A METHOD OF SECURITY SCANNING PIECES OF LUGGAGE ON A CART

Abstract

In a security check, a complete cart with pieces of luggage is scanned to determine whether a threat is present or not. An image is provided, of the cart and owner, before delivery of the cart to the scanner, and if a threat, usually one or more predetermined substances or items, is present, the image is provided to allow identification of the owner. Also, the image may be used for determining whether pieces of luggage are lost in the scanner.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A system for scanning pieces of luggage on a cart, the system comprising: a scanning element for scanning pieces of luggage on a cart and outputting information relating to whether the cart or pieces of luggage comprise one or more predetermined substances or items, a receiving element for receiving the cart with the pieces of luggage and transporting the cart with the pieces of luggage to and past the scanning element, wherein: the receiving element comprises a camera configured to provide an image of the cart with the pieces of luggage as well as of a person delivering the cart with the pieces of luggage to the receiving element, and the scanning element is configured to output the image, if the cart and/or pieces of luggage comprise one or more of the one or more predetermined substances or items.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the scanning element is configured to determine a position of the one or more predetermined substances or items and to indicate in the image the position of the one or more predetermined substances or items.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the cart comprises means for reading an identification document, deriving an identity of an owner of the pieces of luggage and forwarding the identity of the owner to the receiving element, the scanning element being configured to display the identity together with the image, if the cart and/or pieces of luggage comprise one or more of the one or more predetermined substances or items.

14. The system for scanning pieces of luggage on a cart, the system comprising: a scanning element for scanning pieces of luggage on a cart and outputting information relating to whether the cart or pieces of luggage comprise one or more predetermined substances or items, the scanning element comprising an enclosure wherein radiation is emitted through the cart and pieces of luggage, a receiving element for receiving the cart with the pieces of luggage and transporting the cart with the pieces of luggage trough the enclosure of the scanning element, wherein the receiving element comprises: a first camera configured to provide a first image of the cart with the pieces of luggage before transport to the enclosure, a second camera configured to provide a second image of the cart with the pieces of luggage after transport through the enclosure, and a processor for comparing the first and second images to identify if one or more pieces of luggage are missing in the second image.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the cart comprises means for reading an identification document, deriving an identity of an owner of the pieces of luggage and forwarding the identity of the owner to the receiving element, the scanning element being configured to output or display the identity.

16. A method of scanning pieces of luggage on a cart, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a cart with pieces of luggage and transporting the cart with the pieces of luggage to and past a scanning element, providing an image of the cart with the pieces of luggage as well as of a person delivering the cart with the pieces of luggage to the receiving element, scanning, in the scanning element, the pieces of luggage on the cart and outputting information relating to whether the cart or pieces of luggage comprise one or more predetermined substances or items, the scanning element outputting the image, if the cart and/or pieces of luggage comprise one or more of the one or more predetermined substances or items.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of determining a position of the threat and indicating, in the image, the position of the one or more predetermined substances or items.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of reading an identification document, deriving an identity of an owner of the pieces of luggage and forwarding the identity of the owner to the receiving element, the scanning element displaying the identity together with the image, if the cart and/or pieces of luggage comprise one or more predetermined substances or items.

19. A method for scanning pieces of luggage on a cart, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a cart with pieces of luggage and transporting the cart with the pieces of luggage trough an enclosure of a scanning element, providing a first image of the cart with the pieces of luggage before transport to an enclosure, the scanning element scanning the pieces of luggage on the cart and outputting information relating to whether the cart or pieces of luggage comprise one or more predetermined substances or items, the scanning step comprising emitting radiation through the cart and pieces of luggage while positioned in the enclosure, providing a second image of the cart with the pieces of luggage after transport through the enclosure, and comparing the first and second images to identify if one or more pieces of luggage are missing in the second image.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of reading an identification document, deriving an identity of an owner of the pieces of luggage and outputting or displaying an identity of the owner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawing, wherein:

[0062] FIG. 1 is a side view of a system according to the invention,

[0063] FIG. 2 is a front view of a receiving portion of the scanning element,

[0064] FIG. 3 illustrates images wherein a position of a threat is indicated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0065] In FIG. 1, a system 10 according to the invention is illustrated comprising a cart 20 with a suitcase 22 and a handbag 24 which are the pieces of luggage of a person wishing to board an airplane.

[0066] In the airport, a security check is made using a security scanner or scanning element 30 comprising a scanner or analyser 32 configured to determine whether the cart or pieces of luggage comprise threats and/or predetermined substances or items, such as explosives, combustible liquids or elements, or weapons, or illegal substances, such as drugs or the like.

[0067] As the pieces of luggage are to remain on the cart, the scanner 32 is configured to receive the whole cart as well as its contents.

[0068] In order to transport the cart through the scanner 32, a track 36 is provided for engaging the cart, such as one or more front wheels thereof, such as grabbing a connector or handle, for pulling or guiding the cart with its contents through the scanner.

[0069] In addition to the scanner and the track, a receiving element 34 is provided at which the track 36 begins and where the passenger will position the cart to engage the track to begin the passage to and through the scanner.

[0070] While the cart passes through the scanner, the passenger may him/herself be scanned or checked as usual in airport security or similar checkpoints.

[0071] When the passenger delivers the cart with its contents to the track 36, a camera 342 of the receiving element 34 provides an image of the cart with its luggage and optionally also of the person delivering the cart. The image may be provided from in front of the cart (potentially also viewing the passenger behind the cart) and/or from the side thereof.

