95. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

96. An x-ray measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the x-ray measurement system comprising: an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays; an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays; and at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system; and wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

97. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.85C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT98. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.

99. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

100. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x-ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.

101. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

102. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.86C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT103. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

104. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

105. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

106. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.

107. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

108. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

109. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.87C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT110. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

111. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio.

112. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.

113. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.

114. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.

115. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.88C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT116. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.

117. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.

118. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 117, wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

119. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

120. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 113, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

121. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

122. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.89C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT123. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

124. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.

125. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

126. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

127. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

128. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

129. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.90C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT130. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 129, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

131. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x-rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays.

132. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

133. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of electromagnetic energy in different wavelengths, different interference characteristics, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic and / or non-metallic layers.

134. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, and / or a combination thereof.

135. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 124, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and91C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

136. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.

137. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.

138. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.

139. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

140. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

141. The x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

142. A system comprising the x-ray measurement system according to claim 96, the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

143. A process of implementing an x-ray measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the x-ray measurement system comprising: providing an x-ray transmitter configured to transmit x-rays;92C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT providing an x-ray receiver configured to sense the x-rays; providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device; and changing a beamforming configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the x-ray measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver to enable measurement of various products.

144. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

145. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter and / or receiver settings of the x-ray receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.

146. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x- ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

147. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement various93C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT combinations of transmitter settings of the x-ray transmitter, receiver settings of the x- ray receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.

148. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

149. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.

150. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

151. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

152. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

153. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.94C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT154. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

155. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

156. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

157. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

158. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements.

159. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the x-ray receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.95C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT160. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.

161. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.

162. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.

163. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.

164. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.

165. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 164, wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

166. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.96C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT167. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 160, further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

168. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

169. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

170. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

171. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.

172. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

173. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device97C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the x-ray transmitter.

174. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

175. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

176. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.

177. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 176, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

178. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform x-rays differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the x- rays, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident x-rays.

179. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing98C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

180. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers.

181. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, and / or a combination thereof.

182. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 171 , wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

183. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.

184. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.99C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT185. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.

186. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 1 3, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

187. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

188. The process of implementing an x-ray measurement system according to claim 143, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

189. An electromagnetic measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the electromagnetic measurement system comprising: an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves; an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves; and at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to change a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system; and wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system.

190. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various100C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

191. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver to enable measurement of various products.

192. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.

193. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

194. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.101C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT195. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

196. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.

197. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

198. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

199. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

200. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.

201. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.102C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT202. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

203. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

204. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

205. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, absence of constituent measurements, quantitative amounts of various constituents, quantitative percentages of various constituents, qualitative presence or partial presence of various constituents, and / or solid ratio of an organic material (such as a polymer) and an inorganic alloy.

206. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the electromagnetic receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.

207. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.103C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT208. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.

209. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.

210. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.

211. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.

212. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 211 , wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

213. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

214. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 207, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with104C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

215. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

216. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

217. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

218. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.

219. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

220. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.105C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.021503 24-040-PCT221. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

222. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

223. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.

224. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 223, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

225. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform electromagnetic waves differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the electromagnetic waves, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident electromagnetic waves.

226. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, further comprising an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.106C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT227. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of electromagnetic energy in different wavelengths, different interference characteristics, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic and / or non-metallic layers.

228. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof.

229. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 218, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

230. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.

231. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.

232. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.107C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT233. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

234. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

235. The electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.

236. A system comprising the electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 189, the system being configured to manipulate, modify, and / or manufacture a product, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to measure at least one aspect of the product.

237. A process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system configured as a transmission type measurement system and / or a backscatter type measurement system, the electromagnetic measurement system comprising: providing an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves; providing an electromagnetic receiver configured to sense the electromagnetic waves; providing at least one beam former device and / or at least one energy shaping device; and changing a beamforming configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one beam former device; and / or changing an energy shaping configuration of the electromagnetic measurement system with the at least one energy shaping device.

238. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured108C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT to implement various configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or various configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

239. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver to enable measurement of various products.

240. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter and / or receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner to enable measurement of various products.

241. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device to enable measurement of various products.

242. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement various combinations of transmitter settings of the electromagnetic transmitter, receiver settings of the electromagnetic receiver, configurations of the at least one beam former device, and / or configurations of the at least one energy shaping device configured to change in a discrete and / or continuous manner either linearly and / or non-linearly to enable measurement of various products.109C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT243. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one beam former device.

244. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device.

245. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement only the at least one energy shaping device.

246. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

247. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement multiple implementations of the at least one beam former device and multiple implementations of the at least one energy shaping device.

248. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to implement the at least one beam former device and the at least one energy shaping device.

249. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured as a device to control a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.110C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT250. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

251. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is configured to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

252. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is a filter, an optical filter, an electromagnetic filter, a transformer, and / or an optical transformer.

253. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic measurement system is configured to generate characteristics of a product comprising thickness measurements, basis weight measurements, areal density measurements, volumetric density measurements, partial presence constituent measurements, and / or absence of constituent measurements.

254. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the electromagnetic receiver is configured as a receiver, a non-spectral receiver, a spectral receiver, and / or a combined spectral and non-spectral receiver, wherein spectral means an ability to measure wavelength or energy as well as magnitude of each energy line present.111C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT255. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element.

256. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element.

257. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged in a circle.

258. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises a plurality of implementations of the at least one beam former element arranged linearly.

259. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, wherein the at least one beam former element is configured with an edge configuration that defines the at least one beam former element.

260. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 259, wherein the edge configuration of the at least one beam former element is configured to control, form, and / or size a beam of energy.

261. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, wherein different implementations of the at least one beam former element comprise different configurations to shape, form, collimate, control, limit, size, and / or shape a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.112C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT262. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 255, further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one beam former device to index or align a desired implementation of the at least one beam former element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

263. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is configured to include marked portions for determining an orientation and / or a position of the at least one beam former device.

264. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

265. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is implemented with a wheel shaped configuration and / or a disk shaped configuration.

266. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element.

267. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element.

268. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein different implementations of the at least one energy113C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT shaping device comprise different configurations to change an energy and / or a spectrum of a beam generated by the electromagnetic transmitter.

269. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged in a circle.

270. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises a plurality of implementations of at least one energy shaping element arranged linearly.

271. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with a material configuration that defines an energy shaping of the at least one energy shaping element.

272. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 271 , wherein different implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to implement a different implementation of the material configuration.

273. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein implementations of the at least one energy shaping element are configured to transform electromagnetic waves differently, filter different portions of a spectrum of the electromagnetic waves, and / or generate different energy photons in response to incident electromagnetic waves.

274. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, further comprising providing an indexing device configured to move the at least one energy shaping device to index or align a desired implementation114C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT of the at least one energy shaping element with a measurement path, wherein the indexing comprises discrete movements and / or continuous motion in linear, oscillating, and / or non-linear fashion.

275. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping device and / or the at least one energy shaping element are configured with different materials, different transmissions of light in different wavelengths, different interference coatings, different frequency responses, different absorptions, different absorption spectrums, different emission spectrums, different attenuations, different interference coatings, and / or different metallic layers.

276. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one energy shaping element is configured with Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Tungsten, an organic material (such as a polymer), an inorganic alloy, and / or a combination thereof.

277. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 266, wherein the at least one beam former device comprises at least one beam former element; wherein the at least one energy shaping device comprises at least one energy shaping element; and wherein the at least one beam former element is combined with the at least one energy shaping element.

278. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is combined with the at least one energy shaping device.

279. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is separate from the at least one energy shaping device.115C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docxPATENTDocket No.: 132538.02150324-040-PCT280. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on both sides of a product.

281. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one beam former device is arranged on one side of a product.

282. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on both sides of a product.

283. The process of implementing an electromagnetic measurement system according to claim 237, wherein the at least one energy shaping device is arranged on one side of a product.116C:\Uscrs\mwilliams\Dcsktop\24-040-PCT_Spccification_132538.021503.docx

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