Detecting Explosive Mixture Based On Identifying Components of Explosive Mixture Using Molecular Computational Identification

• US 20080309484A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., Francis, Arthur R., Pichardo, Denny, Tice Moses, Veronique Le Shan
• Application Number:
  US11/763,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for detecting an explosive mixture. A potentially hazardous material is embedded with molecules where these molecules are used for identifying individual cells. Upon scanning the potentially hazardous material, the embedded molecules give off light or sonar signatures as output. The output of these molecules is read by a reader which is used to identify the type of material as well as the amount of the material. This information is stored and correlated with the passenger carrying the identified material and the passenger'"'"'s flight information. A security alert is generated if there is a combination of amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously identified with the amount of potentially hazardous material currently identified that together would be classified as an explosive device where these potentially hazardous materials are to be carried by individual(s) on the same flight(s).

Claims

1. A method for detecting an explosive mixture comprising the steps of:

scanning a potentially hazardous material embedded with molecules used for identifying individual cells, wherein said molecules generate one of light and sonar signatures based on said scanning;

detecting one of said light and sonar signatures generated based on said scanning;

identifying an amount of said potentially hazardous material based on detecting one of said light and sonar signatures; and

generating a security alert indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously identified with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

storing said amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of:

indicating to obtain passenger information, including flight information, of passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

receiving passenger information, including flight information, of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

requesting information on a profile of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of:

generating a security alert to airport security if said passenger is identified as being a terrorist.

7. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

obtaining information regarding flight and plane based on said flight information.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of:

generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously detected for a flight of said passenger along with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive device based on amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.

10. A system, comprising:

a scanner configured to scan a potentially hazardous material embedded with molecules used for identifying individual cells, wherein said molecules generate one of light and sonar signatures based on scanning by said scanner;

a reader coupled said scanner, wherein said reader is configured to detect one of said light and sonar signatures generated based on said scanning; and

a computer coupled to said scanner and said reader, wherein said computer comprises;

a memory unit for storing a computer program for detecting an explosive mixture;

a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for identifying an amount of said potentially hazardous material based on detecting one of said light and sonar signatures; and

circuitry for generating a security alert indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously identified with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for storing said amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for indicating to obtain passenger information, including flight information, of passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for receiving passenger information, including flight information, of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for requesting information on a profile of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for generating a security alert to airport security if said passenger is identified as being a terrorist.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for obtaining information regarding flight and plane based on said flight information.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously detected for a flight of said passenger along with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

18. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said processor further comprises:

circuitry for generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive device based on amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.

19. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium for detecting an explosive mixture comprising the programming steps of:

identifying an amount of a potentially hazardous material based on detecting one of light and sonar signatures generated based on scanning said potentially hazardous material, wherein said potentially hazardous material is embedded with molecules used for identifying individual cells, wherein said molecules generate one of said light and sonar signatures based on said scanning; and

generating a security alert indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously identified with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 19 further comprising the programming step of:

storing said amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 further comprising the programming step of:

indicating to obtain passenger information, including flight information, of passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 21 further comprising the programming step of:

receiving passenger information, including flight information, of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 21 further comprising the programming step of:

requesting information on a profile of said passenger carrying said potentially hazardous material.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 23 further comprising the programming step of:

generating a security alert to airport security if said passenger is identified as being a terrorist.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 21 further comprising the programming step of:

obtaining information regarding flight and plane based on said flight information.

26. The computer program product as recited in claim 25 further comprising the programming step of:

generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive mixture if there exists a combination of other amounts of potentially hazardous materials previously detected for a flight of said passenger along with said identified amount of said potentially hazardous material.

27. The computer program product as recited in claim 19 further comprising the programming step of:

generating a security alert to airport security indicating existence of a potentially explosive device based on amount identified of said potentially hazardous material.