Security system with distributed computing
First Claim
1. A security system comprising:
- a) a plurality of inspection machines, each at a location and having a data acquisition system adapted to obtain inspection data relating to items under inspection;
b) a processor and a redundant processor;
c) a network connecting the processor and the plurality of inspection machines, the network adapted to convey inspection data from each of the plurality of inspection machines to the processor; and
d) a program for the processor, the program adapted to process inspection data from the plurality of inspection machines by, for each item under inspection,i) creating a representation of at least a portion of the item;
ii) using the representation in the generation of a screening result; and
iii) transmitting the screening result over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the inspection data for the item under inspection was obtained.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A security system with a processor that receives information from multiple sources. The system is illustrated by a network of inspection machines at multiple locations in an airport, such as at check-in desks. These machines provide data to the processor for threat detection processing. The processor provides a central control and data integration point. Centralized control may be used to readily adapt threat detection programs and data integration may allow more accurate or more thorough threat determinations to be made. Moreover, centralized processing of computation intensive operations, such as image reconstruction, may provide for more efficient processor utilization throughout the system, providing a lower total processing cost. Additionally, centralized processing allows for human decision makers to be readily integrated into the system.
118 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A security system comprising:
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a) a plurality of inspection machines, each at a location and having a data acquisition system adapted to obtain inspection data relating to items under inspection; b) a processor and a redundant processor; c) a network connecting the processor and the plurality of inspection machines, the network adapted to convey inspection data from each of the plurality of inspection machines to the processor; and d) a program for the processor, the program adapted to process inspection data from the plurality of inspection machines by, for each item under inspection, i) creating a representation of at least a portion of the item; ii) using the representation in the generation of a screening result; and iii) transmitting the screening result over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the inspection data for the item under inspection was obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of operating a security system comprising:
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a) acquiring data on a plurality of items under inspection using a plurality of inspection machines each at a location; b) transferring the acquired data over a network to at least one computer at a processing location different from the locations of the plurality of inspection machines; c) for each of the plurality of items under inspection, using the at least one computer, performing the acts of; i) creating from the data a representation of at least a portion of the item under inspection, the creating the representation comprising forming a representation of a volume of an item under inspection; ii) generating a screening result with the representation; and iii) transmitting the screening result over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the data on the item under inspection was acquired. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a security system comprising:
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a) acquiring data on a plurality of items under inspection using a plurality of inspection machines each at a location; b) transferring the acquired data over a network to at least one computer at a processing location different from the locations of the plurality of inspection machines; c) for each of the plurality of items under inspection, using the at least one computer, performing the acts of; i) creating from the data a representation of at least a portion of the item under inspection; ii) generating a screening result with the representation; and iii) transmitting the screening result over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the data on the item under inspection was acquired; and d) selectively rejecting items under inspection at each location in response to a screening result transmitted over the network. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of operating a security system comprising:
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a) acquiring data on a plurality of items under inspection using a plurality of inspection machines each at a location; b) transferring over a network the acquired data to at least one computer at a processing location different from the locations of the plurality of inspection machines; c) for each of the plurality of items under inspection, performing at the processing location the acts of; i) using at least one processor to perform a threat assessment to create a screening result; and ii) transmitting the screening result over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the data on the item under inspection was acquired; and d) in response to a fault condition, entering a second mode of operation and performing the acts of; i) acquiring data on a second plurality of items under inspection using the plurality of inspection machines; and ii) for each of the second plurality of items under inspection using a computer associated with one of the plurality of inspection machines to perform a threat assessment, wherein the act of transferring over a network the acquired data comprises transferring at least 20 Mbits per item. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of operating a security system comprising:
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a) acquiring data on a plurality of items under inspection using a plurality of inspection machines each at a location; b) transferring the acquired data over a network to at least one computer at a processing location different from the locations of the plurality of inspection machines; c) for each of the plurality of items under inspection; i) at the processing location, creating from the data a representation of at least a portion of the item under inspection; ii) transmitting the representation over the network to the location of the inspection machine at which the data on the item under inspection was acquired; and iii) automatically generating a screening result with the representation at the location of the inspection machine at which the data on the item under inspection was acquired, wherein acquiring data on a plurality of items comprises performing a helical scan on each of the plurality of items. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification