Scanning Systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020191991-A1
Application number	US-202016778004-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2008
Publication date	Jun 18, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present application is directed toward cargo scanning systems having scanners, each arranged to scan a respective object and generate a set of scan data, processors arranged to process each set of scan data to determine whether it meets a predetermined threat condition, workstations, and data management system arranged to direct data that meets the threat condition to one of the workstations for analysis.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A scanning system, comprising:
two or more scanners, wherein each of the two or more scanners is configured to scan at least one vehicle, generate at least one set of scan data, and communicate the at least one set of scan data to a network; a central storage array in data communication with the network and configured to receive the at least one set of scan data from each of the two or more scanners; one or more workstations in data communication with the network, wherein each of the one or more workstations is configured to receive a user input; an imaging device configured to capture images of characters associated with at least one container being conveyed by the at least one vehicle; an imaging processor configured to generate optical character recognition data indicative of the characters associated with the at least one container being conveyed by the at least one vehicle; at least one processor configured to receive and process the at least one set of scan data; a job dispatcher in data communication with the network and configured to execute a process for automatically allocating the at least one set of scan data to the one or more workstations for analysis, to make the at least one set of scan data available to one of the one or more workstations, to receive data indicative of the characters associated with the at least one container and manifest information descriptive of cargo contained in the at least one container, and to direct said data to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to use said data together with portions of the at least one set of scan data to determine if the cargo contained in the at least one container meets one or more predetermined threat categories; and a cargo movement controller system configured to control a movement of the at least one vehicle based on whether the at least one container meets one or more predetermined threat categories.

17 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the job dispatcher is configured to directly transmit the at least one set of scan data to the one or more workstations.

18 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more workstations is configured to allocate the at least one set of scan data to one of the one or more predetermined threat categories based on the user input.

19 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the job dispatcher is configured to adjustably allocate the at least one set of scan data to one or more of the predetermined threat categories.

20 . The scanning system of claim 19 , wherein the job dispatcher is configured to adjustably allocate the at least one set of scan data to one or more of the predetermined threat categories based an overall threat level, a volume of traffic which needs to be scanned, or a number of operators available to review acquired scan data.

21 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the job dispatcher is further configured to generate a hybrid set of scan data by combining a threat object image from a library of threat object images with at a portion of the at least one set of scan data.

22 . The scanning system of claim 21 , wherein the portion of the least one set of scan data combined with the threat object image corresponds to an image of cargo without a threat.

23 . The scanning system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more workstations is further configured to receive a user input that identifies the threat object image in the hybrid set of scan data as being a threat.

24 . The scanning system of claim 23 , wherein the job dispatcher is further configured to receive the user input identifying the threat object in the hybrid set of scan data as being a threat and transmit a notification to the one or more workstations that a known threat had been inserted into the at least one set of scan data.

25 . The scanning system of claim 23 , wherein the job dispatcher is further configured to store in the central storage array a record of whether an operator of the one or more workstations correctly identified the threat object image in the hybrid set of scan data as being a threat.

26 . The scanning system of claim 21 , wherein the threat object image is combined with the at least one set of scan data by superimposing the threat object image onto an image corresponding to the at least one set of scan data.

27 . The scanning system of claim 21 , wherein a type of the threat object image combined with the at least one set of scan data is based upon an identity of an operator of one of the one or more workstations.

28 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the cargo movement control system is configured to direct the at least one vehicle to a holding area in response to the at least one container being allocated to one of the one or more predetermined threat categories.

29 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the cargo movement control system is configured to direct the at least one vehicle to bypass a holding area in response to the at least one container not being allocated to any of the one or more predetermined threat categories.

30 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the cargo movement control system is configured to direct the at least one vehicle to a holding area in response to a user input that allocates the at least one container to one of the one or more predetermined threat categories.

31 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the cargo movement control system is configured to direct the at least one vehicle to bypass a holding area in response to a user input that does not allocate the at least one container to one of the one or more predetermined threat categories.

32 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a profile of an accuracy of a user's allocation of the at least one set of scan data to one of the one or more predetermined threat categories.

33 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive at least one set of secondary data associated with the at least one container and to process the at least one set of secondary data together with the at least one set of scan data to determine whether to allocate the at least one container to the one or more predetermined threat category.

34 . The scanning system of claim 33 , wherein the at least one set of secondary data comprises at least one of weighbridge data, chemical detector data, gamma ray detector data or neutron sensor data.

35 . The scanning system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute a process for automatically determining whether the at least one container associated with the at least one set of scan data is cleared and to transfer a portion of the at least one set of scan data associated with the cleared at least one container to the one or more workstations.

Assignees

• Rapiscan Systems Inc

Inventors

• Morton Edward James

Classifications

• G01N2223/639

  material in a container · CPC title

• G05B2219/42222

  Compare reflected image from object with reference image, adjust object · CPC title

• G01V5/0066

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01V5/0083 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01V5/271 Primary

  using a network, e.g. a remote expert, accessing remote data or the like · CPC title