Method and apparatus for providing threat image projection (TIP) in a luggage screening system, and luggage screening system implementing same

• US 7,899,232 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vanderlande Industries BV (VIVE BV)
• Original Assignee: Optosecurity Inc.
• Inventors: Filiatrault, Alexandre, Gudmundson, Dan, Perron, Luc, Doyle, Aidan, Bouchard, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta; Bhavesh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards; Patrick L
• Application Number:
  US11/747,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/132, 382/275, 382/209, 378/57, 356/240.1
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/05 Recognition of patterns representing particular kinds of hidden objects, e.g. weapons, explosives, drugs

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators is provides. A sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation are received. The image generation device is characterized by introducing a certain distortion into these images of contents of luggage items. A display device is caused to display images derived from this sequence of images. Occasionally, the display device is caused to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by displaying a combined image derived based at least in part on an image in the sequence of images and a distorted threat image. The distorted threat image was derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image wherein the distortion insertion process tends to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.

Claims

1. A method for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said method comprising:

a. receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. occasionally causing the display device to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by displaying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

i. an image in the sequence of images; and

ii. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process tends to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said method comprises:

a. occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by displaying combined images derived based at least in part on;

i. images in the sequence of images; and

ii. a group of distorted threat images, the distorted threat images in said group being associated to respective heights and being derived by applying distinct distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to introduce distortions in the reference threat image, wherein the distinct distortion insertion processes are associated to respective heights.

3. A method for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said method comprising:

a. receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. occasionally causing the display device to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by;

i. applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to derive a distorted threat image, the distortion insertion process tending to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation;

ii. deriving a combined image conveying a simulated threat in the luggage item based at least in part on an image in the sequence of images and the distorted threat image;

iii. causing the display device to display the combined image.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, said method comprising:

a. processing the image of contents of the luggage item to derive spatial information associated to the luggage item;

b. conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on said spatial information.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the spatial information includes position information associated to the luggage item.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the position information includes height information associated to the luggage item.

7. A method as defined in claim 4, said method comprising:

a. providing a set of original threat images wherein the images in said set are associated to respective potential threats;

b. selecting at least one original threat image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the spatial information associated to the luggage item includes size information, said method comprising selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image based at least in part on the size information associated to the luggage item.

10. A method as defined in claim 4, said method comprising:

a. providing an original threat image associated to a threat;

b. assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, said method comprising conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image includes perceived height information, said method comprising conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the perceived height information.

13. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

14. A method defined in claim 3, wherein the reference threat image includes intensity data for a set of coordinates, wherein the distorted threat image is defined by modified intensity data for a set of new coordinates, and wherein said applying a distortion insertion process comprises applying an image transformation to the intensity data for the set of coordinates to derive said modified intensity data for the new coordinates.

15. A method defined in claim 14, wherein said image transformation involves processing of a data structure representative of an inferred spatial transformation applied by the device that scans the luggage item with penetrating radiation.

16. A method defined in claim 15, wherein said inferred spatial transformation is two-dimensional.

17. A method defined in claim 15, wherein said data structure is characterized by a set of parameters derived from registration of observed coordinates with respect to a set of reference coordinates.

18. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said method comprises occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by:

a. applying distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to derive a plurality of distorted threat images, the distortion insertion processes being associated to respective heights such that the distorted threat images in the plurality of distorted threat images are associated to respective perceived heights;

b. deriving combined images conveying the same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items based at least in part on images in the sequence of images and the plurality of distorted threat images;

c. causing a display device to display at least some of the combined images.

19. A method as defined in claim 3, where said the image of contents of the luggage item derived is an x-ray image.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein deriving the combined image conveying the simulated threat in the luggage includes performing a combination of attenuation information conveyed in the image in the sequence of images and attenuation information conveyed in the distorted threat image.

21. An apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said apparatus comprising:

a. an input for receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. an output for releasing an output signal suitable for causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. a processing unit in communication with said input and said output, said processing unit being operative for occasionally causing the output signal released at said output to convey a simulated threat in a luggage item by conveying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

i. an image in the sequence of images; and

ii. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process tends to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said processing unit is operative for:

a. occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by displaying combined images derived based at least in part on;

i. images in the sequence of images; and

ii. a group of distorted threat images, the distorted threat images in said group being associated to respective heights and being derived by applying distinct distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to introduce distortions in the reference threat image, wherein the distinct distortion insertion processes are associated to respective heights.

