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US6198795B1
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Method of processing images for material recognition by X-rays
Assignee: CITCO BUILDING
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Filing: 1999-03-19
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Granted: 2001-03-06
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Expires: 2019-03-19
Abstract
Abstract An image processing method for recognizing a material contained in an article includes the following steps: transilluminating the article with X-rays; generating, by an X-ray detector, signals representing the X-rays passing through the article; applying the signals to a computer system as continuous image data; subdividing the image data into defined zone-wise image strips; briefly storing the image strips in an image data memory; and determining the material from the image strips before a completion of the transilluminating step.
Inventors
- 👤 Dirk Naumann
- 👤 Rainer Henkel
- 👤 Knut Beneke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:10
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V5/00; G01V5/20; G01V5/22; G01V5/224
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
An image processing method for recognizing a material contained in an article comprising the following steps: (a) transilluminating the article with X-rays; (b) generating, by an X-ray detector, signals representing the X-rays passing through the article; (c) applying the signals to a computer system as continuous image data; (d) subdividing the image data into defined zone-wise image strips; (e) briefly storing the image strips in an image data memory; and (f) determining the material from the image strips before a completion of step (a).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image processing method for recognizing a material contained in an article comprising the following steps: (a) transilluminating the article with X-rays; (b) generating, by an X-ray detector, signals representing the X-rays passing through the article; (c) applying the signals to a computer system as continuous image data; (d) subdividing the image data into defined zone-wise image strips; (e) briefly storing the image strips in an image data memory; and (f) determining the material from the image strips before a completion of step (a).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of overlappingly connecting said image strips with one another and processing twice the zones of overlap.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the step of stringing adjoining image strips together if the material is larger than a single image strip.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises the step of forming each said image strip such that an image strip width is composed of 90-110 image lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the number of image lines is 100.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of determining a plurality of materials within at least one image strip and filtering out already determined materials between the image lines of the image strips.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying the kind of the determined materials by a comparison with characteristic data stored in a memory.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-03-05 | 2004-09-04 | 2005-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-05 | 2008-09-04 | 2009-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-05 | 2012-09-04 | 2013-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |