Security scanning device

• US 9,000,380 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hillis, W. Daniel, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, Casey
• Application Number:
  US13/895,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20140339430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 378/4, 250/361.R
• US Class Current: 250/361.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/0654 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• 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: G01V 5/222 measuring scattered radiation

Abstract

A security scanner includes a scanner configured to transmit a scanning beam toward a target and detect a returned beam. The security scanner also includes a processing circuit configured to receive a characteristic of the target to be scanned, determine an allowable dosage based on the characteristic, adjust a parameter of the scanning beam based on the allowable dosage, and cause the parameter to be used in the scanning of the target.

Claims

1. A security scanner, comprising:

a scanner configured to transmit a scanning beam toward a target and detect a returned beam; and

a processing circuit coupled to the scanner with a communication link and configured to;

receive a characteristic of the target to be scanned from the scanner;

determine a maximum allowable dosage based on the characteristic, a previous dosage, and a maximum dose exposure limit for the target to be scanned;

adjust a parameter of the scanning beam based on the maximum allowable dosage; and

cause the parameter to be used in the scanning of the target.

2. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the characteristic includes body structure.

3. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the characteristic includes a pregnancy status.

4. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the maximum allowable dosage is an allowable energy deposition within the target from the scanning beam.

5. The scanner of claim 4, wherein the allowable energy deposition varies based upon location within the target.

6. The scanner of claim 4, wherein a plurality of scanning regions for the target have different allowable energy depositions.

7. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the previous dose includes a first previous dose for a first portion of the target and a second previous dose for a second portion of the target.

8. The scanner of claim 1, further comprising an operator interface, wherein the operator interface displays a potential characteristic of the target.

9. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner is configured to transmit a non-uniform scanning beam to the target.

10. The scanner of claim 9, wherein the scanner is configured to transmit a first scanning beam to a first portion of the target and a second scanning beam to a second portion of the target.

11. The scanner of claim 1, further comprising an identifier coupled to the processing circuit, wherein the identifier includes at least one of a barcode scanner, a quick response scanner, and a radiofrequency antenna configured to acquire data relating to at least one of an age, a gender, a pregnancy status, a medical condition, a past travel history, a future travel activity, a name, a social security number, and ticket information relating to the target.

12. The scanner of claim 11, wherein the identifier is configured to receive an identifier signal indicative of the characteristic of the target.

13. A security scanner for reducing a risk that a person may receive an inappropriate dose, comprising:

a housing;

a measurement device configured to determine a characteristic of the person and produce a characteristic signal;

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the characteristic signal;

determine a maximum allowable dosage based on the characteristic signal, a previous dosage, and a maximum dose exposure limit for the person; and

produce a beam signal based on the maximum allowable dosage; and

a scanner coupled to the processing circuit and configured to direct a scanning beam toward the person that corresponds to the beam signal.

14. The scanner of claim 13, wherein the characteristic includes the weight of the person.

15. The scanner of claim 13, wherein the characteristic comprises the height of the person.

16. The scanner of claim 15, further comprising a second measurement device that determines a second characteristic and produces a second characteristic signal.

17. The scanner of claim 16, wherein the second characteristic includes the weight of the person.

18. The scanner of claim 16, wherein the second measurement device comprises a scale.

19. The scanner of claim 16, wherein the processing circuit receives the first characteristic signal and the second characteristic signal and produces the beam signal.

20. The scanner of claim 13, wherein the measurement device comprises an imaging measurement device configured to provide image information.