Patent Publication Number: US-10782441-B2

Title: Multiple three-dimensional (3-D) inspection renderings

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following generally relates to an imaging inspection system and more particularly to multiple simultaneous three-dimensional (3-D) inspection renderings of the imaging inspection system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A computed tomography (CT) imaging inspection system has been used in the detection of contraband such as explosives, and/or other prohibited items at an airport security checkpoint and/or other location. Such an imaging inspection system generates three-dimensional (3-D) volumetric image data of the scanned luggage and/or baggage and items therein. The identification of the contraband may then be made by a combination of image processing of the volumetric image data with an inspection software and visual inspection of the displayed volumetric image data by inspection personnel. 
     A CT imaging inspection system for checked luggage and/or baggage has only provided a single whole volume 3D image for display, typically shown with high transparency. Unfortunately, it may be difficult or not possible to discern what an item is when displaying the item semi-transparently, as the perimeter and/or exterior of the item may not be clear or visible. For carry-on luggage and/or baggage, the displayed image has been a two-dimensional (2-D) projection image(s), such as one or both of a top view 2-D image and a side view 2-D image. The 2-D image(s) has been displayed in gray-scale and/or color. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example of a gray-scale 2-D image  102  of carry-on luggage and/or baggage. Unfortunately, contraband may not be visibly apparent and/or discernible in a 2-D image(s) such as the 2-D image  102 . For example, the representation of a first item may obscure the representation of another item located below the first item. As a consequence, certain contraband may not be detected or detectable through visual inspection of the 2-D image(s). In such a case, visual inspection may offer only limited utility when used in combination with a computer inspection algorithm(s). 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the application address the above matters, and others. 
     In one aspect, an X-ray inspection system includes at least one display monitor and a console. The console includes at least two different visualization algorithms and a processor. The processor is configured to process volumetric image data with a first of the at least two different visualization algorithms and produce first processed volumetric image. The processor is further configured to process the volumetric image data with the a second of the at least two different visualization algorithms and produce second processed volumetric image. The processor is further configured to concurrently display the first and second processed volumetric image data via the display monitor. The volumetric image data is indicative of a scanned object and items therein. 
     In another aspect, a method includes receiving volumetric image data indicative of a scanned object and items therein from an imaging inspection system. The method further includes processing the volumetric image data with a first visualization algorithm, producing a first processed volumetric image. The method further includes processing the volumetric image data with a second visualization algorithm, producing second processed volumetric image. The method further includes simultaneously displaying the first processed volumetric image and the second processed volumetric image. 
     In another aspect, a computer readable medium is encoded with computer-executable instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to: process volumetric image data generated by an imaging inspection system with a first visualization algorithm, producing first processed volumetric image, process the volumetric image data with a second visualization algorithm, producing second processed volumetric image, and display both the first processed volumetric image and the second processed volumetric image. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize still other aspects of the present application upon reading and understanding the attached description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The application is illustrated by way of example and not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an example a gray-scale 2-D image of carry-on luggage; 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an example imaging inspection system; 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an example conveyor assembly for the imaging inspection system; 
         FIG. 4  schematically illustrates an example imaging inspection system with a single display monitor visually presenting multiple differently processed 3-D images; 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates an example imaging inspection system with multiple display monitors, each visually presenting a differently processed 3-D image; 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates a first example of two differently processed 3-D images with contraband; 
         FIG. 7  schematically illustrates another example of two differently processed 3-D images with contraband; 
         FIG. 8  schematically illustrates yet another example of two differently processed 3-D images; 
         FIG. 9  schematically illustrates the two differently processed 3-D images of  FIG. 8  synchronously rotated; 
         FIG. 10  schematically illustrates still another example of two differently processed 3-D images; 
         FIG. 11  schematically illustrates the two differently processed 3-D images of  FIG. 10  synchronously rotated and zoomed; 
         FIG. 12  schematically illustrates an example method in accordance with an embodiment described herein; 
         FIG. 13  shows an example first plot for a first opacity mapping for a first visualization algorithm for a first of the two differently processed 3-D images; and 
         FIG. 14  shows an example second plot for a second opacity mapping for a second visualization algorithm for a second of the two differently processed 3-D images. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an example imaging inspection system  200 . The illustrated imaging inspection system  200  is configured to scan an object  202  (e.g., luggage, baggage, etc.) and items  203  therein, and detect contraband items, such as explosives, and/or other prohibited items of the items  203 . The imaging inspection system  200 , in one instance, is an aviation security and/or inspection computed tomography (CT) based imaging inspection system at an airport checkpoint and/or other location. In another instance, the imaging inspection system  200  is configured for non-destructive testing, medical, and/or other imaging. 
     The illustrated imaging inspection system  200  includes a stationary frame  204  with an aperture  206  and a rotating frame  208 . The rotating frame  208  is rotatably supported in the aperture via a bearing  210 , which includes a first portion  212  affixed to the stationary frame  204  and a second portion  214  affixed to the rotating frame  208 . The rotating frame  208  rotates about an examination region  216 . The rotating frame  208  supports a radiation source(s)  218  (e.g., an ionizing X-ray source, etc.) and a detector array  220 , which is disposed diametrically opposite the radiation source(s)  218 , across the examination region  216 . A conveyor assembly  222  supports the object  202  in the examination region  216 , including moving the object through the examination region  216 . 
     Briefly turning to  FIG. 3 , an example of a side view of a portion of a suitable conveyor assembly  222  is illustrated. In  FIG. 3 , the conveyor assembly  222  includes a continuous belt  302  supported by two opposing pulleys  304  and four idler pulleys  306 . The conveyor assembly  222  further includes a drive system(s)  308 , which include at least a controller  310 , which controls a motor  312  to drive an actuator  314  (e.g., a belt, a gear, a ball screw, a lead screw, etc.) to rotate one or more of the pulleys  304  and/or  306  to translate the belt  302 . An example of a suitable conveyor assembly  22  is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,072,434, filed Jan. 15, 2044, and entitled “Carry-on baggage tomography scanning system,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , during an examination of the object(s)  202 , the radiation source(s)  218  emits radiation, which is collimated, e.g., via a collimator  224 , to produce a fan, cone, wedge, and/or other shaped radiation beam  226 , which traverses the examination region  216 , including the object  202  and items  203 , which attenuate or absorb radiation based on, e.g., a material composition and/or density of the object  202  and items  203 . The detector array  220  includes a 1-D or 2-D array of detectors, which detect the radiation and generates an electrical signal(s) (projection data) indicative of an attenuation by the object  202  and items  203 . An image reconstructor  228  reconstructs the electrical signal(s), generating volumetric image data indicative of the object  202  and the items  203 . 
     A computer  230  is configured to provide a signal(s) that controls components such as the rotating frame  208 , the radiation source  218 , the detector array  220  and the conveyor assembly  222  for scanning, the image reconstructor  228  for generating the volumetric image data, and to receive the volumetric image data from the image reconstructor  228  and process and display the volumetric image data via a display monitor(s)  232 , which can be part of and/or in electrical communication with the computer  230 . The computer  230  is also configured with an input device(s) to receive user input, which controls an operation(s) such as a speed of gantry rotation, kVp, mA, etc. 
     The computer  230  includes a processor  234  (e.g., a microprocessor, a central processing unit, a controller, etc.) and a user interface algorithm(s)  236 . The processor  230  executes the user interface algorithm(s)  236  and generates a user interface(s), which is displayed with the display monitor(s)  232 . In one instance, the user interface is a graphical user interface (GUI) with a single view port to display a 3-D image. In another instance, the GUI includes two view ports for concurrent and/or simultaneous display of two different 3-D images. In yet another instance, the GUI includes N (N&gt;2) view ports to display N images, one in each view port. 
     The computer  230  further includes a visualization or rendering algorithm(s)  238 . As described in greater detail below, in one instance, the rendering algorithm(s)  238  includes at least two different algorithms for generating at least two different 3-D images of the object  202  and the items  203  emphasizing different characteristics (e.g., material composition, surface, etc.) of the object  202  and the items  203 , and the processor  234  concurrently and/or simultaneously displays the at least two different 3-D images in different view ports of the display monitor(s)  232 . In one instance, concurrent and/or simultaneous display of the at least two 3-D images allow a user to more quickly and accurately identify the items  203 , relative to a configuration in which only a single rendering algorithm  238  is utilized, e.g., by showing a more complete representation of identify the items, simultaneously, which, in one instance, can speed up and/or improve the inspection process, e.g., for clearing threats. 
     The computer  230  further includes an image processing detection algorithm(s)  240 . The processor  234  executes the image processing detection algorithm(s)  240  to process the volumetric image data and identify contraband in the object  202  therefrom. Non-limiting examples of detection algorithms include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. No. 7,190,757 B2, filed May 21, 2004, and entitled “Method of and system for computing effective atomic number images in multi-energy computed tomography,” U.S. Pat. No. 7,302,083 B2, filed Jul. 1, 2004, and entitled “Method of and system for sharp object detection using computed tomography images,” and U.S. Pat. No. 8,787,669 B2, filed Sep. 30, 2008, and entitled “Compound object separation,” all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     It will be appreciated that the example component diagram is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of a type of imaging modality and is not intended to be interpreted in a limiting manner. For example, the functions of one or more components described herein may be separated into a plurality of components and/or the functions of two or more components described herein may be consolidated into merely a single component. Moreover, the imaging modality may comprise additional components to perform additional features, functions, etc. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example in which the displays  232  include a single display  402 . 