[0072] Multiple advantages are obtained by providing the image. Firstly, as the passenger is separated from the cart while the cart is scanned, and as the scanner often is X-ray based and thus desired closed to a sufficient degree, pieces of luggage may fall from the cart while being scanned. As the full cart with all contents may be scanned in one step, the person may place coats, belts and the like on the cart. Such coats/belts may fall from the cart and remain in the scanner. A person claiming that a coat, for example, is missing may have his/her picture retrieved from which the presence of the coat on the cart may be seen.

[0073] Another image may be provided, using a second camera 42, of the cart leaving the scanner or after scanning so that it may be ascertained whether pieces of luggage or other belongings are missing compared to when the cart entered the scanner.

[0074] A processor 40 receives the two (or more) images and compares these in order to determine whether luggage items of the cart have been lost. In another embodiment, the two images may be displayed to an inspector, operator or security officer for on-screen comparison. The cameras 342 and 42 may be positioned in the same relative positions to the cart when providing the images in order to facilitate the comparison thereof by the processor, inspector, operator or security officer. Alternatively, multiple images may be provided before and after the scanning in order to allow the determination irrespective of a rotation, for example, of the cart between the images. Naturally, a number of image translations or modifications may be performed as a part of or before the comparison. Portions of the cart may be used in order to determine a position or rotation thereof relative to the cameras in order to arrive, if desired, at two images taken from the same rotation and position of the cart, so that the comparison may be made easier.

[0075] Also, images may be provided from multiple sides of the cart in order to be able to see all luggage items thereon.

[0076] Clearly, alternatively, information may be derived for each piece of luggage, such as volume, dimensions, type, colour or the like, so that the identified pieces of luggage before and after scanning may be compared by their characteristics and not their positions on the cart.

[0077] Also, images may be provided from multiple sides of the cart in order to be able to see all luggage items thereon. Another advantage is that if a threat/substance/item is detected in a piece of luggage or in the cart, the person delivering the cart to the scanner may be identified from the image. The person may have left the security area, but from the image, the person and his/her clothes and present appearance may be determined so that a swift apprehension or identification may be possible.

[0078] Also, if a threat/substance/item is detected in a piece of luggage, the pertaining piece of luggage may be identified in the image, so that security officers need not search through all pieces of luggage, any coats, purchases, bags or the like on the cart. The scanner may be able to determine a 3D position or a 2D position (such as seen from above or from the side) of the cart of the threat/substance/item. This position may be correlated to a position in the image, so that the position of the threat/substance/item may be identified, and the searching made more efficient.

[0079] The image or images may be provided on a display or monitor 38 available to or visible to security personnel. This monitor may also display other information from the scanner, such as scanning images, or information relating to a flight, destination, and/or boarding information of the person/passenger.

[0080] Naturally, multiple images may be provided from both the front and side of the cart so that all luggage items may be viewed. Also, the position of the threat/substance/item in the images may be made even more precise so that not even the piece of luggage holding the threat/substance/item may be identified but also the position of the threat/substance/item inside that piece of luggage.

[0081] In FIG. 3, two images are illustrated, the left image is taken from the side of the cart, such as by a camera provided on the inside of the arc of the receiving element 34, and the image to the right is taken from the front of the cart. In both images, a star illustrates a 3D position at which a threat/substance/item has been identified. Thus, a security officer may now easily see where the potential threat/substance/item is detected, so that a swift check may be made to see whether the threat/substance/item is real or not. Also, the person delivering the cart may be seen, if the person is to be identified by security personnel.

[0082] In addition to the image provided when delivering the cart to the security scanner 30, an element similar to the receiving element 34 may be provided for handing out carts at the entrance to the airport. Thus, the passenger may retrieve a cart, where an initial image of the passenger and potentially also the cart may be provided. This image may also be provided to the security personnel so that additional information is available to them.

[0083] In one situation, one person may bring a piece of luggage to the airport, but another person brings it to the security area. This may be determined from the initial images and the image(s) provided at the scanner. If the person initially did not carry a particular piece of luggage when receiving the cart but did so later on, this may be brought to the attention of the security personnel.

[0084] The cart or delivery station may comprise an identity determining element, such as a passport scanner, identity card scanner and/or a boarding card scanner, so that the identity of the passenger is known. This information may be stored in the cart or in a central location from which it may be retrieved if desired. The cart may itself have an identity (such as stored in or defined by a barcode, QR code, RFID tag or the like), which may be determined, such as by a reader at the delivery station and the receiving element 34. Actually, the cart may hold and output the identity of the passenger to the receiving element 34 so that the identity of the passenger may be provided on the monitor 38.

[0085] The cart may have a positioning determining element, such as a GPS or other element capable of determining the whereabouts of the cart in the e.g. airport. Alternatively, the cart may output a signal, such as a wireless signal, which may be detected by detectors in the e.g. airport so that the position of the cart may be determined in that manner.

[0086] In this manner, the whereabouts of the cart and thus the passenger may be known. If the passenger is late for his/her flight, the airport personnel will know the position of the cart and may go to the passenger to have him/her move toward the boarding gate.

[0087] Also, the cart may comprise a monitor or display on which the passenger may get relevant information, such as gate number, boarding time, amount of travelling time to the gate, gate changes, boarding time changes or the like. Also, the passenger may be presented to offers from shops nearby if desired.