| Passport Systems, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20110255669 | THIN WALLED TUBE RADIATOR FOR BREMSSTRAHLUNG AT HIGH ELECTRON BEAM INTENSITIES - Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110164732 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR COMPUTER TOMOGRAPHY OF NUCLEAR ISOTOPES USING NUCLEAR RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE - The transmission of photons through a target produces “holes” in the transmitted energy spectrum that are characteristic of the NRF energies of the nuclear isotopes in the target. Measuring the absorption via the transmission of these photons through a target allows the production of tomographic images that are associated with specific nuclear isotopes. Thus three-dimensional density patterns are generated for the elements in a container. The process is very much like standard X-ray tomography but it identifies specific nuclear isotopes as well as their densities. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110064200 | USE OF NEARLY MONOCHROMATIC AND TUNABLE PHOTON SOURCES WITH NUCLEAR RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE IN NON-INTRUSIVE INSPECTION OF CONTAINERS FOR MATERIAL DETECTION AND IMAGING - Methods and systems for detecting potential items of interest in target samples, using nuclear resonance fluorescence, utilize incident photon spectra that are narrower than traditional bremsstrahlung spectra but overlap nuclear resonances in elements of interest for purposes of detection, such as but not limited to the detection of threats in luggage or containers being scanned. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20100027749 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING THE AVERAGE ATOMIC NUMBER AND MASS OF MATERIALS - Disclosed herein are methods and systems of scanning a target for potential threats using the energy spectra of photons scattered from the target to determine the spatial distributions of average atomic number and/or mass in the target. An exemplary method comprises: illuminating each of a plurality of voxels of the target with a photon beam; determining an incident flux upon each voxel; measuring the energy spectrum of photons scattered from the voxel; determining, using the energy spectrum, the average atomic number in the voxel; and determining the mass in the voxel using the incident flux, the average atomic number of the material in the voxel, the energy spectrum, and a scattering kernel corresponding to the voxel. An exemplary system may use threat detection heuristics to determine whether to trigger further action based upon the average atomic number and/or mass of the voxels. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20090279666 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF MATERIALS USING PHOTONS SCATTERED FROM THE NUCLEAR "PYGMY RESONANCE" - The scattered intensity of photons from the nuclear Pygmy Resonance taken in conjunction with the scattered intensity at lower energies provides a signal that is sensitive to the nature of the nuclear species doing the scattering. Highly enriched uranium and depleted uranium can be distinguished by this signal from other materials. Other nuclei can also be distinguished and identified. Methods and apparatus for employing the phenomenon to identify or assist in the identification of materials are disclosed. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090196397 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR COMPUTER TOMOGRAPHY OF NUCLEAR ISOTOPES USING NUCLEAR RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE - The transmission of photons through a target produces “holes” in the transmitted energy spectrum that are characteristic of the NRF energies of the nuclear isotopes in the target. Measuring the absorption via the transmission of these photons through a target allows the production of tomographic images that are associated with specific nuclear isotopes. Thus three-dimensional density patterns are generated for the elements in a container. The process is very much like standard X-ray tomography but it identifies specific nuclear isotopes as well as their densities. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20080310595 | THIN WALLED TUBE RADIATOR FOR BREMSSTRAHLUNG AT HIGH ELECTRON BEAM INTENSITIES - Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam. | 12-18-2008 |
