Forrest F Hopkins

US Patent:

6826255, Nov 30, 2004

Filed:

Mar 26, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/400177

Inventors:

Thomas William Birdwell - Middletown OH
Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H01J 3530

US Classification:

378137, 378125

Abstract:

An X-ray inspection system is provided comprising an X-ray source which includes an electron gun and beam steering means for alternately directing the electron beam from the gun in a first direction wherein the beam strikes the anode to produce a beam of X-rays which exits the X-ray source, and in a second direction wherein no significant X-ray flux exits the X-ray source. An X-ray detector and means for reading the detector are also provided. The beam steering means and the detector reading means are coordinated so that the detector output is read during a period when no significant X-ray flux exits the source. A method for operating the X-ray inspection system is also provided.

US Patent:

7065234, Jun 20, 2006

Filed:

Feb 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/784099

Inventors:

Yanfeng Du - Clifton Park NY, US
Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382131, 382132, 382154

Abstract:

A method of correcting scatter includes obtaining a voxellized representation of a 3D image of an object from a plurality of projection data. A single scatter profile for the object is calculated using the voxellized representation of the 3D image of the object. A total scatter profile for the object is determined using the single scatter profile and an adjustment factor and the projection data is corrected using the total scatter profile to obtain a scatter corrected projection data. A beam hardening correction method includes simulating a number of attenuation data for an x-ray spectrum, at least one object material, and a detector spectral response. A function is fitted to the attenuation data to obtain an attenuation curve. A number of projection data for an object are corrected using the attenuation curve to obtain a number of beam hardening corrected projection data. A corrected image of the object is reconstructed from the beam hardening corrected image data.

US Patent:

7203269, Apr 10, 2007

Filed:

Feb 1, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/048159

Inventors:

William Hullinger Huber - Scotia NY, US
Colin Richard Wilson - Niskayuna NY, US
John Scott Price - Niskayuna NY, US
Peter Michael Edic - Albany NY, US
Mark Ernest Vermilyea - Niskayuna NY, US
Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

A61B 6/00

US Classification:

378 10, 378136, 378137

Abstract:

A system and method for forming x-rays. One exemplary system includes a target and electron emission subsystem with a plurality of electron sources. Each of the plurality of electron sources is configured to generate a plurality of discrete spots on the target from which x-rays are emitted. Another exemplary system includes a target, an electron emission subsystem with a plurality of electron sources, each of which generates at least one of the plurality of spots on the target, and a transient beam protection subsystem for protecting the electron emission subsystem from transient beam currents and material emissions from the target.

US Patent:

7214947, May 8, 2007

Filed:

Mar 25, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/090675

Inventors:

Clifford Bueno - Clifton Park NY, US
Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY, US
Scott Stephen Zelakiewicz - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

G01T 1/20

US Classification:

25037011

Abstract:

A detector assembly including a radiation conversion layer directly coupled to a pixel array is provided. The radiation conversion layer is adapted to receive radiation passing through an object. The pixel array is adapted for receiving one of a plurality of signals representative of the radiation passing through the object or the corresponding optical signals from an optional intermediate light production layer and further configured for generating a corresponding image of the object.

US Patent:

7215732, May 8, 2007

Filed:

Sep 30, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/955623

Inventors:

Zhye Yin - Schenectady NY, US
Jong Chul Ye - Daejon, KR
Francis Howard Little - Cincinnati OH, US
Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY, US
Michael Chunhe Gong - Chicago IL, US
Yanfeng Du - Rexford NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

A61B 6/00

US Classification:

378 5, 378 98, 378 988

Abstract:

A method for reconstructing image data from measured sinogram data acquired from a CT system is provided. The CT system is configured for industrial imaging. The method includes pre-processing the measured sinogram data. The pre-processing includes performing a beam hardening correction on the measured sinogram data and performing a detector point spread function (PSF) correction and a detector lag correction on the measured sinogram data. The pre-processed sinogram data is reconstructed to generate the image data.

US Patent:

7215801, May 8, 2007

Filed:

Jun 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/456280

Inventors:

Clifford Bueno - Clifton Park NY, US
Elizabeth Dixon - Delanson NY, US
Walter Dixon - Delanson NY, US
Forrest Hopkins - Scotia NY, US
Michael Hopple - Niskayuna NY, US
Brian Lasiuk - Niskayuna NY, US
Ronald McFarland - Cincinnati OH, US
August Matula - Sloansville NY, US
Robert Mitchell, Jr. - Waterford NY, US
Kevin Moermond - Cincinnati OH, US
Gregory Mohr - Scotia NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382128, 382274

Abstract:

A method, system and apparatus for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is disclosed. A pixel offset correction is performed in integer format on the radiographic image using saturation arithmetic to produce an image in integer format with any negative corrected values clipped to a value of zero. The resulting pixels are converted to floating point format and the converted pixels are multiplied by a gain factor. Optionally the resulting pixels are recursively averaged with previous results. The resulting pixels are converted to integer format and the converted pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. Non-functional pixel correction is performed in integer format and the resulting pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. An optional processing path replaces the recursive average by a linear average. The resulting pixel values are optionally filtered to enhance features of interest.

US Patent:

7218706, May 15, 2007

Filed:

Dec 20, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/018175

Inventors:

Forrest Frank Hopkins - Scotia NY, US
Walter Vincent Dixon - Delanson NY, US
Clifford Bueno - Clifton Park NY, US
Yanfeng Du - Rexford NY, US
Gregory Alan Mohr - West Chester OH, US
Paul Francis Fitzgerald - Schenectady NY, US
Thomas William Birdwell - Middleton OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H05G 1/64

US Classification:

378 989, 378 53

Abstract:

An energy discrimination radiography system includes at least one radiation source configured to alternately irradiate a component with radiation characterized by at least two energy spectra, where the component has a number of constituents. At least one radiation detector is configured to receive radiation passing through the component and a computer is operationally coupled to the detector. The computer is configured to receive data corresponding to each of the energy spectra for a scan of the component, process the data to generate a multi-energy data set, and decompose the multi-energy data set to generate material characterization images in substantially real time. A method for inspecting the component includes irradiating the component, receiving a data stream of energy discriminated data, processing the energy discriminated data, to generate a multi-energy data set, and decomposing the multi-energy data set, to generate material characterization images in substantially real time.

US Patent:

7236564, Jun 26, 2007

Filed:

Sep 12, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/519271

Inventors:

Forrest Frank Hopkins - Cohoes NY, US
Andrew Joseph Galish - West Chester OH, US
William Robert Ross - Rotterdam NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

G01N 23/04

US Classification:

378 57, 378 58, 378 62, 378 988, 250366

Abstract:

A linear array detector (LAD) for scanning an object is provided. The detector includes a scintillator layer configured for generating a number of optical signals representative of a fraction of an incident X-ray beam passing through the object. The plane of the scintillator is parallel to the X-ray beam. The LAD further includes a two dimensional array of photo-conversion elements configured to receive several X-rays of the X-ray beams and configured to generate corresponding electrical signals. An arrangement of the photo-conversion elements is independent of the X-ray paths.