Computer assisted bag screening system

• US 20060273257A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Recovery Technologies Incorporated (Bulk Handling Systems)
• Original Assignee: Select Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Roos, Charles E., Sommer, Edward J. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,244,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/358.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/271 using a network, e.g. a remote expert, accessing remote data or the like

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for screening articles utilizing a computerized touch sensitive screen or other computerized pointing device for operator identification and electronic marking of objects within the article to be further examined. An operator positioned at a computerized touch sensitive screen views electronic images of the articles to be screened as they are conveyed past a sensor array which transmits sequences of images of the series either directly or through a computer to the touch sensitive display screen. The operator manually “touches” objects within the articles displayed on the screen to be identified on coupled interactive screens thereby registering the objects selected within the computer. The computer then provides sequential information identifying actions to be taken and information and data to be recorded.

Claims

1-92. -92. (canceled)

93. A method for inspecting a series of articles containing discrete objects and selecting for further examination certain objects comprising the steps of:

conveying said series of articles into and through an inspection zone;

irradiating each article of said series of articles with incident electromagnetic radiation while said article is in said inspection zone;

measuring the electromagnetic radiation emanating from each article within said series of articles;

processing said measured electronic radiation to creating an electronic image of each article, said electronic image including images of any discrete objects within said article;

selecting one of a plurality of inspectors to inspect the image of an article from said series on an interactive display assigned to that inspector;

displaying the image of said article on the interactive display screen assigned to the selected inspector;

repeating said selecting and displaying steps until each of said plurality of inspectors has the image of a different article displayed on the interactive display dedicated to that inspector;

visually inspecting the image of said article for any objects that would require further examination by the selected inspector on that inspector'"'"'s interactive display;

selecting any objects within said article that require further examination by the selected inspector using the inspector'"'"'s interactive display;

marking any selected objects within said image of said specific article;

creating a marked-up image of said specific article if any objects were previously selected for further examination;

storing said image of said specific article; and

assigning a new image to said inspector.

94. The method of claim 93 further comprising

conveying each article with one or more objects selected for further examination to a further examination station;

displaying said marked-up image of said article on an interactive display screen located within said further examination station to assist an examiner in further examining said article; and

examining said one or more selected objects within said article.

95. The method of claim 94 further comprising

indicating whether said article containing one or more objects for further examination included one or more objects from the group consisting of a firearm, a knife, a sharp object, a pointed objects, a spray can, a bomb, an explosive composition, and ammunition via said interactive display screen.

96. The method of claim 93 further comprising:

selecting a stored image of an article from said series of articles for review by a supervisor;

displaying said selected stored image of an article from said series of articles on an interactive display;

reviewing said stored image by said supervisor.

97. The method of claim 93 further comprising

monitoring the performance of an inspector by

projecting one or more computerized images of threat objects into an image of an article from said series of articles for display on said inspector'"'"'s interactive screen at random times and

tracking the inspector'"'"'s accuracy in selecting said one or more computerized images of threat objects.

98. The method of claim 93 wherein said inspecting and selecting occurs at a location remote from the location where said irradiating occurs.

99. The method of claim 93 further comprising

associating an individual with each article in said series of articles;

storing the associated image of each article in a searchable database along with a digital photograph of the individual associated with that article.

100. The method of claim 98 wherein said storing step further includes storing additional information about the individual associated with each article.

101. The method of claim 100 wherein said searchable database is analyzed to compile correlations, association, and histories of objects, and individuals associated with said objects, entering a particular secure premises.

102. The method of claim 93 wherein said interactive display is a touch screen display and the selection of an object for further examination is made by touching the image the object on said touch screen display.

103. The method of claim 93 wherein the interactive display includes a viewing screen and a point-and-click device and the selection of objects for further examination is made by using the point-and-click device.

104. A computer-assisted screening system utilizing a plurality of inspectors for inspecting a series of articles containing discrete objects to select certain objects for further examination comprising:

a conveyor that conveys each article within said series of articles through an inspection zone;

an electromagnetic radiation source that irradiates each of said articles;

a sensor that measures the electromagnetic radiation emanating from each article when said article is irradiated;

a computer that processes said measurement of said electromagnetic radiation emanating from each article to generate an electronic image of each article revealing any discrete objects within said article and selects which of said one or more inspectors to display each image to;

an interactive video display for each of said plurality of inspectors on which said image is displayed and on which said inspector selects any discrete objects that require further examination; and

means for transmitting said images to additional interactive video displays.

105. The system of claim 104 further comprising

a further examination area;

an interactive display in said examination area;

an image of the article undergoing further examination displayed on said interactive display, said image including markings highlighting the one or more discrete objects in said article selected for further review.

106. The system of claim 105 further comprising means for recording the type of each object selected for further examination.

107. The system of claim 104 wherein the interactive video displays for said plurality of inspectors is located in a location from the location in which the electromagnetic radiation source resides.

108. The apparatus of claim 104 wherein said selections are stored in a searchable database along with said electronic images of said articles in said series of articles containing discrete objects.

109. The system of claim 108 wherein said selections along with said electronic images of said articles are stored in a searchable database along with digital photographs of an individual associated with each said article.

110. The system of claim 109 wherein said selections, electronic images, and digital photographs are stored in a searchable database in a computer along with other information associated with each article and each individual.

111. The system of claim 110 further comprising means for analyzing said searchable database to compile at least one of correlations, associations, and histories of articles, objects, and individuals related thereto, entering a particular secure premises.

112. The system of claim 104 wherein the interactive video display is a touch screen display.

113. The system of claim 104 wherein the interactive video display includes a means for displaying an image and a point-and-click device for interacting with said image.

114. The system of claim 104 further comprising

a supervisor;

a supervisory workstation including an interactive video display;

means for randomly selecting an image that has been inspected by an inspector;

means for displaying said randomly selected image for review by said supervisor; and

means for recording said inspector'"'"'s performance.