US3700895A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scatterhole camera and method for using same including the step of convoluting the image
Assignee: Research Corp
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Filing: 1969-08-14
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Granted: 1972-10-24
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Expires: 1989-08-14
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method useful for recording high resolution images of radiation, such as from X-ray or gamma ray-emitting objects, comprising the use of an entrance plate having a number of randomly distributed pinholes which pass the impinging rays from the radiating objects, casting a number of overlapping images of the pinhole pattern on a sensing plate, which may be in the form of a photographic film, spark chamber or other readout or recording means. A comparison of the pinhole pattern with the overlapping image pattern by evaluating their convolution integral, which may be accomplished by one or more optical methods, such as passing radiation through the two patterns as they are successively shifted with respect to each other, or digitally on a computer will provide a high resolution reconstruction of the pattern of the radiation sources in the object field.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert H Dicke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:39
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/04; G01N23/043; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2921; G01T1/2935; G01T1/295; G03; G03B; G03B42/00; G03B42/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of analyzing a source of rays making up a radiation image comprising the steps of: a. interrupting the travel of rays from the source which arrive at certain areas on a surface comprehending the image and passing rays from the source arriving at other areas of the surface, said other areas being arranged in a substantially random pattern over the total area of the surface and being of such dimensions with respect to the wavelengths of said radiation that diffraction effects are essentially avoided; b. sensing the resulting pattern of the passed rays at a selected distance beyond said surface; and b. evaluating the convolution integral of said substantially random other area pattern and said sensed passed ray pattern to obtain an indication of the location of the source of the rays.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of analyzing a source of rays making up a radiation image comprising the steps of: a. interrupting the travel of rays from the source which arrive at certain areas on a surface comprehending the image and passing rays from the source arriving at other areas of the surface, said other areas being arranged in a substantially random pattern over the total area of the surface and being of such dimensions with respect to the wavelengths of said radiation that diffraction effects are essentially avoided; b. sensing the resulting pattern of the passed rays at a selected distance beyond said surface; and b. evaluating the convolution integral of said substantially random other area pattern and said sensed passed ray pattern to obtain an indication of the location of the source of the rays.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said other areas of said random pattern are arranged in accordance with a table of random signs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein the evaluating of the convolution integral is performed in a digital computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein the evaluating of the convolution integral is performed by optical means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of analyzing the pattern of radiation in an object field, comprising the steps of: a. placing a radiation-inhibiting material in the path of rays comprising the radiation pattern; b. passing those rays of the radiation pattern that arrive at certain non-inhibiting areas in the material, which areas are arranged in a substantially random pattern and are of such dimensions with respect to the radiation wavelengths as to substantially avoid diffraction effects; c. sensing the pattern of the passed rays at a selected distance beyond the material; and d. comparing the sensed pattern of the passed rays with the random pattern of the non-inhibiting areas by convolving to determine the radiation pattern in the object field.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of analyzing the pattern of radiation in an object field, comprising the steps of: a. placing a radiation-inhibiting material in the path of rays comprising the radiation pattern; b. passing those rays of the radiation pattern that arrive at certain non-inhibiting areas in the material, which areas are arranged in a substantially random pattern and are of such dimensions with respect to the radiation wavelengths as to substantially avoid diffraction effects; c. sensing the pattern of the passed rays at a selected distance beyond the material; and d. comparing the sensed pattern of the passed rays with the random pattern of the non-inhibiting areas by convolving to determine the radiation pattern in the object field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method as in claim 5, wherein the inhibiting material is selected in accordance with its K-edge absorption value so as to absorb radiation at the energy level of the arriving rays.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method as in claim 5, wherein the convolving is performed by passing radiation through means containing the random pattern of the non-inhibiting areas and means containing a positive of the sensed pattern of the passed rays.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of reproducing the arrangement in an object field of sources of radiation in a given energy range comprising the steps of: a. intercepting a portion of the rays comprising said radiation from said sources on the surface of a material which blocks radiation in the given energy range; b. passing that portion of the rays making up said radiation that arrives at certain non-blocking areas in the material which areas are arranged in a substantially random pattern and are of such dimensions that said rays are passed while avoiding diffraction effects; c. sensing the pattern of the passed rays from the object field in a field beyond the material; d. evaluating the convolution integral of said random pattern of the non-blocking areas and said sensed pattern of the passed rays to reproduce the radiation source arrangement.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of reproducing the arrangement in an object field of sources of radiation in a given energy range comprising the steps of: a. intercepting a portion of the rays comprising said radiation from said sources on the surface of a material which blocks radiation in the given energy range; b. passing that portion of the rays making up said radiation that arrives at certain non-blocking areas in the material which areas are arranged in a substantially random pattern and are of such dimensions that said rays are passed while avoiding diffraction effects; c. sensing the pattern of the passed rays from the object field in a field beyond the material; d. evaluating the convolution integral of said random pattern of the non-blocking areas and said sensed pattern of the passed rays to reproduce the radiation source arrangement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for obtaining an image of the pattern of radiation in an object field comprising: a. an entrance plate of radiation-inhibiting material having a plurality of non-inhibiting areas therein arranged in a substantially random pattern and whose dimensions are such with respect to the wavelengths of said radiation as to substantially avoid the diffraction of rays of said radiation passing therethrough. b. means in a field beyond said plate for sensing the pattern of the rays from the object field which are passed by said non-inhibiting areas in the entrance plate; and c. means for comparing the random pattern of said non-inhibiting areas and said sensed passed ray pattern by convolving to determine the pattern of radiation in the object field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for obtaining an image of the pattern of radiation in an object field comprising: a. an entrance plate of radiation-inhibiting material having a plurality of non-inhibiting areas therein arranged in a substantially random pattern and whose dimensions are such with respect to the wavelengths of said radiation as to substantially avoid the diffraction of rays of said radiation passing therethrough. b. means in a field beyond said plate for sensing the pattern of the rays from the object field which are passed by said non-inhibiting areas in the entrance plate; and c. means for comparing the random pattern of said non-inhibiting areas and said sensed passed ray pattern by convolving to determine the pattern of radiation in the object field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said non-inhibiting areas of said random pattern are arranged in accordance with a table of random signs.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the entrance plate is a sheet of material having holes therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said entrance plate is a sheet having a substantially uniform thickness with areas of decreased thickness which are non-inhibiting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said entrance plate is a sheet of radiation-inhibiting material, having areas of non-inhibiting material therein.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said entrance plate is of a material whose K-edge absorption value is in the range of the energy of said radiation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the sensing means is a photographic plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the sensing means is a spark chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein the convolution integral is evaluated by relatively shifting said sensed pattern of the passed rays with respect to said random pattern of the non-blocking areas and passing radiation from an external source through the two patterns at different relative positions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the means for comparing by convolving is a digital computer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the means for comparing by convolving is an optical means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
131 words
A camera for imaging the arrangement of X-ray sources in an object field comprising: a. a surface at the entrance of the camera inhibitive to radiation at X-ray energies with a plurality of areas therein arranged in a random pattern which are non-inhibiting to and non-diffractive of radiation in the X-ray energy range; b. means within the camera for sensing the pattern of the radiation passed by said non-inhibiting areas of said surface; c. means for comparIng the pattern of said non-inhibiting areas with the pattern of the passed radiation sensed at said sensing means, by evaluating their convolution integral; and d. means for providing a graphic representation of the evaluation of said convolution integral to provide an image of the pattern of the sources of X-rays in the object field.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
131 words
A camera for imaging the arrangement of X-ray sources in an object field comprising: a. a surface at the entrance of the camera inhibitive to radiation at X-ray energies with a plurality of areas therein arranged in a random pattern which are non-inhibiting to and non-diffractive of radiation in the X-ray energy range; b. means within the camera for sensing the pattern of the radiation passed by said non-inhibiting areas of said surface; c. means for comparIng the pattern of said non-inhibiting areas with the pattern of the passed radiation sensed at said sensing means, by evaluating their convolution integral; and d. means for providing a graphic representation of the evaluation of said convolution integral to provide an image of the pattern of the sources of X-rays in the object field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |