Passenger inspection system and methods for using the same

• US 7,750,631 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morpho Detection LLC (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Morpho Detection (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Crowley, Christopher W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shrivastav; Brij B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vargas; Dixomara
• Application Number:
  US11/767,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 324300-322
• US Class Current: 324/307
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/441 Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance [NQR] Spectroscopy and Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/104 using several coupled or uncoupled coils G01V3/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A passenger inspection system includes a metal detection sensor integrated with a quadrupole resonance sensor and configured to detect weapons and/or explosives that may be present proximate the feet and/or lower legs of a person. Additionally, a weapons detection sensor may include one or more pairs of transmit coils and receive coils that are vertically mounted to the interior sidewalls of the passenger inspection system and configured to detect symmetrical and nonsymmetrical threats present on a portion of a person'"'"'s legs. Methods for operating embodiments of the passenger inspection system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a weapon in at least one of a first shoe and a second shoe worn by a person, the method comprising:

positioning the first shoe and the second shoe within an inspection system comprising a first metal detector trace and a second metal detector trace, the first metal detector trace mounted substantially horizontally on a first sidewall of the inspection system with current that flows in a first direction, and the second metal detector trace mounted substantially horizontally on a second sidewall of the inspection system opposite the first sidewall with current that flows in a second direction;

generating at a predetermined quadrupole resonance frequency a first magnetic field around the first shoe by energizing the first metal detector trace to scan the first shoe;

simultaneously generating at the predetermined quadrupole frequency a second magnetic field around the second shoe by energizing the second metal detector trace to scan the second shoe simultaneously with the first shoe;

generating a quadrupole resonance current in at least one electrically conductive trace positioned below at least one of the first shoe and the second shoe; and

detecting a perturbation in the quadrupole resonance current when a weapon is present on at least one side of a longitudinal medial plane that bisects the inspection system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an alarm when the perturbation in the quadrupole current is detected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the method steps of claim 1 with the first direction of current flow reversed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning at least one electrically conductive trace below the first metal detector trace and the second metal detector trace; and

positioning a quadrupole resonance transmit coil below the at least one electrically conductive trace.

5. An inspection system for detecting a weapon proximate at least one leg of a person, the inspection system comprising:

a first metal detector trace mounted substantially horizontally on a first sidewall of the inspection system, the first metal detector trace shown to scan a first leg of the person;

at least one transmit coil mounted substantially vertically to the first sidewall of the inspection system and configured to generate at least one of a longitudinal magnetic field and a transverse magnetic field within a scanning area of the inspection system; and

a second metal detector trace mounted substantially horizontally on a second sidewall of the inspection system, the second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, the second metal detector trace configured to scan a second leg of the person simultaneously with the first leg.

6. The inspection system of claim 5, wherein the at least one transmit coil is configured to carry excitation current that flows within each of the at least one transmit coil in one of a same direction and different directions.

7. The inspection system of claim 6, further comprising at least one receive coil configured to carry a voltage induced by at least one magnetic field created by the excitation current, and wherein the inspection system further comprises:

a computer configured to detect a perturbation in the induced voltage if a weapon is present proximate the at least one leg of the person.

8. The inspection system of claim 7, wherein the at least one magnetic field comprises:

the longitudinal magnetic field generated when the excitation current flows in the at least one transmit coil in the same direction; and

the transverse magnetic field generated when the excitation current flows in the at least one transmit coil in different directions.

9. The inspection system of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one electrically conductive trace positioned below the first metal detector trace and the second metal detector trace; and

a quadrupole resonance transmit coil positioned below the at least one electrically conductive trace.

10. The inspection system of claim 5, wherein each of the at least one transmit coil comprises:

a hollow, electrically conductive tube; and

an electrically conductive filament disposed within an interior of the hollow, electrically conductive tube.

11. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein a first portion of the electrically conductive filament crosses a second portion of the electrically conductive filament that is positioned outside of the interior of the hollow, electrically conductive tube, and the electrically conductive filament is configured to carry the excitation current in the same direction in each of the at least one transmit coil.

12. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein no portion of the electrically conductive filament crosses another portion of the electrically conductive filament that is positioned outside of the interior of the hollow, electrically conductive tube, and the electrically conductive filament is configured to carry the excitation current in the different directions in the at least one transmit coil.