Method and system for screening cargo containers

An apparatus for screening a cargo container, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a first input for receiving image data associated with the cargo container and conveying information related to the contents of the cargo container, said image data being derived by subjecting the cargo container to penetrating radiation;
• b) a second input for receiving a first list of objects conveying objects expected to be present in the cargo container;
• c) a processing unit in communication with said first and second input, said processing unit being programmed for:
• i. obtaining a group of target images based at least in part on the list of objects, the target images in said group corresponding to respective objects in the list of objects;
• and
• ii. processing the image data associated with the cargo container in combination with the group of target images to derive mismatch information data, said mismatch information data conveying at least one distinction between the list of objects and the information related to the contents of the cargo container conveyed by the image data;
• d) an output for releasing the mismatch information data.

A system for screening cargo containers, said system comprising:

• a) an image generation device suitable for using penetrating radiation to generate image data associated with a cargo container and conveying information related to the contents of the cargo container;
• b) an apparatus in communication with said image generation device, said apparatus comprising:
• i. a first input for receiving the image data associated with the cargo container;
• ii. a second input for receiving a list of objects conveying objects expected to be present in the cargo container;
• iii. a processing unit in communication with said first and second input, said processing unit being programmed for:
• (a) obtaining a group of target images based at least in part on the list of objects, the target images in said group corresponding to respective objects in the list of objects;
• and
• (b) processing the image data associated with the cargo container in combination with the group of target images to derive mismatch information data, said mismatch information data conveying at least one distinction between the list of objects and the information related to the contents of the cargo container conveyed by the image data;
• iv. an output for releasing the mismatch information data;
• c) an output module for conveying to a user of the system information derived at least in part on the basis of said mismatch information data.

A computer readable medium including a program element suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for screening a cargo container, said computing apparatus comprising a memory unit and a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for:

• a) receiving image data associated with the cargo container and conveying information related to the contents of the cargo container, said image data being derived by subjecting the cargo container to penetrating radiation;
• b) receiving a first list of objects conveying objects expected to be present in the cargo container;
• c) obtaining a group of target images based at least in part on the list of objects, the target images in said group corresponding to respective objects in the list of objects;
• d) processing the image data associated with the cargo container in combination with the group of target images to detect a presence of at least one object in the cargo container;
• e) generating a second list of objects, the second list of objects conveying objects whose presence in the container was detected in d);
• f) comparing the second list of objects with the first list of objects to derive mismatch information data, said mismatch information data conveying at least one distinction between the first list of objects and the second list of objects;
• g) releasing the mismatch information data.

An apparatus for screening a cargo container, said apparatus comprising:

• a) means for receiving image data associated with the cargo container and conveying information related to the contents of the cargo container, said image data being derived by subjecting the cargo container to penetrating radiation;
• b) means for receiving a list of objects conveying objects expected to be present in the cargo container;
• c) means for obtaining a group of target images based at least in part on the list of objects, the target images in said group corresponding to respective objects in the list of objects;
• d) means for processing the image data associated with the cargo container in combination with the group of target images to derive mismatch information data, said mismatch information data conveying at least one distinction between the first list of objects and the information related to the contents of the cargo container conveyed by the image data;
• e) means for releasing the mismatch information data.