     The user interface algorithm(s)  236  includes at least an algorithm  410  for generating a single GUI  404 , with at least two view ports  406   1 , . . . ,  406   N  (where N is an integer equal to or greater than two), rendered in the single display  402 . Each at least two view ports  406   1 , . . . ,  406   N  displays a 3-D image,  408   1 , . . . ,  408   N . Each 3-D image  408   1 , . . . ,  408   N  is displayed from a vantage point of a view plane through the 3-D image and into a remaining depth of the 3-D image, wherein the portion of the 3-D image in front of the view plane is either rendering transparent or not at all. 
     The rendering algorithm(s)  238  includes at least a first algorithm  412   1  for a generating semi-transparent 3-D rendering and an m-th algorithm  412   N  for generating a surface 3-D rendering. A suitable semi-transparent rendering uses transparency and/or colors to represent the object  202  as a semi-transparent volume. For example, the outside of the object  202  and/or one or more of the items  203  is displayed as semi-transparent so that it does not visually conceal other items  203  there behind. A suitable surface rendering algorithm uses a threshold value of radiodensity (to see through the outer cloth but detect items of interest inside) and edge detection to detect surfaces of the items  203  in the object  202 , where only the surface closest to the user (the view plane) is visible. 
     In one instance, having at least shape recognition from the surface rendering and the semi-transparent rendering can speed up the process for clearing threats since each rendering visually displays the items  203  of the object  202  differently. For example, the semi-transparent rendering can facilitate quick identification of an item as an item of interest and the surface rendering can facilitate identifying what these items are. The multiple renderings in the view ports  406   1 , . . . ,  406   N  can be manipulated independently or synchronously to a single user action for operations such as zoom, rotate, pan, contrast, brightness, opacity and/or other operation. Manipulating both in synchronization may reduce user interaction and optimize workflow. The manipulation can be performed via a mouse, keyboard, and/or touchscreen, e.g., using both single and multi-touch gestures. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a variation in which the displays  232  includes at least two displays  502   1 , . . . ,  502   N , and the user interface algorithm(s)  236  includes at least two algorithms  410   1 , . . . ,  410   N , for generating at least two GUIs  504  and  506 , one in each of the displays  502   1 , . . . ,  502   N , and each respectively visually presenting at least one view port  508  and  510 , each respectively displaying a 3-D image  512  and  514  generated with different algorithms of the rendering algorithm(s)  238 . 
     In another variation, the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5  are combined, e.g., for an embodiment which includes more than one display  232 , where at least one of the displays  232  visually presents a GUI with multiple view ports that display views of volumetric image data processed using different rendering algorithms of the rendering algorithms  238 . In one instance, all of the displays  232  include multiple view ports. In another instance, at least one of the displays includes only a single view port. 
       FIG. 6  shows the single GUI  404  with the two view ports  406   1 , . . . ,  406   N . 
     The view port  406   1  presents the 3-D image  408   1  generated with the semi-transparent algorithm  412   1 , and the view port  406   N  presents the 3-D image  408   N  generated with the surface algorithm  412   N . In this example, each of the algorithms  412   1 , . . . ,  412   N  includes a color lookup table (LUT) that maps each voxel in the volumetric image data to a specific color in the Hue/Saturation/Value (HSV) color model and/or gray value, e.g., in a gray scale range, and an opacity table that maps each voxel to a specific transparency. The LUT and/or opacity is different for each algorithm  412   1 , . . . ,  412   N . One or both of the algorithms  412   1 , . . . ,  412   N  also provide shading. 
     In this example, the items  203  include at least a pair of scissors  602  and a container  604  filled with a fluid, where the simultaneous observation makes it easier to locate the pair of scissors  602  and container  604 . For example, the 3-D image  408   1  makes it easier to locate metallic items such as the pair of scissors  602  and containers holding fluids, at least since different material compositions are different colored and items behind items are visible, but not necessarily identify what those items  203  are, and the 3-D image  408   N  makes it easier to identify what those items  203  are—a pair of scissors and a container—but not with discerning those particular items within all of the other items  203  at least since all of the surface are similarly represented in gray scale. 
