SCANNING SECURITY DETECTOR

• US 20090278684A1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Petricoin, Dennis M. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits

Abstract

A method of identifying a potential security threat in a space. A first scan of the space is performed during a first time interval by illuminating at least a portion of the space with energy from an energy source at an illumination angle, such that the energy is reflected from a surface in the space. An incident angle of the reflected energy is detected with a detector located at a known distance from the energy source and a distance from the surface to the energy source is calculated based on the incident angle. The steps are repeated for a plurality of different locations in the space. A first map of the space is generated from the first scan, and a second map is generated from a second scan of the area. The maps are compared to determine a change in the space and to determine if a potential security threat is present.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a potential security threat in a space, the method comprising:

(a) collecting a first scan of the space during a first time interval, comprising

(i) illuminating at least a portion of the space with energy from an energy source at an illumination angle, such that the energy is reflected from a surface in the space;

(ii) detecting an incident angle of the reflected energy with a detector disposed at a known distance from the energy source;

(iii) calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source based on the incident angle;

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different locations in the space;

(v) generating a first map of the space for the first time interval;

(b) collecting a second scan of the space at a second time interval, comprising repeating steps (a)(i)-(a)(v) above during the second time interval to generate a second map of the space;

(c) comparing the first map to the second map to determine a change in the space; and

(d) determining if a potential security threat is present based on the change in the space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating at least a portion of the space with energy from an energy source includes illuminating with a light source.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein illuminating with a light source includes illuminating with a laser.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein illuminating with a laser includes emitting a beam having a modulated signature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source is based on the illumination angle, the incident angle of the reflected energy, and the distance between the detector and the energy source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source is based on the incident angle of an energy detected by each of a plurality of detectors and distances between the plurality of detectors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source is based on the incident angle of the energy detected by each of two detectors and a between the detectors.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein illuminating at least a portion of the space includes illuminating a room.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein illuminating a room include illuminating with a laser.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising attaching the two detectors and the laser to a ceiling of the room such that the laser is between the detectors.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the laser and the detectors are operably connected to a remote computer system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first map to the second map comprises generating a difference map.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first map to the second map comprises identifying and tracking an object in the space.

14. A method of distinguishing false positives from threats in a space, the method comprising:

(a) collecting a first scan of the space during a first time interval, comprising

(i) illuminating at least a portion of the space with an energy from an energy source such that the energy is reflected from a surface in the space;

(ii) detecting the incident angle of the reflected energy with a detector disposed at a known distance from the energy source;

(iii) calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source using triangulation;

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of portions of the space;

(v) generating a first map of the space for the first time interval;

(b) collecting a second scan of the space during a second time interval, comprising repeating steps (a)(i)-(a)(v) above during the second time interval to generate a second map of the space;

(c) comparing the first map to the second map to determine a change in the space;

(d) identifying a potential security threat based on the change in the space;

(e) determining if the potential security threat is a false positive based on at least one of a rate of movement, a height, and a location of the threat within the space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein illuminating at least a portion of the space with energy from an energy source includes illuminating with a light source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein illuminating with a light source includes illuminating with a laser.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein illuminating with a laser includes emitting a beam having a modulated signature.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source is based on the incident angle of an energy detected by each of a plurality of detectors.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source is based on the incident angle of the energy detected by each of two detectors.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein illuminating at least a portion of the space includes illuminating a room.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein illuminating a room include illuminating with a laser.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising attaching the two detectors and the laser to a ceiling of the room such that the laser is between the detectors.

23. A scanning security system, comprising:

a transmitter comprising an energy source and a scanning assembly;

a detector configured to detect a direction of energy impinging thereon;

a computing system including a processor and a storage medium, the computing system configured to

(a) cause a first scan of a space during a first time interval, wherein the first scan includes

(i) illuminating at least a portion of the space with energy from the energy source at an illumination angle, such that the energy is reflected from a surface in the space;

(ii) detecting an incident angle of the reflected energy with the detector disposed at a known distance from the energy source;

(iii) calculating a distance from the surface to the energy source based on the incident angle;

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for a plurality of different locations in the space;

(v) generating a first map of the space for the first time interval;

(b) cause a second scan of the space at a second time interval, wherein the second scan includes repeating steps (a)(i)-(a)(v) above during the second time interval to generate a second map of the space;

(c) compare the first map to the second map to determine a change in the space; and

(d) determine if a potential security threat is present based on the change in the space.

24. The scanning security system of claim 23, wherein the energy source comprises a laser.

25. The scanning security system of claim 24, wherein the detector comprises a hemispherical element having a plurality of tubes attached thereto, wherein each tube has an energy detection element disposed therein.

26. The scanning security system of claim 24, wherein the detector comprises an optical element focused on an array of detection elements.