Fare card explosive detection system and process
First Claim
1. A system for processing a card in the form of a fare card, keycard, airline boarding pass, I.D. card, passport and the like, said system positioned at a control point to determine passage or refusal of a card holder;
- said system including an automatic reader adapted to receive said card from a bearer, said reader including card intake and return, and further including a feeder mechanism defining a relative path of movement for said card from said intake to said return;
a first image capture stage, located along said path generally adjacent said card reader, adapted to capture a first image of said card in the form of primary image data;
a digitizer stage interconnected with said first image capture stage and adapted to receive said primary image data therefrom and to formulate a primary digitized image of said card;
a heater unit positioned generally adjacent said first image capture stage along said path, and adapted to heat said card to a relatively high temperature such that any explosive trace substance present on said card will undergo an energetic reaction imparting a char smudge signature to said card;
said card conveying mechanism adapted to move said card relatively with respect to said heater unit to a second image capture stage for capturing a secondary image of said card and char smudge signature in the form of secondary image data;
said digitizer stage interconnected with said second image capture stage and adapted to receive said secondary image data therefrom and to formulate a secondary digitized image of said card;
an image subtractor stage interconnected with said digitizer stage and adapted to receive said primary and secondary digitized images from said digitizer unit;
said image subtractor stage further adapted to subtract said primary digitized image of said card from said secondary digitized image to obtain a digitized resultant image;
a computer processor unit interconnected to said image subtractor stage and adapted to receive and analyze said digitized resultant image to determine the presence of a char smudge;
said computer processor unit further adapted to transmit an output signal to said control point directing restraint of said card and bearer when char smudge signature is detected as present on said card, and directing passage permission when no char smudge is detected;
whereby fare cards and the like presented for passage through a control point turnstile or gateway are automatically examined, the presence of any trace explosive substance is detected, and the card and card holder are permitted passage or restrained.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A substrate card, in the form of a Metrocard®, farecard, keycard, passport, boarding pass or the like, presented for controlled gateway passage at an automatic reader, is photographed and the captured card image is digitized. The card then is heated to a point where trace explosive present on the card is subjected to an energetic reaction imparting a char smudge signature. The card is cooled and a second image is captured and digitized. The digitized images are subjected to a subtractor stage resulting in an isolated char smudge signature image possibly in the form of at least a partial fingerprint residue recognizable by a computer. Upon char image detection, which may include a fingerprint matching process, the computer directs the controlled gateway to restrain the card presenter and secure the card as evidence. The card may be pre-coated to avoid ignition and to enhance trace material adhesion.
49 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for processing a card in the form of a fare card, keycard, airline boarding pass, I.D. card, passport and the like, said system positioned at a control point to determine passage or refusal of a card holder;
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said system including an automatic reader adapted to receive said card from a bearer, said reader including card intake and return, and further including a feeder mechanism defining a relative path of movement for said card from said intake to said return; a first image capture stage, located along said path generally adjacent said card reader, adapted to capture a first image of said card in the form of primary image data; a digitizer stage interconnected with said first image capture stage and adapted to receive said primary image data therefrom and to formulate a primary digitized image of said card; a heater unit positioned generally adjacent said first image capture stage along said path, and adapted to heat said card to a relatively high temperature such that any explosive trace substance present on said card will undergo an energetic reaction imparting a char smudge signature to said card; said card conveying mechanism adapted to move said card relatively with respect to said heater unit to a second image capture stage for capturing a secondary image of said card and char smudge signature in the form of secondary image data; said digitizer stage interconnected with said second image capture stage and adapted to receive said secondary image data therefrom and to formulate a secondary digitized image of said card; an image subtractor stage interconnected with said digitizer stage and adapted to receive said primary and secondary digitized images from said digitizer unit; said image subtractor stage further adapted to subtract said primary digitized image of said card from said secondary digitized image to obtain a digitized resultant image; a computer processor unit interconnected to said image subtractor stage and adapted to receive and analyze said digitized resultant image to determine the presence of a char smudge; said computer processor unit further adapted to transmit an output signal to said control point directing restraint of said card and bearer when char smudge signature is detected as present on said card, and directing passage permission when no char smudge is detected; whereby fare cards and the like presented for passage through a control point turnstile or gateway are automatically examined, the presence of any trace explosive substance is detected, and the card and card holder are permitted passage or restrained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
whereby cards without char smudge signature are returned and the card holder is permitted passage, while detected char smudge signature results in passage refusal for the card holder and retention of said as evidence.
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3. The system of claim 2, further characterized by:
a chiller unit positioned along said path and generally adjacent said heater unit adapted to reduce said relatively high temperature prior to movement of said card from said heater unit to said second image capture stage.
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4. The system of claim 1, further characterized by:
said first image capture stage and said second image capture stage are within a single image capture unit.
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5. The system of claim 1, further characterized by:
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said computer processor unit further adapted to analyze said digitized resultant image to determine the presence of char smudge signature in the form of at least partial fingerprint image imparted to said card during said energetic reaction; whereby said smudge char signature can be positively linked to a person who handled both said card and said explosive.
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6. The system of claim 5, wherein said computer processor is further adapted to
compare said partial fingerprint image to a collection of pre-identified fingerprints or fingerprint characteristics in a fingerprint matching system; whereby said system can positively identify said bearer as perpetrator.
