Patent ID: 7269527
Filing Date: 2007-09-11
Classification: G01T,H04L

Abstract:
1. A sensor interface system for interfacing with a collection of one or more sensors that can sense chemical, biological, radiation, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) materials, the sensor interface system comprising: one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces for coupling with; an analog signal to digital data converter for converting signals from analog sensors, that are coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, to digital data; a signal processor and central processor, coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces and with the analog signal to digital data converter, for receiving and processing signals from the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces; a communications device, coupled to the signal processor and central processor, for coupling digital data representing signals from one or more sensors coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, to a communications network; an individual TCP/IP address associated with each of the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, and for providing network access to digital data representing signals from each one or more sensors coupled with the each one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, respectively; a voltage power supply module, coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, for supporting one or more sensors connected to the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, respectively, and with software controls to adjust the power for calibration of the one or more sensors; a software control interface, coupled with the each one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces and with the signal processor and central processor, to couple software controls to the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces to adjust for calibration of sensors coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces; a digital data collection system, communicatively coupled with the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces, for collection of sensor data from the one or more digital and/or analog sensor interfaces; a multi-channel analyzer system, communicatively coupled with the digital data collection system, for preparing histograms of the collected sensor data; a spectral analysis system, communicatively coupled with the multi-channel analyzer system and the digital data collection system, for receiving and analyzing the collected sensor data to detect radiation and to identify one or more targeted materials associated with the sensor data; a first data storage means for storing data representing chemical, biological, radiation, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) material spectra for use by the spectral analysis system, where one or more spectral images stored in the first data storage unit represent each CBRNE material the first data storage means being communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system; an information processing system, communicatively coupled with the spectral analysis system, for analyzing the identified one or more targeted CBRNE materials and to determine the possible materials or goods that they represent; and a second data storage means for storing data representing a manifest relating to a container or object under examination, the second data storage means being communicatively coupled with the information processing system, the information processing system further for comparing the determined possible materials or goods with a manifest relating to a container or object under examination to determine if there are unauthorized materials or goods contained within the container, or in the object, under examination.