Method and system for certifying operators of x-ray systems

• US 8,498,376 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• 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: Modica, Peter, Le, Khai, Nguyen, Phong
• Primary Examiner(s): Artman, Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US13/430,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20120300902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 250/358.1, 434/219, 705/7.42
• 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 evaluating a performance of a security inspection system operator at a checkpoint, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon first values indicative of a number of people passing through said checkpoint;

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon second values indicative of a number of detections made by a metal detector at said checkpoint;

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon third values indicative of certification information specific to said operator; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of programmatic instructions for evaluating the performance of the operator based on said first, second, and third values.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon fourth values indicative of a number of detections made by a plurality of detection devices at said checkpoint.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the performance of the operator is evaluated based on said first, second, third, and fourth values.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of threat item images.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of programmatic instructions for accessing the threat item images 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.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of programmatic instructions 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.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of programmatic instructions for determining whether said operator has detected a predetermined percentage of said threat item images and, depending on said calculation, producing a certification score.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein an orientation angle of each threat item image is associated with a detection difficulty level that is used in determining the third values indicative of certification information.

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

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an X-ray machine located at the checkpoint, wherein said X-ray machine scans baggage possessed by an individual passing through the checkpoint and generates an X-ray image.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the X-ray image is combined with at least one threat item image and shown to the operator as the baggage passes through the X-ray machine.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a certification criteria database, wherein said certification criteria database contains a plurality of requirements for operator certification.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of programmatic instructions for reporting the evaluation of the performance of the operator to an operator certification authority.

14. A system for evaluating a performance of a security inspection system operator at a checkpoint, comprising:

an X-ray scanning system, wherein said X-ray scanning system scans baggage possessed by an individual passing through the checkpoint and generates an X-ray image;

a metal detector;

a computer readable medium having stored thereon first values indicative of a number of people passing through said checkpoint;

a computer readable medium having stored thereon second values indicative of a number of detections made by the metal detector at said checkpoint;

a computer readable medium having stored thereon third values indicative of certification information specific to said operator; and

a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of programmatic instructions for evaluating the performance of the operator based on said first, second, and third values.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon fourth values indicative of a number of detections made by a plurality of detection devices at said checkpoint.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the performance of the operator is evaluated based on said first, second, third, and fourth values.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the X-ray image is combined with at least one threat item image and shown to the operator as the baggage passes through the X-ray machine.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising a certification criteria database, wherein said certification criteria database contains a plurality of requirements for operator certification.