System and method for scanning carriers for objects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
- a platform;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in a detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the detection proximity of the platform.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for scanning carriers for objects include the capability to sense a radioactive object in the detection proximity of a platform and form a signal indicative thereof and to determine whether an illicit radioactive object may be in the detection proximity. The system and method also include the capability to sense a metallic object in the detection proximity of the platform and form a signal indicative thereof and to determine whether an illicit metallic object may be in the detection proximity.
-
Citations
87 Claims
-
1. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a platform;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in a detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the detection proximity of the platform. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
sensing a radioactive object in the detection proximity of a platform and forming a signal indicative thereof;
determining whether an illicit radioactive object may be in the detection proximity;
sensing a metallic object in the detection proximity of the platform and forming a signal indicative thereof; and
determining whether an illicit metallic object may be in the detection proximity. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A set of logic for scanning carriers for objects, the logic encoded in a computer readable medium and operable to:
-
receive a signal indicative of a radioactive object in the detection proximity of a platform;
determine whether an illicit radioactive object may be in the detection proximity;
receive a signal indicative of a metallic object in the detection proximity of the platform; and
determine whether an illicit metallic object may be in the detection proximity. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
means for sensing a radioactive object in the detection proximity of a platform and forming a signal indicative thereof;
means for determining whether an illicit radioactive object may be in the detection proximity;
means for sensing a metallic object in the detection proximity of the platform and forming a signal indicative thereof; and
means for determining whether an illicit metallic object may be in the detection proximity. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a platform including a walk-through passage;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in the passage and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the passage and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the passage. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
-
61. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a user support platform;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in a localized area of a detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the detection proximity of the platform. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
-
-
71. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a hand-held platform;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in a detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the detection proximity of the platform and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the detection proximity of the platform. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
-
-
79. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a platform including a pass-through passage;
a metal detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the metal detection subsystem operable to sense a metallic object in the passage and to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem coupled to the platform, the radiation detection subsystem operable to sense a radioactive object in the passage and to form a signal indicative thereof; and
a processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem and the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit object may be in the passage. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
-
-
87. A system for scanning carriers for objects, comprising:
-
a housing, comprising;
a first vertical support, and a second vertical support, wherein the vertical supports define a walk-through passage;
a metal detection subsystem contained in the housing, the metal detection subsystem comprising;
an oscillator, a magnetic field generator in the first vertical support and a magnetic field generator in the second vertical support, the generators coupled to the oscillator, wherein the generators are operable to generate a magnetic field in the passage when excited by the oscillator, a plurality of magnetic field detectors in the first vertical support and a plurality of magnetic field detectors in the second vertical support, each detector corresponding to a different zone of the passage and operable to sense a metallic object in the passage to form a signal indicative thereof;
a radiation detection subsystem contained in the housing, the radiation detection subsystem comprising;
a plurality of scentillators in the first vertical support and a plurality of scentillators in the second vertical support, each scentillator corresponding to a different zone of the passage, the scentillators operable to sense gamma rays in the passage and to generate a light signal indicative thereof, a plurality of photomultiplier tubes, each scentillator having an associated tube, the tubes operable to amplify the light signals, and a plurality of photodetectors, each tube having an associated photodetector, the photodetectors operable to detect the amplified light signals and to form an electrical signal indicative thereof;
a presence subsystem coupled to the housing, the subsystem operable to detect a carrier in the passage;
a processing subsystem contained in the housing, the processing subsystem coupled to the metal detection subsystem, the radiation detection subsystem and the presence subsystem, the processing subsystem operable to;
determine, based on the signals from the metal detection subsystem, if an illicit metallic object may be in the passage and in which zone the object may be located, determine, based on the signals from the radiation detection subsystem, if an illicit radioactive object may be in the passage and in which zone the object may be located, and perform background radiation calculations when the presence subsystem does not detect a carrier in the passage;
an alarm subsystem contained in the housing, the alarm subsystem coupled to the processing subsystem and operable to generate a user intelligible signal if an illicit object may be in the passage, the alarm subsystem comprising;
a visual portion operable to provide an indication of where an illicit object may be located on a carrier, the indication being different for metallic objects and radioactive objects, and an acoustic portion operable to generate a first sound if an illicit metallic object may be present and a second sound if an illicit radioactive object may be present.
-
Specification