Mail parcel screening using multiple detection technologies
First Claim
1. A system for automatically screening an item of mail for the presence of at least two different types of threat agents selected from a group consisting of a radiological agent, a toxic chemical agent, a bio-threat agent, and an explosive agent, the system including:
- (a) an explosive detection component that determines if an explosive agent is associated with the item of mail, the explosive detection component comprising;
(i) an automated sampling arm that automatically places a sampling medium in physical contact with at least one surface of the item of mail; and
(ii) means to analyze the sample collected by the sampling medium; and
(b) at least one additional detection component selected from a group of detection components consisting of;
(i) a radiation detection component, the radiation detection component detecting if radiation is associated with the item of mail;
(ii) a toxic chemical detection component, the toxic chemical detection component determining if a toxic chemical agent is associated with the item of mail; and
(iii) a bio-threat sampling component, the bio-threat sampling component collecting a bio-threat sample to be analyzed to determine if a bio-threat agent is disposed on a surface of the item of mail.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various screening systems are disclosed, including a system including a radiation detection component, a toxic chemical detection component, a toxic chemical agent sampling component, a bio-threat detection component, a puffer-based bio-threat sampling component, an explosive detection component, and an X-ray based imager, such that it automatically screens mail for the presence of multiple threat agents, such as chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats. An automated sample arm collects a sample when a sampling substrate contacts a portion of the item of mail while there is relative motion between the automated sample arm and the item of mail. The sample is conveyed to a detector and the sampling substrate is regenerated by heating it.
231 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for automatically screening an item of mail for the presence of at least two different types of threat agents selected from a group consisting of a radiological agent, a toxic chemical agent, a bio-threat agent, and an explosive agent, the system including:
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(a) an explosive detection component that determines if an explosive agent is associated with the item of mail, the explosive detection component comprising; (i) an automated sampling arm that automatically places a sampling medium in physical contact with at least one surface of the item of mail; and (ii) means to analyze the sample collected by the sampling medium; and (b) at least one additional detection component selected from a group of detection components consisting of; (i) a radiation detection component, the radiation detection component detecting if radiation is associated with the item of mail; (ii) a toxic chemical detection component, the toxic chemical detection component determining if a toxic chemical agent is associated with the item of mail; and (iii) a bio-threat sampling component, the bio-threat sampling component collecting a bio-threat sample to be analyzed to determine if a bio-threat agent is disposed on a surface of the item of mail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for automatically screening mail for hazardous threats in an item of mail, the system comprising:
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(a) a relatively low flow sampling component, the relatively low flow sampling component automatically collecting a vapor sample from the item of mail; and (b) means to analyze the vapor sample collected by the relatively low flow sampling component, to determine if at least one contaminant is associated with the item of mail, the at least one contaminant being selected from a group of contaminants consisting of; (i) a toxic chemical agent; and (ii) an explosive agent; and (c) a relatively high flow sampling component, the relatively high flow sampling component automatically collecting a particle sample from the item of mail, the particle sample having been dislodged from the item of mail by a fluid directed toward the item of mail by the relatively high flow sampling component, the system being configured such that the item of mail passes through the relatively low flow sampling component before passing through the relatively high flow sampling component, such that the relatively high flow sampling component does not disrupt the collection of the vapor sample. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A mail screening system configured to automatically screen an item of mail for at least one threat selected from the group consisting of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) threats in an item of mail, the system comprising:
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(a) a detector configured to analyze a sample collected by the system, the sample being associated with the item of mail, to determine if at least one threat selected from the group consisting of CBRNE threats is associated with the item of mail; (b) an automated sample arm configured to be selectively positionable about a plurality of different axes; (c) means to achieve a relative motion between the automated sample arm and the item of mail; (d) a sampling substrate coupled to the selectively positionable automated sample arm, the selectively positional automated sample arm enabling the sampling substrate to collect the sample from at least two non-contiguous surfaces of the item of mail while there is relative motion between the automated sample arm and the item of mail, the sampling substrate being configured to retain the sample until the sample is intentionally removed; and (e) means to intentionally remove the sample from the sampling substrate and convey the sample to the explosive detector for analysis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for automatically screening an item of mail for at least one threat selected from the group consisting of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) threats, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a sampling substrate such that the sampling substrate is in contact with at least a portion of the item of mail, using an automated sampling arm; (b) achieving a relative motion between the sampling substrate and the item of mail, thereby collecting the sample on the sampling substrate, such that the sample is retained upon the sampling substrate until the sample is intentionally removed; (c) intentionally removing the sample from the sampling substrate and conveying the sample to a detector configured to analyze the sample; and (d) analyzing the sample with the detector to determine if at least one threat selected from the group consisting of CBRNE threats is associated with the item of mail. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for automatically screening an item of mail for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) threats, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) automatically scanning the item of mail using a radiation detector that does not require obtaining a physical sample from the item of mail, to screen for radiological and nuclear threats; (b) automatically screening the item of mail for an explosive threat by collecting a sample from the item of mail by wiping at least one surface of the item of mail using a sampling substrate that retains an explosive sample thereon until the explosive sample is intentionally removed, the sampling substrate being wiped on the at least one surface of the item of mail by an automated sampling arm, heating the sampling substrate to volatilize at least a portion of the explosive sample, and directing the volatilized explosive sample to an explosive detector; (c) automatically collecting a vapor based sample from an ambient gaseous environment proximate the item of mail and analyzing the vapor based sample to detect a chemical threat associated with the item of mail; and (d) automatically directing a jet of gaseous fluid over at least a portion of the item of mail after collecting the vapor based sample, to dislodge any particles retained on the item of mail, and filtering an ambient gaseous environment proximate the item of mail to remove particles entrained in the gaseous environment, thereby obtaining the particle based sample that can be tested for a biological threat. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification