What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus comprising:
a call handler to identify a media type of a call; and
a media interface, coupled to the call handler, to present at least one call feature selection associate with the media call type.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media interface is to determine whether the call feature selection requires additional information, and to prompt the subscriber for the additional information when required by the call feature selection
3. The apparatus of claim 2, the call handler further comprising:
a call processor to facilitate audio calls through the media interface.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the call processor is also to facilitate video calls through the media interface.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, the call handler further comprising:
a conference call manager to facilitate calls to multiple parties.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:
a voice mail database to store call messages; and
a voice mail manager, coupled to the voice mail database, to interface the voice mail database with the media interface.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:
an electronic mail notification generator to send a rejection notification to a call originator when the call is rejected through the media interface.
8. A method comprising:
identifying a media type of a call;
presenting at least one call feature selection associated with the media call type to a subscriber.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
determining whether the call feature selection requires additional information;
prompting the subscriber for the additional information when required by the call feature selection.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
accepting the call feature selection from the subscriber.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
accepting the additional information from the subscriber.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
activating the call feature selection.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving the call;
determining a call originator of the call.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
searching a caller database for a record matching the call originator, the record containing a picture of the call originator;
displaying the picture of the call originator when the matching record is found.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein rejecting the call is one of the call features available for selection.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
sending the call originator a rejection notification when the call is rejected.
17. A computer-readable medium encoded with data and instructions, the data and instructions causing an apparatus executing the instructions to:
identifying a media type of a call;
presenting at least one call feature selection associated with the media call type to a subscriber.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
determining whether the call feature selection requires additional information;
prompting the subscriber for the additional information when required by the call feature selection.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
accepting the call feature selection from the subscriber.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
accepting the additional information from the subscriber.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
activating the call feature selection.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
receiving the call;
determining a call originator of the call.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
searching a caller database for a record matching the call originator, the record containing a picture of the call originator;
displaying the picture of the call originator when the matching record is found.
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein rejecting the call is one of the call features available for selection.
25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further encoded with data and instructions, comprising:
sending the call originator a rejection notification when the call is rejected.
26. An apparatus comprising:
means for identifying a media type of a call;
means for presenting at least one call feature selection associated with the media call type to a subscriber.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:
means for determining whether the call feature selection requires additional information;
means for prompting the subscriber for the additional information when required by the call feature selection.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:
means for accepting the call feature selection from the subscriber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the source having an input for receiving radiation particles, a collimator comprising a source aperture for emitting a pencil beam, and a source housing made of a first shielding material for guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture, the detector having at least one detector slit extending substantially orthogonally to an imaging plane, at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module and configured to operate the source and the detector in the scanning module, and to process signals received by the at least one detector sensor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source housing comprises a primary shield around the collimator and a secondary shield on each side of the primary shield.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the source housing is symmetric, and the secondary shield on each side of the primary shield extends away from the primary shield and blocks photons with a direct line of sight between the source and the detector.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the primary shield is rotatable about an axis and the secondary shield is fixed.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector slit comprises a primary slit extending vertically along a front side of the detector, and at least one secondary slit offset from the primary slit and positioned to receive scattered photons from a same point of origin as those received by the primary slit.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector sensor comprises an array of detector sensors behind each at least one detector slit for receiving scattered photons from a same point of origin.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector slit comprises an array of detector slits positioned adjacently for receiving scattered photons from different points of scatter.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanning module comprises a retention system for the source and the detector allowing at least one of relative and coordinated movement.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the movement is rotational and translational.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the coordinated movement maintains a fixed rotation angle between the source and the detector and sweeps the source and detector across an inspection area.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a speed of movement is dynamically adjustable.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the retention system comprises an overpass mechanism allowing the source to pass at least one of above and beneath the detector.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a control unit and a signal processing unit, and the signal processing unit displays raw data during acquisition on a user interface.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit is adapted to receive scanning instructions from the user interface to target a given region of inspection.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanning module and the control module are releasably connected via a cable.
16. An apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the source having an input for receiving radiation particles, a collimator comprising a source aperture for emitting a pencil beam, and a source housing made of a first shielding material for guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture, the source housing having a primary shield around the collimator and a secondary shield on each side of the primary shield extending away therefrom, the detector having at least one detector slit, at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module and configured to operate the source and detector in the scanning module, and to process signals received by the at least one detector sensor.
17. An apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the source having an input for receiving radiation particles, a collimator comprising a source aperture for emitting a pencil beam, and a source housing made of a first shielding material for guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture, the detector having at least one detector slit, at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material;
a retention system inside the scanning module for the source and the detector and allowing coordinated and independent movement thereof; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module and configured to operate the source and the detector in the scanning module, and to process signals received by the at least one detector sensor.
18. An apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the source having an input for receiving radiation particles, a collimator comprising a source aperture for emitting a pencil beam, and a source housing made of a first shielding material for guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture, the detector having at least one detector slit, at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module, configured to operate the source and the detector in the scanning module and to process signals received by the at least one detector sensor, and comprising a control unit and a signal processing unit, the signal processing unit adapted to display low quality raw data on a user interface in a rapid scan mode and high quality raw data on the user interface in a high quality mode.
19. An apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the source having an input for receiving radiation particles, a collimator comprising a source aperture for emitting a pencil beam, and a source housing made of a first shielding material for guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture, the detector having at least one detector slit, at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module by a flexible and releasable cable and configured to operate the source and detector in the scanning module, and to process signals received by the at least one detector sensor.
20. A method for collecting Tomographic inspection data of objects using Compton scatter radiation using a scanning module comprising a source and a detector, the method comprising:
receiving radiation particles at an input of the source;
emitting a pencil beam via a source aperture of a collimator of the scanning module;
guiding the radiation particles from the input to the source aperture at least partly by a source housing of the scanning module, the source housing made of a first shielding material; and
a control module operatively connected to the scanning module processing signals received by at least one detector sensor of the detector,
wherein the detector comprises at least one detector slit extending substantially orthogonally to an imaging plane, the at least one detector sensor provided behind each at least one detector slit, and a detector housing made of a second shielding material.