Displaced-ray CT Scanner Detector Arrays for Baggage Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional CT scanning technologies for baggage inspection are slow and cumbersome, leading to long delays at security checkpoints, which worsen the throughput issues at crowded airports despite their effectiveness in detecting explosives.
Innovation Solution
A computed tomography scanner design with a housing, conveyor, gantry, and detector arrays spaced apart to achieve a geometric efficiency of less than 80%, allowing for faster scanning speeds without increasing the size of the scanner or gantry rotation rate, by using multiple detector arrays and x-ray sources to capture displaced x-rays and combine information for improved image resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional CT scanning with detector arrays is used, then explosive detection effectiveness is improved, but scanning speed is reduced and passenger throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detector array is segmented into multiple sub-arrays spaced apart in the direction of travel. Each sub-array detects x-rays at different positions, allowing the system to reconstruct images at higher speeds by processing data from multiple segments simultaneously rather than requiring a single continuous detection path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by spacing detector arrays apart in the direction of travel (z-axis), creating a three-dimensional detection geometry. This allows the system to capture displaced x-ray paths that provide additional information for faster scanning while maintaining image quality.
2Measurement precision
If detector arrays are spaced closer together to improve geometric efficiency, then image resolution is improved, but scanning speed must be reduced to maintain accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric efficiency parameter by intentionally spacing detector arrays apart (reducing geometric efficiency to less than 80%). This counterintuitive parameter change allows the system to maintain image resolution while enabling faster scanning speeds, as the displaced x-ray paths provide additional temporal information that compensates for the lower geometric efficiency.
3Productivity
If scanner size or gantry rotation rate is increased to improve scanning speed, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the rotation rate of a single gantry, the patent segments the detection function into multiple spaced-apart detector arrays. This allows the system to achieve faster effective scanning by having multiple detectors capture data simultaneously at different positions, eliminating the need to increase gantry rotation speed or scanner size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables faster CT scanning with improved passenger throughput, maintaining axial image resolution at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional systems, allowing for efficient screening of baggage for explosives while reducing processing time.
Implementation Method 1
an x-ray source attached to the gantry and configured to provide an x-ray beam that extends along a length in the direction of travel
Implementation Method 2
detector arrays attached to the gantry and configured and disposed to receive and detect x-rays from the x-ray source, the detector arrays being displaced relative to each other in the direction of travel an array spacing distance such that a geometric efficiency of the arrays is less than about 80%
Data Source
AI summary
A computed tomography scanner includes a housing, a conveyor disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to move an object to be scanned through the housing along a direction of travel, a gantry connected to the housing and configured to receive the object to be scanned, an x-ray source attached to the gantry and configured to provide an x-ray beam that extends along a length in the direction of travel, and detector arrays attached to the gantry and configured and disposed to receive and detect x-rays from the x-ray source, the detector arrays being displaced relative to each other in the direction of travel an array spacing distance such that a geometric efficiency of the arrays is less than about 80%.