Entry control point device, system and method

• US 8,305,442 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gatekeeper, Inc. (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gatekeeper, Inc. (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Millar, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/981,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/751 Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The present invention provides an entry control device, system and method which can recognize a vehicle by its undercarriage image only. The present invention compares a new vehicle undercarriage image with those stored in a reference database to facilitate the automatic search of a vehicle'"'"'s undercarriage. The present invention can compare the new undercarriage image to the same or similar undercarriage image previously entered in the reference database, highlighting any anomalies such as, for example, foreign objects, explosives, drugs, paraphernalia and other illegal and/or harmful substances and devices.

Claims

1. A method for establishing records for use in analyzing the underside of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

recording one or more images of the underside of one or more vehicles using a scanner camera configuration comprising a camera adapted to record simultaneous or near-simultaneous images of a vehicle underside from different angles, wherein the scanner camera configuration further comprises a scanner framework having a front end, a back end and a top surface, a first mirror arrangement secured to the framework so as to provide a first reflecting surface angled upwardly toward the to surface and toward the framework front end, and a second mirror arrangement secured to the framework so as to provide a second reflecting surface angled upwardly in a direction facing the framework top surface and the framework back end;

categorizing the one or more images according to the vehicle year, make, model and transmission type; and

storing the one or more images in a computer database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the camera has a lens and is secured to the framework such that a portion of the lens faces the first mirror arrangement and a portion of the lens faces the second mirror arrangement.

3. A method for establishing records for use in analyzing the underside of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

recording one or more images of the underside of one or more vehicles using a scanner camera configuration comprising a camera adapted to record simultaneous or near-simultaneous images of a vehicle underside from different angles, wherein the scanner camera configuration further comprises a scanner framework having a front end, a back end and a top surface, and further wherein the camera is secured such that the camera lens is angled downwardly away from the framework top surface;

categorizing the one or more images according to the vehicle year, make, model and transmission type; and

storing the one or more images in a computer database.

4. A method for establishing records for use in analyzing the underside of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

recording one or more images of the underside of one or more vehicles using a scanner camera configuration comprising a camera adapted to record simultaneous or near-simultaneous images of a vehicle underside from different angles, wherein the scanner camera configuration further comprises a scanner framework having a front end, a back end and a top surface, and further wherein the camera is secured to the framework such that the lens faces the framework back end;

categorizing the one or more images according to the vehicle year, make, model and transmission type; and

storing the one or more images in a computer database.