Method and system for certifying operators of x-ray inspection systems

• US 7,903,783 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Le, Khai, Modica, Peter, Nguyen, Phong
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick; Edward J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Artman; Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US12/365,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 250/358.1, 434/219, 705/11
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/22 Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

A method and system for using Threat Imaging Projection (TIP) technology, and the operator testing data that it generates, in order to certify x-ray inspection system operators and thereby assure an acceptable and uniform level of operator performance. In a preferred configuration, the operator views x-ray images of objects on a screening system equipped with TIP technology. When the operator believes that a threat item image appears on the screening system, the operator indicates such via an indicating means. The system is capable of recording, storing and transmitting individual operator performance data relating to proper detections, missed detections, and false alarms, i.e., when an operator indicates that a threat item image appears when no such image actually appears on the screening system. The system preferably contains a library of various threat item images, e.g., guns, bombs, knives, etc., which are classified according to type of threat and difficulty of detection.

Claims

1. A system for certifying security inspection system operators, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium embodies:

a software library comprising a plurality of threat item images;

software for accessing the library to display an X-ray image of at least one threat item image in combination with a baggage item, wherein said display provides the appearance that the threat item is located inside of said baggage item;

software for receiving an input from the operator, wherein said input indicates whether the operator has identified said at least one threat item image on the monitor;

software for calculating whether said operator has properly detected a predetermined percentage of said threat item images and, depending on said calculation, producing certification score, wherein an orientation angle of each threat item image is associated with a detection difficulty level that is used in calculating the certification score; and

software for storing said score in a performance database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the library further includes training images.

3. A system for certifying security inspection system operators, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium embodies:

a software library comprising a plurality of threat item images, wherein the library further includes training images;

software for accessing the library to display an X-ray image of at least one threat item image in combination with a baggage item, wherein said display provides the appearance that the threat item is located inside of said baggage item;

software for receiving an input from the operator, wherein said input indicates whether the operator has identified said at least one threat item image on the monitor;

software for calculating whether said operator has properly detected a predetermined percentage of said threat item images and, depending on said calculation, producing a certification score, wherein the software does not use a detection of a predetermined percentage of training images in said production of said certification score; and

software for storing said score in a performance database.

4. A system for certifying security inspection system operators, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium embodies:

a software library comprising a plurality of threat item images;

software for accessing the library to display an X-ray image of at least one threat item image in combination with a baggage item, wherein said display provides the appearance that the threat item is located inside of said baggage item;

software for receiving an input from the operator, wherein said input indicates whether the operator has identified said at least one threat item image on the monitor;

software for calculating whether said operator has properly detected a predetermined percentage of said threat item images and, depending on said calculation, producing a certification score, wherein said certification score is limited to pass or fail; and

software for storing said score in a performance database.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the software for accessing the library randomly selects certification images and training images from the library for displaying on the monitor.

6. A system for certifying security inspection system operators, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium embodies:

a software library comprising a plurality of threat item images;

a second software library comprising a plurality of training images, wherein said second software library is separate from said software library comprising a plurality of threat item images;

software for accessing the library to display an X-ray image of at least one threat item image in combination with a baggage item, wherein said display provides the appearance that the threat item is located inside of said baggage item;

software for receiving an input from the operator, wherein said input indicates whether the operator has identified said at least one threat item image on the monitor;

software for calculating whether said operator has properly detected a predetermined percentage of said threat item images and, depending on said calculation, producing a certification score; and

software for storing said score in a performance database.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a certification criteria database accessible by the software for accessing the library, wherein said certification criteria database contains a plurality of requirements for operator certification.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the threat item images include images of at least one of bombs, knives, guns, and improvised explosive devices.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said X-ray image of the baggage item is an image of an actual baggage item located inside an X-ray machine.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said X-ray image of the baggage item is electronically generated by said software.

11. The system of claim 6 further comprising reporting software for reporting an operator certification score to an operator certification authority such that the certification score may be evaluated.

12. A system for certifying security inspection system operators, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium embodies:

a threat item image database including a plurality of certification images and a plurality of training images, wherein said certification images comprises threat item images;

software for displaying certification images from the threat item image database, and for displaying X-ray images of baggage items;

software for accessing the threat item image database to display a certification image such that it appears on a monitor as if the certification image is located inside a baggage item;

software for calculating whether said operator has properly detected a predetermined percentage of said certification images and, depending on said calculation, producing a certification score wherein said software does not factor in the operator'"'"'s detection of training images into said calculation and wherein each certification image is associated with a detection difficulty level that is used in calculating the certification score.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said certification score is limited to pass or fail.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein software for accessing the threat item image database randomly selects certification images and training images from the threat item image database for display on the monitor.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the certification images and the training images are stored in separate libraries within the threat item image database.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising a certification criteria database accessible by the software for accessing the threat item image database, wherein said certification criteria database contains a plurality of requirements for operator certification.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the certification images include images of at least one of bombs, knives, guns, and improvised explosive devices.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the software for producing a certification score compares an operator performance record to a plurality of operator certification requirements to determine whether an operator has met requirements for certification.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the software for accessing the threat item image database is programmable to access each of a predetermined set of certification images at least once during certification testing of an operator.