     In this example, the semi-transparent algorithm  412   1  provides a traditional rendering for security imaging where materials are shown using standard industry defined colors with standard industry defined transparency levels that allows a user to see through or inside the object  202  and/or the items  203  therein, which may facilitate finding concealed items. For instance, outer cloth of the object  202  is shown virtually completely transparent, the container  604  is shown semi-transparent and with one color where an item  606  can be seen there through, and the pair of scissors  602  is shown virtually non-transparent and with a different color, since the material composition (e.g., metal vs plastic) of the container and the scissors is different. The transparency level, in general, corresponds to the material composition, and can vary across the items  203 , with items less likely to be contraband rendered more transparent. Shading is not used. An example opacity mapping  1300  for the semi-transparent algorithm  412   1  is shown in  FIG. 13 , where a first axis  1302  represents opacity and a second axis  1304  represents CT number (e.g., in Hounsfield units). 
     In contrast, the surface algorithm  412   N  instead utilizes a different LUT and a different opacity table, (e.g., with lower transparency levels, e.g., opaque) for showing surfaces of the items  203 , which will more closely visually match a physical outer appearance of the items  203 . For example, the outer cloth of the object  202  is likewise shown virtually completely transparent, e.g., due to thresholding. However, the surface of the container  604  is shown opaque such that the inside of the container  604  is not visible and neither is the item  606  behind the container  604 . Likewise, the surface of the pair of scissors  602  is shown opaque such items there behind are not visible. The items  203  are all shown using gray scale levels with shading representing depth. Generally, items  203  behind surfaces of other items  203  in the view plane are not visible through the surfaces in the view. An example surface rendering algorithm is ray casting, which locates a ray-surface intersection in the volumetric data. An example opacity mapping  1400  for the surface algorithm  412   N  is shown in  FIG. 14 , where a first axis  1402  represents opacity and a second axis  1404  represents CT number (e.g., in Hounsfield units). 
       FIG. 7  shows another example with the GUI  404  with the two view ports  406   1 , . . . ,  406   N . In this example, the items  203  include at least a knife  702 , where the simultaneous observation makes it easier to locate and identify the knife  702 . For example, the 3-D image  408   1  makes it easier to locate a metallic item such as the knife  702 , but not clearly identify what that metallic item is at least since parts of it are almost completely transparent and other parts of it are concealed by combined with other items, and the 3-D image  408   N  makes it easier to identify what the metallic item is—the knife  702  at least since the blade is more apparent, but not clearly locate the item at least since it is mostly visually obstructed by another item  704  in front of it. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show another a GUI with the two view ports. In this example, the GUI is configured so that at least a rotation tool synchronously rotates the 3-D images in both view ports such that rotating (e.g., via a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, etc.) the volumetric image data in either of the view ports automatically causes the volumetric image data in the other view port to similarly rotate. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show another a GUI with the two view ports. In this example, the GUI is configured so that at least a zoom tool synchronously zooms the 3-D images in both view ports such that zooming (e.g., via a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, etc.) the volumetric image data in either of the view ports automatically causes the volumetric image data in the other view port to similarly zoom. 
     As described herein, in one instance, a screen layout provides for a dual 3-D image display of volumetric image data side-by-side on screen, where one displayed 3-D volume provides a semi-transparent rendering for seeing inside and through objects, and the other displayed 3-D volume provides a surface rendering for seeing shapes and contours of items  203  inside the object  202 . The semi-transparent image provides the operator with the sense of layers, which can be added or removed through adjustment in opacity, whereas the surface rendered display gives the operator information of the surface structure. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an example method. 
     It is to be understood that the following acts are provided for explanatory purposes and are not limiting. As such, one or more of the acts may be omitted, one or more acts may be added, one or more acts may occur in a different order (including simultaneously with another act), etc. 
     At  1202 , an object is scanned with the imaging inspection system  200 , producing view data. 
     At  1204 , the view data is reconstructed, producing volumetric image data of the object. 
     At  1206 , the volumetric image data is processed with detection software for computerized detection of contraband in the items  203 . 
     At  1208 , a first visualization algorithm is applied to the volumetric image data, producing first processed volumetric image data, as described herein and/or otherwise. 
     At  1210 , a second different visualization algorithm is applied to the volumetric image data, producing second different processed volumetric image data, as described herein and/or otherwise. 
     At  1212 , the first and the second volumetric image data are concurrently displayed, as described herein and/or otherwise. 
     The methods described herein may be implemented via one or more processors executing one or more computer readable instructions encoded or embodied on computer-readable storage medium which causes the one or more processors to carry out the various acts and/or other functions and/or acts. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more processors can execute instructions carried by transitory medium such as a signal or carrier wave. 
     The application has been described with reference to various embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading the application. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, including insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.