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7. The system of claim 1, further characterized by:
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at least one ancillary detector disposed along said path; said at least one ancillary detector being a trace vapor detector selected from a group consisting of ion mobility spectrometer, micro thermal analyzer, microcantilever momentum measurement unit, T-wave device, and a combination of two or more of said devices; whereby additional diagnostic data can be collected relative to said explosive trace substance.
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8. In a substrate reading system for processing a fare card, I.D. card, key card, airline boarding pass, passport and the like presented by a substrate bearer at a checkpoint for validation, said system including an automatic reader with substrate intake and return ports, and a substrate conveying mechanism defining a path of movement for said substrate from said intake port to said return port, the improvement comprising:
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an image capture/digitizer unit positioned along said path of movement generally adjacent said automatic reader and adapted to formulate a primary digitized image of said substrate; a rapid heating stage positioned along said path generally adjacent said image capture/digitizer unit and adapted to heat said substrate at least to a temperature level to cause explosive trace substance present on said substrate to achieve an energetic reaction imparting a char smudge signature to said substrate, yet without damaging said card; said substrate conveying mechanism adapted to move said substrate from said rapid heating stage to said image capture/digitizer unit for formulating a secondary digitized image of said substrate and said char smudge signature; an image subtractor stage interconnected with said image capture/digitizer unit and adapted to receive said primary and secondary digitized images from said image capture/digitizer unit; said image subtractor stage further adapted to subtract said primary digitized image of said substrate from said secondary digitized image to obtain a digitized resultant image; a computer processor unit interconnected to said image subtractor stage and adapted to receive and analyze said digitized resultant image to determine presence or absence of said char smudge signature; said processor unit further adapted to produce an output signal prompted by presence or absence of said char smudge signature; whereby said substrate is automatically examined at said checkpoint, the presence of any trace explosive signature thereon is detected, an automatic validation decision is reached relative to the presence of said signature, and an output signal controls passage of said substrate bearer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
whereby said substrate is rapidly cooled following said heating stage so as to avoid damage to said substrate.
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10. The system of claim 8, wherein said checkpoint is a gateway;
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said output signal from said processor controls said conveying mechanism to selectively move said substrate to said return port or restrain said substrate; whereby substrates presented for passage through a gateway are automatically examined, the presence of any trace explosive substance detected, and the substrate and substrate bearer are permitted passage or restrained.
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11. The card reading system of claim 10, further characterized by:
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said computer processor unit being adapted to analyze said digitized resultant image to determine the presence of char smudge signature in the form of at least partial fingerprint image imparted to said substrate during said energetic reaction; whereby said smudge char signature can be positively linked to a person who handled both said card and said explosive.
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12. The system of claim 11, wherein said computer processor unit is interconnected with a fingerprint matching system;
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said matching system is adapted to compare said at least partial fingerprint image to a data base collection of pre-identified fingerprints whereby said system can positively identify said presenter as perpetrator.
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13. The system of claim 11, further characterized by:
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at least one ancillary detector unit positioned adjacent said heating stage; said ancillary detector adapted to identify the presence of trace explosives; said at least one ancillary detector being a trace vapor detector selected from a group consisting of ion mobility spectrometer, micro thermal analyzer, microcantilever momentum measurement unit, T-wave device, and a combination of two or more of said devices; whereby said ancillary detector collects and supplies additional explosive detection data to said processor for identifying said trace explosives as evidence.
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14. A method of processing a substrate such as a fare card, key card, I.D. card, airline boarding pass, passport and the like so as to discern the presence thereon of trace explosive substance for determining passage or refusal of a substrate bearer through a controlled gateway, said method
including the steps of: -
introducing said substrate to an automatic reader for validation; subsequently capturing a first image of said substrate; digitizing said first image to formulate a primary digitized image of said substrate; rapidly heating said substrate causing any present trace explosive particles to achieve an energetic reaction forming a char smudge signature on at least a portion of said substrate; capturing a second image of said substrate following said rapid heating; digitizing said second image to formulate a secondary digitized image of the substrate; electronically subtracting said primary digitized image of said substrate from said secondary digitized image of said substrate and obtaining a digitized resultant image; processing said digitized resultant image to discern presence of said char smudge signature; automatically transmitting an output signal to said controlled gateway directing refusal of gateway passage when char smudge signature is discerned as present and to permit passage when char smudge signature is not discerned as present; whereby a substrate in the form of a subway fare card, entry key card, airline boarding pass, passport and the like presented by its bearer for validation and gateway passage is automatically examined, the presence of any char evidence of trace explosive substance is detected, and the bearer is permitted passage or restrained. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
whereby said substrate will be protected from ignition during said rapidly heating step.
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20. The substrate processing method of claim 14, further characterized by:
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enhancing surface adsorption characteristics of said substrate by a step of pre-coating said substrate to be introduced to said automatic reader; said pre-coating including the application of a monolayer coating of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid; whereby said coating will cause an increased adherence of trace explosive material to said substrate when handled by a bearer who also has handled explosive material.
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21. The substrate processing method of claim 14, further characterized by:
automatically producing an alarm when char smudge signature is discerned as present thereby alerting authorities to apprehend the substrate bearer when trace explosive is detected.
Specification