23. An apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said apparatus comprising:

a. an input for receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. an output for releasing an output signal suitable for causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. a processing unit in communication with said input and said output, said processing unit being operative for occasionally causing the output signal released at said output to convey a simulated threat in a luggage item by;

i. applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to derive a distorted threat image, the distortion insertion process tending to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation;

ii. deriving a combined image conveying a simulated threat in the luggage item based at least in part on an image in the sequence of images and the distorted threat image;

iii. causing the display device to display the combined image.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, said processing unit being operative for:

a. processing the image of contents of the luggage item to derive spatial information associated to the luggage item;

b. conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on said spatial information.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the spatial information includes position information associated to the luggage item.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the position information includes height information associated to the luggage item.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said apparatus comprises a memory unit for storing a set of original threat images wherein the images in said set are associated to respective potential threats, said processing unit being operative for selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images in said memory unit as the reference threat image.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein processing unit is operative for selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein the spatial information associated to the luggage item includes size information, said processing unit being operative for selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image based at least in part on the size information associated to the luggage item.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, said apparatus comprising a memory unit for storing an original threat image associated to a threat, said processing unit being operative for assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, said processing unit is operative for conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image includes desired perceived height information, said processing unit being operative for conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the perceived height information.

33. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

34. An apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein the reference threat image includes intensity data for a set of coordinates, wherein the distorted threat image is defined by modified intensity data for a set of new coordinates, and wherein said applying a distortion insertion process comprises applying an image transformation to the intensity data for the set of coordinates to derive said modified intensity data for the new coordinates.

35. An apparatus defined in claim 34, wherein said image transformation involves processing of a data structure representative of an inferred spatial transformation applied by the device that scans the luggage item with penetrating radiation.

36. An apparatus defined in claim 35, wherein said inferred spatial transformation is two-dimensional.

37. An apparatus defined in claim 35, wherein said data structure is characterized by a set of parameters derived from registration of observed coordinates with respect to a set of reference coordinates.

38. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said processing unit is operative for occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by:

a. applying distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to derive a plurality of distorted threat images, the distortion insertion processes being associated to respective heights such that the distorted threat images in the plurality of distorted threat images are associated to respective perceived heights;

b. deriving combined images conveying the same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items based at least in part on images in the sequence of images and the plurality of distorted threat images;

c. causing a display device to display at least some of the combined images.

39. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, where said the image of contents of the luggage item derived is an x-ray image.

40. An apparatus as defined in claim 39, wherein deriving the combined image conveying the simulated threat in the luggage includes performing a combination of attenuation information conveyed in the image in the sequence of images and attenuation information conveyed in the distorted threat image.

41. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program element suitable for execution by a CPU, said program element implementing an apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said computing apparatus comprising:

a. a memory unit;

b. a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for;

i. receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

ii. causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

iii. occasionally causing the display device to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by displaying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

1. an image in the sequence of images; and

2. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process tends to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.

42. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 41, said program element when executing on said processor is operative for occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by displaying combined images derived based at least in part on:

i. images in the sequence of images; and

ii. a group of distorted threat images, the distorted threat images in said group being associated to respective heights and being derived by applying distinct distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to introduce distortions in the reference threat image, wherein the distinct distortion insertion processes are associated to respective heights.

43. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program element suitable for execution by a CPU, said program element implementing an apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said computing apparatus comprising:

a. a memory unit;

b. a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for;

i. receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

ii. causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

iii. occasionally causing the display device to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by;

1. applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to derive a distorted threat image, the distortion insertion process tending to approximate the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation;

2. deriving a combined image conveying a simulated threat in the luggage item based at least in part on an image in the sequence of images and the distorted threat image;

3. causing the display device to display the combined image.

44. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 43, wherein said program element when executing on said processor is operative for:

a. processing the image of contents of the luggage item to derive spatial information associated to the luggage item;

b. conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on said spatial information.

45. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 44, wherein the spatial information includes position information associated to the luggage item.

46. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 45, wherein the position information includes height information associated to the luggage item.

47. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 44, wherein said program element when executing on said processor being operative for:

a. providing a set of original threat images wherein the images in said set are associated to respective potential threats;

b. selecting at least one image from set of original threat images as the reference threat image.

48. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 47, wherein selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

49. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 47, wherein the spatial information associated to the luggage item includes size information, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for selecting at least one image from the set of original threat images as the reference threat image based at least in part on the size information associated to the luggage item.

50. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 44, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for:

a. providing an original threat image associated to a threat;

b. assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

51. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 50, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image.

52. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 50, wherein the positioning information assigned to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image includes perceived height information, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for conditioning the distortion insertion process at least in part based on the perceived height information.

53. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 50, wherein assigning positioning information to the original threat image to derive the reference threat image is conditioned at least in part based on the spatial information associated to the luggage item.

54. A computer readable storage medium defined in claim 43, wherein the reference threat image includes intensity data for a set of coordinates, wherein the distorted threat image is defined by modified intensity data for a set of new coordinates, and wherein said applying a distortion insertion process comprises applying an image transformation to the intensity data for the set of coordinates to derive said modified intensity data for the new coordinates.

55. A computer readable storage medium defined in claim 54, wherein said image transformation involves processing of a data structure representative of an inferred spatial transformation applied by the device that scans the luggage item with penetrating radiation.

56. A computer readable storage medium defined in claim 55, wherein said inferred spatial transformation is two-dimensional.

57. A computer readable storage medium defined in claim 55, wherein said data structure is characterized by a set of parameters derived from registration of observed coordinates with respect to a set of reference coordinates.

58. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 43, wherein said program element when executing on said processor being operative for occasionally causing the display device to show a same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items by:

a. applying distortion insertion processes to a reference threat image to derive a plurality of distorted threat images, the distortion insertion process approximating a distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the distortion insertion processes being associated to respective heights such that the distorted threat images in the plurality of distorted threat images are associated to respective perceived heights;

b. deriving combined images conveying the same simulated threat positioned at different perceived heights in luggage items based at least in part on images in the sequence of images and the plurality of distorted threat images;

c. causing a display device to display at least some of the combined images.

59. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 43, where said the image of contents of the luggage item derived is an x-ray image.

60. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 59, wherein deriving the combined image conveying the simulated threat in the luggage includes performing a combination of attenuation information conveyed in the image in the sequence of images and attenuation information conveyed in the distorted threat image.

61. A system for screening luggage items, comprising:

a. an image generation device suitable for scanning luggage items with penetrating radiation to generate a sequence of images of contents of the luggage items, the image generation device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. a display device;

c. an apparatus in communication with said image generation device and said display device, said apparatus including functionality for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said apparatus comprising;

i. an input for receiving the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

ii. an output for releasing an output signal suitable for causing the display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

iii. a processing unit in communication with said input and said output, said processing unit being operative for occasionally causing the output signal released at said output to convey a simulated threat in a luggage item by conveying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

1. an image in the sequence of images; and

2. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process tends to approximates the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the image generation device.

62. A client-server system for implementing a process for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said client-server system comprising a client system and a server system, said client system and said server system operative to exchange messages over a data network, said server system storing a program element for execution by a CPU, said program element comprising:

a. first program element component executed on said server system for receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation, the device being characterized by introducing a certain distortion into the images of contents of luggage items;

b. second program element component executed on said server system for generating messages for transmission to said client system for causing a display device in communication with said client system to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. wherein said second program element component is operative for occasionally generating messages for causing the display device in communication with said client system to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by conveying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

i. an image in the sequence of images; and

ii. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process approximates the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.

63. An apparatus for testing luggage screening equipment operators, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for receiving a sequence of images of contents of luggage items derived from a device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation;

b. means for causing a display device to display images derived from the sequence of images of contents of luggage items;

c. a means for occasionally causing the display device to show a simulated threat in a luggage item by conveying a combined image derived based at least in part on;

i. an image in the sequence of images; and

ii. a distorted threat image, the distorted threat image having been derived by applying a distortion insertion process to a reference threat image to introduce a distortion in the reference threat image, wherein the distortion insertion process approximates the certain distortion introduced in the images of contents of luggage items by the device that scans the luggage items with penetrating radiation.