Method and apparatus for assessing the threat status of luggage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, said method comprising:
- a) receiving X-ray image data derived by scanning the piece of luggage with a scanning device using X-rays, the X-ray image data conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage;
b) processing the X-ray image data with a computing device programmed with software for;
i) detecting an object in the piece of luggage;
ii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the detected object, the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to the detected object, wherein the X-ray signature associated with the detected object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the detected object to simulate interactions between the detected object and X-rays;
iii) deriving compensated X-ray image data at least in part by reducing in the X-ray image data effects of object induced X-ray attenuation resulting from X-rays travelling through the detected object based at least in part on the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object;
iv) determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part based on the compensated X-ray image data.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage. The method comprises the steps of scanning the piece of luggage with penetrating radiation to generate image data and processing the image data with a computing device to identify one or more objects represented by the image data. The method also includes further processing the image data to compensate the image data for interaction between the object and the penetrating radiation to produce compensated image data and then determine the threat status of the piece of luggage.
168 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, said method comprising:
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a) receiving X-ray image data derived by scanning the piece of luggage with a scanning device using X-rays, the X-ray image data conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage; b) processing the X-ray image data with a computing device programmed with software for; i) detecting an object in the piece of luggage; ii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the detected object, the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to the detected object, wherein the X-ray signature associated with the detected object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the detected object to simulate interactions between the detected object and X-rays; iii) deriving compensated X-ray image data at least in part by reducing in the X-ray image data effects of object induced X-ray attenuation resulting from X-rays travelling through the detected object based at least in part on the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object; iv) determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part based on the compensated X-ray image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, comprising:
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a) an X-ray scanner for scanning the piece of luggage with X-rays to derive X-ray image data, the X-ray data conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage; b) a computing system including at least one processor, the computing system being in communication with said X-ray scanner and being programmed with software for; i) processing the X-ray image data to detect an object in the piece of luggage; ii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the detected object, the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to the detected object, wherein the X-ray signature associated with the detected object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the detected object to simulate interactions between the detected object and X-rays; iii) processing the X-ray image data to derive compensated X-ray image data at least in part by reducing in the X-ray image data effects of object induced X-ray attenuation resulting from X-rays travelling through the detected object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part based on the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object; iv) deriving information for use in determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part by processing the compensated X-ray image data; c) a display module in communication with said computing system for conveying information derived by said at least one processor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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17. An apparatus for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, the apparatus comprising:
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a) an input for received X-ray image data derived by scanning the piece of luggage with an X-ray scanner, the X-ray data conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage; b) a computing device including at least one processor, said computing device being in communication with said input and being programmed for; i) processing the X-ray image data to detect an object in the piece of luggage; ii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the detected object, the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to the detected object, wherein the X-ray signature associated with the detected object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the detected object to simulate interactions between the detected object and X-rays; iii) processing the X-ray image data to derive compensated X-ray image data at least in part by reducing in the X-ray image data effects of object induced X-ray attenuation resulting from X-rays travelling through the detected object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part based on the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object; iv) deriving information for use in determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part by processing the compensated X-ray image data; c) an output for releasing data conveying results obtained by the computing device.
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18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program element for execution by a computing device for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, the program element, when executed by the computing device, causing the execution of a method by the computing device comprising:
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i) receiving X-ray image data derived by scanning the piece of luggage with a scanning device using X-rays, the X-ray image data conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage; ii) processing the X-ray image data to detect an object in the piece of luggage; iii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the detected object, the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object conveying, an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to the detected object, wherein the X-ray signature associated with the detected object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the detected object to simulate interactions between the detected object and X-rays; iv) processing the X-ray image data to derive compensated X-ray image data at least in part by reducing in the X-ray image data effects of object induced X-ray attenuation resulting from X-rays travelling through the detected object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part based on the derived X-ray signature associated with the detected object; v) deriving information for use in determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part by processing the compensated X-ray image data. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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19. A method for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, said method comprising:
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a) processing an X-ray image of the piece of luggage to detect a depiction of an object held in the piece of luggage; b) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the object whose depiction was detected in the X-ray image of the piece of luggage, the X-ray signature conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object, wherein the amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the object to simulate interactions between the object and X-rays; c) processing the X-ray image to derive a compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage by removing from the X-ray image at least part of the depiction of the object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part by compensating the X-ray image based on the derived amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object whose depiction was detected; d) determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part based on the compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, the system comprising:
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a) an X-ray scanner for scanning the piece of luggage with X-rays to derive an X-ray image of the piece of luggage, the X-ray image of the piece of luggage conveying information about an attenuation of X-rays resulting from X-rays travelling through the piece of luggage; b) a computing system including at least one processor, said computing system being in communication with said X-ray scanner and being programmed with software for; i) processing the X-ray image of the piece of luggage to detect a depiction of an object held in the piece of luggage; ii) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the object whose depiction was detected in the X-ray image of the piece of luggage, the X-ray signature conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object, wherein the amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the object to simulate interactions between the object and X-rays; iii) processing the X-ray image of the piece of luggage to derive a compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage by removing from the X-ray image of the piece of luggage at least part of the depiction of the object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part by compensating the X-ray image based on the derived amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object whose depiction was detected; iv) deriving information for use in determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part by processing the compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage; c) an output for releasing data conveying results obtained by the computing system. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program element for execution by a computing device for assessing a threat status of a piece of luggage, the program element, when executed by the computing device, causing the execution of a method by the computing device comprising:
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a) processing an X-ray image of the piece of luggage to detect a depiction of an object held in the piece of luggage; b) deriving an X-ray signature associated with the object whose depiction was detected in the X-ray image of the piece of luggage, the X-ray signature conveying an amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object, wherein the amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object is derived at least in part by processing a virtual model of the object to simulate interactions between the object and X-rays; c) processing the X-ray image to derive a compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage by removing from the X-ray image at least part of the depiction of the object, the compensated X-ray image data being derived at least in part by compensating the X-ray image based on the derived amount of X-ray attenuation attributed to X-rays travelling through the object whose depiction was detected; d) deriving information for use in determining the threat status of the piece of luggage at least in part by processing the compensated X-ray image of the piece of luggage. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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Specification