Security screening of electronic devices by device identifier

• US 7,290,287 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spinac, Clifford Jay, Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAN, APRIL YING
• Application Number:
  US10/718,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 726/27, 726/2, 378/57, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A method, system, and program for security screening of electronic devices by device identifier are provided. A security scanning system detects an identifier from an electronic device. The identifier may be a radio frequency identifier or other type of identifier which is preferably detectable by the security scanning system regardless of the operating status of the electronic device. The security scanning system queries a database with the identifier for information about the electronic device. Responsive to receiving the information about the electronic device from the central database, at least one real-time scanned characteristic of the electronic device is compared with this information. The information includes characteristics of the components of the electronic device and an x-ray overlay of the electronic device. If the real-time scanned characteristics and the information match, then electronic device is designated as secure.

Claims

1. A method for security screening of electronic devices, comprising:

detecting an identifier from an electronic device comprising a plurality of components through a radio frequency identifier reader, wherein said identifier specifies a manufacturer and a type of product of product for said electronic device;

detecting an additional identifier for an additional component of said electronic device which alters an original configuration of said plurality of components of said electronic device by said manufacturer;

querying a database with said identifier and said additional identifier for information about said electronic device and said additional component, wherein said database comprises information identifying for each separate identifier from among a plurality of unique identifiers of a plurality of electronic devices a separate original configuration and physical weights and for each separate additional identifier from among a plurality of additional identifiers of a plurality of additional components a separate image;

responsive to receiving said information about said electronic device and said additional component from said database, comparing at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device and said additional component with said information;

responsive to said at least one real-time scanned characteristic matching said information, indicating by an x-ray system the electronic device is secure; and

responsive to said at least one real-time scanned characteristic not matching said information, indicating by said x-ray system said electronic device is not secure and providing an alert by said x-ray system through an alert system to an attendant to hand check said electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 for security screening wherein detecting an identifier from an electronic device further comprises:

transmitting a radio frequency signal within a particular area for detecting said electronic device; and

reading said identifier from said electronic device broadcast from an antenna attached to a memory of said electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 for security screening wherein comparing at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device with said information further comprises:

scanning a three-dimensional image of said electronic device to attain a density signature for a plurality of components of said electronic device; and

comparing said density signature of said three-dimensional image with a previously recorded density signature returned with said information for said electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 for security screening wherein comparing at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device with said information further comprises:

tracing a schematic figure of a plurality of components of said electronic device from a real-time x-ray scan; and

comparing said schematic figure of said plurality of components with a previously recorded schematic figure returned with said information for said electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 for security screening wherein comparing at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device with said information further comprises:

comparing a real-time x-ray scan of said electronic device with a previously recorded x-ray scan returned with said information for said electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 for security screening further comprising:

receiving a particular image for said additional identifier for said additional component from said database layered with a particular original configuration for said electronic device for comparing at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device and said additional component with said layered information.

7. The method of claim 1 for security screening further comprising:

determining whether said electronic device is properly positioned for scanning; and

responsive to detecting that said electronic device is not properly positioned for scanning, triggering an alert signal that an electronic device is not properly scannable.

8. The method of claim 1 for security screening, wherein querying a database with said identifier for information about said electronic device further comprises:

querying said database with said identifier via a network.

9. A computer program product stored only on a volatile or non-volatile computer operable medium for security screening of electronic devices, said computer program product comprising machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system:

detect an identifier from an electronic device comprising a plurality of components through a radio frequency identifier reader, wherein said identifier specifies a manufacturer and a type of product for said electronic device;

detect an additional identifier for an additional component of said electronic device which alters an original configuration of said plurality of components of said electronic device by said manufacturer;

query a database with said identifier and said additional identifier for information about said electronic device and said additional component, wherein said database comprises information identifying for each separate identifier from among a plurality of unique identifiers of a plurality of electronic devices a separate original configuration and physical weights and for each separate additional identifier from among a plurality of additional identifiers of a plurality of additional components a separate image;

responsive to receiving said information about said electronic device and said additional component, compare at least one real-time scanned characteristic of said electronic device and said additional component with said information; and

responsive to said at least one real-time scanned characteristic matching said information, indicate the electronic device is secure; and

responsive to said at least one real-time scanned characteristic not matching said information, indicate said electronic device is not secure and providing an alert through an alert system to an attendant to hand check said electronic device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 for security screening wherein said computer program product further comprises machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system

transmit a radio frequency signal within a particular area for detecting said electronic device;

and

read said identifier from said electronic device broadcast from an antenna attached to a memory of said electronic device.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 for security screening wherein said computer program product further comprises machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system:

scan a three-dimensional image of said electronic device to attain a density signature for a plurality of components of said electronic device; and

compare said density signature of said three-dimensional image with a previously recorded density signature returned with said information for said electronic device.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 for security screening wherein said computer program product further comprises machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system:

trace a schematic figure of a plurality of components of said electronic device from a real-time x-ray scan; and

compare said schematic figure of said plurality of components with a previously recorded schematic figure returned with said information for said electronic device.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 for security screening wherein said computer program product further comprises machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system:

compare a real-time x-ray scan of said electronic device with a previously recorded x-ray scan returned with said information for said electronic device.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 for security screening wherein said computer program product further comprises machine executable instructions that executed by the computer system:

determine whether said electronic device is properly positioned for scanning; and

responsive to detecting that said electronic device is properly positioned for scanning, trigger an alert signal that an electronic device is not properly scannable.