Drive-through scanning systems

1. A drive-through scanning system comprising:

a radiation generating system arranged to generate radiation at different energy levels, wherein the energy levels comprise a first energy level and a second energy level, wherein the first energy level is greater than the second energy level, and wherein the radiation generating system is arranged to direct the radiation towards a scanning volume;

a detector array configured to detect radiation passing through the scanning volume;

at least one of a light sensor or camera arranged to be directed toward the scanning volume and generate data indicative of a vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume; and

a controller configured to receive the data indicative of the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume, determine if the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains cargo to be inspected or a human, and control the radiation generation system to direct the first energy level or the second energy level to a portion of the vehicle passing through the scanning volume based on determining if the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains the cargo to be inspected or the human.

2. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the vehicle portion passing through within the scanning volume and to allocate the vehicle portion to one of a plurality of categories.

3. The drive-through scanning system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of categories comprises at least a human occupied category and a cargo category.

4. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein if the controller determines the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains the human, the controller causes the radiation generating system to generate radiation at the second energy level.

5. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein if the controller determines the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains the cargo to be inspected, the controller causes the radiation generating system to generate radiation at the first energy level.

6. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor comprises an infrared light source.

7. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a trailing edge of a cab of the vehicle based on the data indicative of the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume.

8. The drive-through scanning system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the radiation generating system to direct radiation having the first energy level toward the scanning volume after determining the trailing edge of the cab of the vehicle based on the data indicative of the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume.

9. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation generating system comprises a first X-ray source configured to generate radiation of the first energy level and a second X-ray source configured to generate radiation of the second energy level.

10. The drive-through scanning system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the first X-ray source to direct radiation having the first energy level toward the scanning volume after identifying a trailing edge of a cab of the vehicle based on the data indicative of the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume.

11. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor comprises a light beam generator and a detector configured to determine when the light beam is blocked.

12. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display instructions to a driver of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to control the display.

13. The drive-through scanning system of claim 12 , further comprising a movement sensor configured to generate data indicative of a movement of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to receive the data indicative of the movement of the vehicle and to the radiation generating system depending on the movement.

14. The drive-through scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising an integration circuit, wherein the detector array is configured to generate at least one detector signal and wherein the integration circuit is arranged to integrate the at least one detector signal over integration times of at least two different time periods.

15. A drive-through scanning system comprising:

radiation generating system arranged to generate radiation at different energy levels, wherein the energy levels comprise a first energy level and a second energy level, wherein the first energy level is greater than the second energy level, and wherein the radiation generating system is arranged to direct the radiation towards a scanning volume;

a detector array configured to detect radiation passing through the scanning volume;

a sensor comprising a light beam generator configured to generate and direct a light beam toward the scanning volume and a beam sensor configured to generate data indicative of the light beam being blocked;

a camera arranged to generate video data of the scanning volume; and

a controller configured to receive the video data and the data indicative of the light beam being blocked, determine an identity of a vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume based on the video data and the data indicative of the light beam being blocked, and control the radiation generation system to direct the first energy level or the second energy level to a portion of the vehicle passing through the scanning volume based on the identity of the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume.

16. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to allocate the identity of the vehicle portion to one of a plurality of categories.

17. The drive-through scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of categories comprises at least a human occupied category and a cargo category.

18. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein if the controller determines the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains a human, the controller causes the radiation generating system to generate radiation at the second energy level.

19. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein if the controller determines the vehicle portion passing through the scanning volume contains cargo to be inspected, the controller causes the radiation generating system to generate radiation at the first energy level.

20. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to identify a trailing edge of a cab of the vehicle based on the video data and the data indicative of the light beam being blocked.

21. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein the radiation generating system comprises a first X-ray source configured to generate radiation of the first energy level and a second X-ray source configured to generate radiation of the second energy level.

22. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the first X-ray source to direct radiation having the first energy level toward the scanning volume after identifying a trailing edge of a cab of the vehicle based on the video data and the data indicative of the light beam being blocked.

23. The drive-through scanning system of claim 15 , further comprising a display configured to display instructions to a driver of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to control the display.