SECURITY CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20090322866A1
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GE Homeland Protection Incorporated (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stotz, Sarah Christine Maas, Trammell, Hoke Smith III, Tu, Peter Henry, Margalit, Yotam, Czipott, Peter Victor
• Application Number:
  US11/737,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a security checkpoint system that has a camera configured for obtaining a first photographic image of an individual, a photographic image scanner configured for scanning a second photographic image, and a comparator mechanism for comparing the first photographic image with the second photographic image to ascertain whether the second photographic image is of the individual. Other embodiments include a method for automatedly developing security-related characteristics for an individual.

Claims

1. A security checkpoint system, comprising:

a camera configured for obtaining a first photographic image of an individual;

a photographic image scanner configured for scanning a second photographic image; and

a comparator mechanism for comparing the first photographic image with the second photographic image to ascertain whether the second photographic image is of the individual.

2. The security checkpoint system of claim 1, wherein the comparator mechanism utilizes a discriminative or generative modeling.

3. The security checkpoint system of claim 1, further comprising a validation mechanism for validating the authenticity of an identifying document containing the second photographic image.

4. The security checkpoint system of claim 3, wherein the validation mechanism includes an illumination component.

5. The security checkpoint system of claim 4, wherein the illumination component comprises a near-infrared image analyzer or an ultraviolet image analyzer.

6. The security checkpoint system of claim 1, further comprising a shoe scanning mechanism for scanning shoes of the individual.

7. The security checkpoint system of claim 6, wherein the shoe scanning mechanism utilizes a quadrupole resonance-based apparatus.

8. The security checkpoint system of claim 6, wherein the shoe scanning mechanism comprises a metal detection apparatus.

9. The security checkpoint system of claim 1, further comprising a trace detection mechanism for detecting trace substances on the individual.

10. The security checkpoint system of claim 9, wherein the trace detection mechanism is configured to determine trace amounts of elements on one or more fingers of the individual.

11. The security checkpoint system of claim 10, wherein the trace detection mechanism is configured to determine trace amounts of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of explosives residue, gunpowder, and narcotic substances.

12. The security checkpoint system of claim 1, further comprising an interface configured for verifying the authenticity of the individual'"'"'s travel ticket.

13. A kiosk for autonomous interface by an individual, said kiosk comprising:

an identification verification modality, comprising;

an image formation system for obtaining a first photographic image of an individual;

a scanning system for scanning a second photographic image; and

a comparison system for comparing the first photographic image with the second photographic image to ascertain whether the second photographic image is of the individual; and

at least one additional security-related modality.

14. The kiosk of claim 13, wherein the at least one additional security-related modality is selected from the group consisting of a trace detection system, a shoe scanning system, a document validation and authentication system, and a persons of interest system.

15. The kiosk of claim 14, wherein the trace detection system comprises an ion trap mobility spectrometer.

16. The kiosk of claim 14, wherein the shoe scanning system comprises a quadrupole resonance-based apparatus.

17. The kiosk of claim 14, wherein the document validation and authentication system comprises an illumination apparatus.

18. The kiosk of claim 17, wherein the illumination apparatus comprises a near-infrared image analyzer or an ultraviolet image analyzer.

19. A method for automatedly developing security-related characteristics for an individual, comprising:

obtaining a first photographic image of the individual;

scanning a second photographic image provided by the individual; and

comparing the first photographic image with the second photographic image to ascertain whether the second photographic image is of the individual.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said obtaining a first photographic image comprises:

obtaining digital video of the individual; and

capturing the first photographic image from the digital video.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said obtaining a first photographic image comprises:

obtaining analog video of the individual; and

converting the analog video into the first photographic image through an analog to digital converter.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said obtaining a first photographic image comprises capturing a digital photographic image of the individual with a digital camera.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said scanning a second photographic image comprises extracting a facial image of the individual from the second photographic image.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said comparing comprises utilizing a discriminative model on the first and second photographic images.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting trace elements on the individual.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said detecting comprises performing ion trap mobility spectrometry on the individual.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising scanning the shoes of the individual.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said scanning comprises performing quadrupole resonance on the shoes.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said scanning comprises performing metal detection of the lower leg extremities.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising validating and authentication a document containing the second photographic image.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said validating and authenticating comprises illuminating the document.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said illuminating comprises performing either near-infrared image analysis or ultraviolet image analysis on the document.