Entry control point device, system and method

• US 8,358,343 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• 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:
  US13/370,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20120140079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 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 vehicle access control, comprising the steps of:

providing a scanner framework having a front end and a back end;

providing a scanner camera having a lens facing at least a portion of either the framework front end or the framework back end; and

providing means for recording by the camera at least two images of a vehicle underside from different angles at the same time, wherein the means comprises a first mirror arrangement secured to the framework so as to provide a first reflecting surface angled upwardly toward the top 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.

2. The method of claim 1 including the further steps of:

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.

3. The method of claim 2 including the further steps of:

recording simultaneous or near-simultaneous images of a vehicle underside from different angles using the camera; and

comparing at least one stitched frame image comprising the recorded images with one or more stored images to determine one or more identifying characteristics of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 including the further steps of:

identifying the vehicle make and model; and

providing programming for determining whether the vehicle has a different vehicle underside profile from a baseline vehicle underside profile for the identified vehicle type.