Apparatus, method and system for screening receptacles and persons, having image distortion correction functionality
First Claim
1. An apparatus suitable for screening a receptacle, said apparatus comprising:
- a) an input for receiving an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle, the image signal having been produced by subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation using a device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, the device being characterized by introducing distortion into the input image so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation;
b) a processing unit in communication with said input, said processing unit being programmed for;
applying a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the image signal includes;
selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and
using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal;
processing the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence in the receptacle of a target object;
generating a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle;
c) an output for releasing the detection signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus suitable for screening a receptacle are provided. An image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle is received, the image signal having been produced by a device that is characterized by introducing distortion into the input image. A distortion correction process is applied to the image signal to remove at least part of the distortion from the input image, thereby to generate a corrected image signal conveying at least one corrected image. The corrected image signal is processed in combination with a plurality of data elements associated with a plurality of target objects in an attempt to detect a presence of at least one of the target objects in the receptacle. A detection signal is generated in response to detection of the presence of at least one target object in the receptacle.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. An apparatus suitable for screening a receptacle, said apparatus comprising:
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a) an input for receiving an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle, the image signal having been produced by subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation using a device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, the device being characterized by introducing distortion into the input image so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation; b) a processing unit in communication with said input, said processing unit being programmed for; applying a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the image signal includes; selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal; processing the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence in the receptacle of a target object; generating a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle; c) an output for releasing the detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for screening a receptacle, said method comprising:
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a) receiving an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle, the image signal having been produced by subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation using a device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, the device being characterized by introducing distortion into the input image, so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation; b) applying a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the image signal includes; i. selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and ii. using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal; c) processing the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence in the receptacle of a target object; d) generating a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle; e) releasing the detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method of screening a receptacle, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle, the image signal having been produced by subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation using a device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, the device being characterized by introducing distortion into the input image so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation; second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to apply a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to apply a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the image signal includes; selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal; third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to process the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence of a target object in the receptacle; fourth computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to generate a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle; fifth computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to release the detection signal.
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57. An apparatus for screening a receptacle, comprising:
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a) means for receiving an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle, the image signal having been produced by subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation using a device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, the device being characterized by introducing distortion into the input image so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation; b) means for applying a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation of the receptacle and its contents, said means for applying the distortion correction process being configured for; i. selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and ii. using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal; c) means for processing the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence of a target object in the receptacle; d) means for generating a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle; e) means for releasing the detection signal.
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58. A system for screening a receptacle, comprising:
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a) an image generation device having a radiation source and radiation detectors and operable to generate an image signal conveying an input image related to contents of the receptacle subjecting the receptacle to penetrating radiation, the input image containing distortion introduced by said image generation device so that the input image signal conveys a distorted representation of the receptacle and its contents, wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation; b) an apparatus in communication with said image generation device, said apparatus including a processor programmed for; applying a distortion correction process to the image signal to remove at least in part from the input image the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the receptacle relative to the radiation source and radiation detectors while the receptacle was being subjected to penetrating radiation, thereby to generate a corrected image signal related to contents of the receptacle, the corrected image signal conveying a modified representation the receptacle and its contents, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the image signal includes; selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the image signal; processing the corrected image signal in an attempt to detect a presence of a target object in the receptacle; generating a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of the target object in the receptacle; c) an output module for conveying information derived at least in part on the basis of said detection signal to a user of the system. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. An apparatus for screening a suitcase to determine if the suitcase contains a concealed firearm, the apparatus comprising:
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a) an input for receiving an X-ray image signal, the X-ray image signal conveying an image of the suitcase being produced by subjecting the suitcase to penetrating radiation using an X-ray imaging device having a radiation source and radiation detectors, wherein objects in the suitcase have distorted shapes in the image and wherein part of the distortion introduced in the input image is dependent on a location of the suitcase relative to the radiation source and the radiation detectors while the suitcase was being subjected to penetrating radiation; b) a computer based processing unit in communication with said input, said processing unit being programmed for; i. applying a distortion correction process to the X-ray image signal to generate a corrected X-ray image signal, the corrected X-ray image signal conveying an image of the suitcase in which a correction has been applied to the distorted shapes, the correction applied removing at least in part the part of the distortion dependent on the location of the suitcase relative to the radiation source and the radiation detectors while the suitcase was being subjected to penetrating radiation, wherein applying the distortion correction process to the X-ray image signal includes; (i) selecting a candidate height from a range of possible heights, the possible heights in said range being related to respective locations relative to the radiation source and detectors of the device; and (ii) using the selected candidate height to condition the distortion correction process applied to the X-ray image signal; ii. processing the corrected X-ray image signal with a shape matching algorithm to determine if an object in the image matches anyone of a plurality of firearm shapes stored in a database of shapes; iii. generating a detection signal when a firearm shape is detected in the image; c) an output for releasing the detection signal.
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Specification