US 2003/0150917 A1 · Planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system employing led-based planar light illumination arrays (PLIAS) and an area-type image detection array

Abstract

Methods of and systems for illuminating objects using planar laser illumination beams having substantially-planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through the field of view (FOV) of image formation and detection modules employed in such systems. Each planar laser illumination beam is produced from a planar laser illumination beam array (PLIA) comprising an plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs). Each PLIM comprises a visible laser diode (VLD, a focusing lens, and a cylindrical optical element arranged therewith The individual planar laser illumination beam components produced from each PLIM are optically combined to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially uniform power density characteristics over the entire spatial extend thereof and thus the working range of the system. Preferably, each planar laser illumination bear Component is focused so that the minimum beam width thereof occurs at a point or plane which the farthest or maximum object distance at which the system is designed to acquire images, thereby compensating for decreases in the power density of the incident planar laser illumination beam due to the fact that the width of the planar laser illumination beam increases in length for increasing object distances away from the imaging optics. Advanced high-resolution wavefront control methods and devices are disclosed for use with the PLIIM-based systems in order to reduce the power of speckle-noise patterns observed at the image detections thereof. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to use both VLDs and high-speed CCD-type image detectors in conveyor, hand-held and hold-under type imaging applications like, enjoying the advantages and benefits that each such technology has to offer, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks hitherto associated therewith.

Claims262

Dependent claims

A object attribute acquisition and analysis system completely contained within a single housing of compact lightweight construction.

An airport security system comprising:

at least one PLIIM-based passenger identification and profiling camera subsystem, for capturing a digital image of the face of each passenger to board an aircraft at the airport,
(ii) capturing a digital profile of his or her face and head (and possibly body) using the LDIP subsystem employed therein, (iii) capturing a digital image of the passenger's identification card(s), (iii) indexing such passenger attribute information with the corresponding passenger identification (PID) number encoded within the PID bar code symbol that is printed on a passenger identification (PID) bracelet affixed to the passenger's hand at the passenger check-in station, and to be worn thereby during the entire duration of the passenger's scheduled flight;
a passenger identification (PID) bar code symbol and baggage identification (BID) bar code symbol dispensing subsystem, installed at the passenger check-in station, for dispensing (i) the PID bar code symbol and bracket to be worn by the passenger, and (ii) a unique BID bar code label for attachment to each baggage article to be carried aboard the aircraft on which the checked-in passenger will fly (or on another aircraft), wherein each BID bar code symbol assigned to baggage article is co-indexed with the PID bar code symbol assigned to the passenger checking in his or her baggage;
a tunnel-type package identification, dimensioning and tracking subsystem, including at least one PLIIM-based PID unit installed before the entry port of the X-radiation baggage scanning subsystem (or integrated therein), and also passenger and baggage data element tracking computer, for automatically (i) identifying each article of baggage by reading the baggage identification (BID) bar code symbol applied thereto at a baggage check-in station of the airport security system, (ii) dimensioning (i.e. profiling) the article of baggage, (iii) capturing a digital image 2614 of the article of baggage, (iv) indexing such baggage attribute information with the corresponding BID number encoded into the scanned BID bar code symbol, and (v) sending such BID-indexed baggage attribute information to a passenger and baggage attribute RDBMS for storage as a baggage attribute record;
an x-ray (or CT) baggage scanning subsystem installed slightly downstream from the tunnel-based system, for automatically scanning each BID bar coded article of baggage to be loaded onto an aircraft using, for example, x-radiation, gamma-radiation and/or other radiation beams, and producing visible digital images of the interior and contents of each baggage article;
said passenger and baggage attribute RDBMS, being operably connected to said PLIIM-based passenger identification and profiling camera subsystem, said baggage identification (BID) bar code symbol dispensing subsystem, the tunnel-type package identification and dimensioning subsystem, and said baggage scanning subsystem, for maintaining coindexed records on passenger attribute information and baggage attribute information;
a computer-based information processing subsystem for processing passenger and baggage attribute records (e.g. text files, image files, voice files, etc.) and maintained in the RDBMS, to automatically mine and detect suspect conditions in such information records, as well as in records maintained in a remote RDBMS in communication with said processor via the Internet, which might detect a condition for alarm or security breach (e.g. explosive devices, identify suspect passengers linked to criminal activity, etc.);
and
one or more security breach alarm subsystems, for detecting and issuing alarms to security personnel and/or other subsystems concerning possible security breach conditions during and after passengers and baggage are checked into an airport.

6 more elements

A method of and apparatus for securing an airport system comprising the steps of:

(a.) each passenger who is about to board an aircraft at an airport, going to a check-in station with personal identification (e.g. passport, driver's license, etc.) in hand as well as articles of baggage to be carried on the aircraft by the passenger;
(b.) upon checking in with this station, issuing (1) a passenger identification bracelet bearing a PID bar code symbol, and (2) a corresponding PID bar code symbol for attachment to each package carried on the aircraft by the passenger;
(c.) creating a passenger/baggage information record in the RDBMS for each passenger and set of baggage checked into the system at the check-in station;
(d.) affixing a passenger identification (PID) bracelet to the passenger's hand at the passenger check-in station which is to be worn during the entire duration of the passenger's scheduled flight;
(e.) automatically capturing (i) a digital image of the passenger's face, head and supper body, (ii) a digital profile of his or her face and head using the LDIP subsystem employed therein, and (iii) a digital image of the passenger's identification card(s);
(f.) indexing each item of passenger attribute information with the corresponding passenger identification (PID) number encoded within the PID-bar code symbol printed on the passenger identification (PID) bracelet affixed to the passenger's hand at the passenger check-in station;
(g.) conveying each BID bar coded article of baggage through the tunnel-type package identification, dimensioning and tracking subsystem installed before the entry port of the X-radiation baggage scanning subsystem (or integrated therewith), and the n through the X-radiation baggage scanning subsystem;
(h.) automatically identifying, imaging, and dimensioning each bar coded article of baggage using optical radiation;
(i.) automatically imaging dimensioning each bar coded article of baggage with x-radiation;
(j.) automatically indexing each item of passenger and baggage attribute information with PID numbers and BID numbers, respectively, and storing said indexed item of passenger and baggage attribute information in the RDBMS for subsequent information processing;
(k.) detecting suspicious conditions revealed by x-ray images of baggage using an x-ray monitor adjacent the x-ray scanning subsystem;
(l.) running intelligent information processing algorithms each passenger and baggage attribute record stored in RDBMS as well as in remote RDBMSs containing passenger intelligence, in order to detect any suspicious conditions which may given concern or alarm about either a particular passenger or article of baggage presenting concern or a breach of security;
(m.) determining if a breach of security appears to have occurred based on the rests of step (l);
if a breach is determined prior to flight-time, then aborting the flight related to the suspect passenger and/or baggage, using security personnel;
and
(n.) if a breach is detected after an aircraft has lifted off, then informing the flight crew and pilot by radio communication of the detected security concern.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system employing led-based planar light illumination arrays (PLIAS) and an area-type image detection array

Life of this patent

Planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system employing led-based planar light illumination arrays (PLIAS) and an area-type image detection array

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims262