Remote baggage screening system, software and method
A method of advance baggage screening includes steps of transmitting a threat file corresponding to an item under inspection to a processing center, analyzing the threat file according to a detection algorithm at the processing center to determine a screening result for the item under inspection, and transmitting the screening result to a remotely located operator interface for access by an operator.
1 . An explosive detection system comprising:
a scanning device that scans an object and generates information about the object from the scan; and
an external apparatus, located remotely from the device, that receives the information and enables a threat determination to be made about the object from the information.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a CT scanner.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a dual energy X-ray scanner.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a combination dual energy X-ray and CT scanner.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the external apparatus is a computer that implements an algorithm to make the threat determination.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the external apparatus includes a display device enabling a human operator to make a threat determination.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the information includes that from which a density and a mass of the object can be determined by the computer.
8 . The system of claim 5 wherein the information includes that from which a density and a mass of the object can be determined by the computer.
9 . The system of claim 6 wherein the information includes that from which a density and a mass of the object can be determined by the computer.
10 . A method for making a threat determination about an object comprising:
scanning the object with an explosive detection device;
generating information about the object from the scan;
transmitting the information to an external apparatus, located remotely from the device; and
making a threat determination about the object.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the step of scanning includes the step of performing a computed tomography scan with a CT scanner.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the step of scanning includes the step of performing a high energy and a low energy scan using a dual energy X-ray scanner.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the step of scanning includes performing a high and low energy X-ray scan and a computed tomography scan using a combination dual energy X-ray and CT scanner.
14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the information includes that from which a density and a mass of the object can be determined by the computer.
15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the apparatus includes a computer and the step of making includes the computer implementing an algorithm to make an automatic threat determination.
16 . The method of claim 10 wherein the step of making includes a human expert making a threat determination based on the information.