Method and apparatus for assessing characteristics of liquids
AssigneeOptosecurity Inc.
InventorsDan Gudmundson, Aidan Doyle, Stephan Georgiev, Vinh Phuc Pham
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Abstract
A method to perform security screening at an airport on hand-carried baggage. The method includes requesting passengers with hand carried baggage to remove from the baggage a container that holds a liquid and perform an x-ray inspection on the hand carried baggage and on the container while the container remains outside the baggage. According to the method, the results of the x-ray inspection are used to determine if the baggage contains illegal objects and if the liquid is a security threat.
Claims47
Method for performing security screening at a security checkpoint, comprising:
- a) performing an X-ray inspection on hand carried baggage and on a liquid product comprised of a container holding a liquid while the liquid product remains outside the hand carried baggage with a same X-ray imaging device, the X-ray inspection generating X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage and X-ray image data of the liquid product;
- b) processing the X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage to render an image of the hand carried baggage on a display to assist an operator in determining if the baggage contains illegal objects;
- c) processing with a computer the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the computer being programmed with software to:
- i) derive path length information based at least in part on the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the path length information being an approximation of a distance travelled by an X-ray through the liquid of the liquid product;
- ii) use the derived path length information to determine if the liquid held in the container is a security threat.
A system for performing security screening at a security checkpoint on hand-carried baggage and on liquid products, said system comprising:
- a) an X-ray imaging device for performing an X-ray inspection on hand carried baggage and on liquid products, said X-ray imaging device generating X-ray image data;
- b) a processor module in communication with the X-ray imaging device for receiving X-ray image data generated by said X-ray imaging device, said X-ray image data including X-ray image data associated with a liquid product and X-ray image data associated with a piece of hand carried baggage, the liquid product being comprised of a bottle holding a liquid, said processor module being programmed for:
- i) processing the X-ray image data associated with the piece of hand carried baggage to generate an image signal;
- ii) processing X-ray image data associated with the liquid product to:
- (1) derive path length information based at least in part on the X-ray image data associated with the liquid product, the path length information being an approximation of a distance travelled by an X-ray through the liquid of the liquid product;
- (2) process the path length information to determine if the liquid held in the container is a security threat;
- c) an output including a display in communication with the processor module for:
- i) rendering an image of the hand carried baggage based on the image signal to assist an operator in detecting an illegal object in the hand carried baggage;
- and
- ii) displaying a notification on the display conveying results obtained when determining if the liquid held in the container is a security threat.
A computer readable storage medium storing a program element suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for performing security screening at a security checkpoint on hand-carried baggage and on a liquid product, the liquid product being comprised of a container holding a liquid, 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 X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage and X-ray image data of the liquid product, said X-ray image data being generated by performing an X-ray inspection with a same X-ray imaging device on the hand carried baggage and on the liquid product while the liquid product remains outside the baggage;
- ii) processing the X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage to render an image of the hand carried baggage on a display to assist an operator in determining if the baggage contains illegal objects;
- iii) processing the X-ray image data of the liquid product to:
- (1) derive path length information based at least in part on the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the path length information being an approximation of a distance travelled by an X-ray through the liquid of the liquid product;
- and
- (2) use the derived path length information to determine if the liquid held in the container is a security threat.
An apparatus for use in performing security screening at a security checkpoint on hand-carried baggage and on a liquid product, the liquid product being comprised of a container holding a liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- a) an input for receiving X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage and X-ray image data of the liquid product, said X-ray image data being generated by performing an X-ray inspection with a same X-ray imaging device on the hand carried baggage and on the liquid product while the liquid product remains outside the baggage;
- b) a processor programmed for:
- i) processing the X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage to render an image of the hand carried baggage on a display to assist an operator in determining if the baggage contains illegal objects;
- ii) processing the X-ray image data of the liquid product to:
- (1) derive path length information based at least in part on the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the path length information being an approximation of a distance travelled by an X-ray through the liquid of the liquid product;
- and
- (2) use the derived path length information to determine if the liquid held in the container is a security threat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.