TRANSIT SECURITY DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20090072024A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Ravenis, Joseph VJ II, Bonneau, Walter C. JR., DeKozan, Raymond, Macklin, Jon D., Roberts, Bruce D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A method and system for processing exposure to an item of interest in a transit system is disclosed. Detectors are sensitive to the item of interest such as chemicals, biologic compound, radiation, nuclear, and/or explosives to produce detector or other information. A threat assessment value is determined periodically. The fare media is read for card information, which can be used in addition to detector or other information. The assessment value along with the card information, detector information and/or other information is used in determining if an action is taken, for example, if a user can pass a portal to get access to the transit system.

Claims

1. A transit system for processing exposure to an item of interest, the transit system comprising:

a plurality of detectors sensitive to the item of interest, wherein;

the item of interest is one of a chemical, a biologic compound, radiation, nuclear, or an explosive, and

the plurality of detectors produce detection information indicative of the item of interest;

a reader that reads card information associated with a fare media;

an analysis subsystem determines a threat assessment value for an event and communicates the threat assessment value to a station device;

the station device that uses the threat assessment value and one or more of the card information or the detection information to determine if an action should be allowed when the event has occurred; and

a portal that performs the action when the event has occurred.

2. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the action automatically denies passage of a patron associated with the fare media.

3. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the threat assessment value is a function of a threat policy and fare system information.

4. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors comprises molecularly imprinted polymer(s) and are embodied in the fare media.

5. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors comprises fluorescent quenching polymer(s) and are embodied in the fare media.

6. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the fare media includes a detector from the plurality of detectors.

7. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the threat assessment value is determined at a location remote from the portal.

8. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the fare media is a contactless smart card.

9. The transit system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 1, wherein the portal, station device and reader are part of a fare gate.

10. A method for operating a transit system to process exposure to an item of interest, the method comprising:

detecting an item of interest within the transit system, wherein the item of interest is at least one of a chemical, a biologic compound, radiation, nuclear, or an explosive;

producing detection information indicative of the item of interest;

reading card information from a fare media;

determining a threat assessment value remote from a portal;

determining if action by the portal should be performed based, at least in part, on the threat assessment value and the card information; and

performing the action with the portal.

11. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, wherein the determining the threat assessment value step includes steps of monitoring usage of the fare media, the transit system, and/or a station having the portal to determine the threat assessment value.

12. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of determining if action by the portal should be performed, comprises steps of:

formulating a quiescent index;

determining an event associated with the threat assessment value has occurred;

adding the quiescent index to the threat assessment value to produce a sum; and

determining if the sum exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of determining if action by the portal should be performed, comprises steps of:

determining an event associated with the threat assessment value has occurred; and

determining if a sum that includes the threat assessment value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, wherein the fare media detects the item of interest.

15. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, wherein the detecting step is performed with a ticket vending machine.

16. The method for operating the transit system to process exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of associating the threat assessment value with an event, wherein the determining if entry should be allowed step includes a step of determining that the event has occurred and applying an action associated with the event.

17. A transportation system for processing exposure to an item of interest, the transportation system comprising:

a detector sensitive to the item of interest, wherein;

the item of interest is one of a chemical, a biologic compound, radiation, nuclear, or an explosive, and

the detector produces detection information indicative of the item of interest;

a reader that reads card information associated with a fare media;

an analysis subsystem determines a threat assessment value for an event and communicates the threat assessment value to a station device; and

the station device that uses the threat assessment value and one or more of the card information or detection information to determine if an action should be performed, wherein the action is taken based upon the threat assessment value and the event occurring.

18. The transportation system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 17, wherein the detector is embodied in the fare media.

19. The transportation system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 17, wherein the threat assessment value is determined at a location remote from the portal.

20. The transportation system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 17, wherein the fare media is a contactless smart card.

21. The transportation system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 17, wherein the reader reads card information wirelessly.

22. The transportation system for processing exposure to the item of interest as recited in claim 17, wherein the portal, station device and reader are part of a fare gate.