Method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage

• US 20060078161A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morpho Detection LLC (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: GE Security Germany GmbH (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Schmiegel, Armin, Schwarze, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30112 Baggage; Luggage; Suitcase
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the change in position of an object (200, 210) in an item of luggage (100) by means of two X-ray images, individual feature points (1-15) being allocated in each X-ray image and the features being extracted such that a set of points results in each case; a search for clusters (130-150) being carried out in each set of points; the proximity being determined in each X-ray image by means of a valuation function that displays different values when points (1-15) are very close than when points (1-15) are less close; and an analysis of the movement of the object (200) being carried out by observation of the proximities of the clusters (130-150).

Claims

1. A method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images, points being allocated to individual features in each X-ray image and the features being extracted such that a set of points results in each case;

a search for clusters being carried out in each set of points;

the proximity being determined in each X-ray image by means of a valuation function that displays different values when points are very close than when points are less close;

an analysis of the movement of the object being carried out by observation of the proximities of the clusters.

2. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that the X-ray images are fluoroscopic images.

3. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that the points are allocated to one another by means of a global transformation.

4. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that the features are extracted by means of a features filter.

5. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that a scale analysis is carried out.

6. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 5, characterized in that the clusters are divided into sub-groups and the sub-groups are subjected to a movement analysis.

7. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that the two X-ray images are taken in physically separated examination installations.

8. The method for determining the change in position of an object in an item of luggage by means of two X-ray images according to claim 1, characterized in that the two X-ray images are taken in a single examination installation at different times.