Abstract:
An identification system ( 10 ) of the present invention is used at airport terminals, bus stations, government buildings, and the like. The identification system ( 10 ) includes a controller ( 26 ), a pair of spaced stations or checkpoints ( 12, 14 ) for generating a first reference and a second reference each containing scanning image and weight of the person (P) passing through the first ( 12 ) and second ( 14 ) spaced stations. The controller ( 26 ) includes a comparative software that determines a correlation between the first and second references to identify at least one discrepancy therebetween. As the discrepancy is identified, a distress signal is send by the controller ( 26 ) to the second station ( 14 ) to alert about the discrepancy being identified. The invention includes a method of identifying the person (P).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/896,724 filed Jul. 22, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,035,432. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to a security and identification method and system for use in screening and/or identifying individuals passing through secure entry or checkpoints at airport passenger terminals, government offices, office buildings, military facilities, laboratories, and the like. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Passenger and carry-on luggage screening technology was first instituted in 1973 and is still in use today and was originally intended to uncover hijack weapons. Recent national and international events have underscored the need for effective identification and screening of individuals entering or passing through secure checkpoints. Today, the procedure of screening passengers at common carrier terminals, such as, for example, airports, trains stations, bus terminals and the like, must be an important task to protect safety of passengers. Manual identification of the passengers at the checkpoint is a slow and cumbersome process, and because it is not precise, manual identification may allow unwanted or undesirable individuals to avoid detection through disguises. 
   The art is replete with various systems of facial recognition and identification methods. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,238, for example, teaches a primitive method for identifying individuals using selected characteristic body curves; U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,000, teaches an image recognition system designed for use in recognizing predetermined individuals out of a viewing audience; the U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,094 on the other hand teaches a method for identifying individuals by the analysis of elemental shapes derived from biosensor data, generating a thermal image of the individual&#39;s face that is converted to a digital representation. 
   With advent of a modern technology other methods have been developed. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,807, teaches an apparatus for processing a facial image and creating an output of extracted data of feature points that may be used for comparison or other purposes; the U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,517, describes a continuous video monitoring system for regulating access to a restricted environment such as a computer system; and the U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,575, teaches a real-time facial recognition and verification system for comparison to a stored image. Other attempts have been made to improve the security identification system. 
   The United States Publication No. 20030142853, for example, teaches a security and identification system designed to obtain improved images for use by real-time facial recognition and identification systems for screening individuals passing through secure entry or checkpoints such as airport passenger terminals, government offices, and other secure locations. The system detects the presence of a person at the checkpoint, interactively instructs the person to stop and move into position for proper identification and recognition, analyzes the facial features of the subject as the person through the checkpoint, and compares the features of the subject with those in a database. The system then generates different signals depending upon whether or not the person is recognized. 
   Each of the aforementioned United States patent references describes either a method or apparatus for performing facial recognition or identification. However, all of these patents suffer from the drawback that unless the facial image is properly positioned and lighted for a sufficient length of time, the recognition or identification may be incomplete, inaccurate or may not take place at all. Furthermore, these references do not provide a way to account for a passenger&#39;s whereabouts after the passenger has gone through the security checkpoint up to and when the passenger boards the transportation vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An identification system of the present invention is designed for screening and/or identifying individuals passing through a secure entry or checkpoints such as airport passenger terminals, government offices, office buildings, military facilities, laboratories, and other secure locations. The identification system includes a controller, a first station or checkpoint adaptable for generating a first plurality of pixels and measuring a first weight of the passenger or visitor. The first station signals the controller a location of the first plurality of pixels and value of the first weight thereby generating a first reference as the passenger or the visitor passed through the first station. 
   A second station or checkpoint is spaced from the first station. Similarly to the first station, the second station generates a second plurality of pixels and a second weight of the passenger or the visitor thereby signaling the controller a location of the second plurality of pixels and value of the second weight of the passenger or the visitor thereby generating a second reference as the passenger or the visitor passes through the second station. The controller includes a comparative software which integrates the first reference and the second reference thereby comparing the first plurality of pixels and the first weight of the first reference with the second plurality of pixels and the second weight of the second reference as the passenger or the visitor passes through the second station. The comparative software determines a correlation between the first plurality of pixels to the second plurality of pixels and the first weight to the second weight for identifying at least one discrepancy. As the discrepancy is identified, a signal is sent to the controller that generates a distress signal to alert about the identified discrepancy. The invention also includes a method of identifying the passenger. 
   Unlike other prior art technologies, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a security system adaptable to identify a discrepancy between a visual image of the passenger and a weight of the passenger as he or she passes through at least two checkpoints of the security system. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a security system and a method adaptable to identify a discrepancy between the weight of the passenger even if the visual image determined by the security system at the at least two checkpoints is identical. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a front and a partially schematic illustration of an inventive security system; 
       FIG. 2  shows a cross sectional and a partially schematic view of a checkpoint of the inventive security system that illustrate an alternative embodiment of a camera movable relative a passenger to electively develop 2 or 3 dimensional image of the passenger; 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  shows a first alternative embodiment of the checkpoint defined by a kiosk having wheels to be transportable and movable between various locations, such as, for example, gates at the airport terminal, and the like; 
       FIG. 5  shows a second alternative embodiment of the checkpoint defined by the kiosk being collapsible to be transported between different airport terminals, and the like; and 
       FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of the logic pattern used by the inventive method. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the present security identification system (the system) is generally shown at  10 . The system  10  is designed for screening and/or identifying individuals passing through a secure entry or checkpoints such as airport passenger terminals, government offices, office buildings, military facilities, laboratories, and other secure locations. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the system  10  includes a pair of spaced stations or checkpoints, generally shown at  12  and  14 , respectively. The first station  12  is used as initial screening point at the airport or the government building. The first checkpoint  12  includes a gate, generally indicated at  16 , and a weight measuring device  18 , such as, for example a scale, as known to those skilled in the art. The weight measuring device  18  electronically communicates  22  with a processor or a controller  26 . 
   A vision system or a camera  20  is placed above the person P as the person P passes through the gate  16  and contacts the weight measuring device  18  thereby activating the camera  20 . The camera  20  is provided to scan the person P to generate a 2-dementional or the 3-dimentional image of the person P with or without the luggage L. The camera  20  is preferably mounted to a wall, but may optionally be mounted to the gate, as best shown in  FIG. 2 . More than one camera  20  is alternatively used to further enhance the image of the person P. As will be discussed further below, the camera  20  generates sequential images of the person P with or without the luggage L and transmits those images and weights to the controller  26 . In one embodiment, the carry-on luggage is weighed on a separate luggage scale  23 . The camera  20  is preferably hard wired  24  to the controller  20 . However, in an alternate embodiment, the camera includes an RF or equivalent transmitter and signals a remote processor (not shown) with the image of the person P being generated. The gate  16  includes a detection device  25  disposed inside the wall of the gate  16 . The detection device  25  is electronically communicated  27  with the controller  26 . The detection device  25  is adaptable for detecting any metal objects (not shown) carried by the person P. The detection device  25  is also adaptable for scanning an identification number printed on a wrist cuff of bracelet  29  issued to the person P at E-checkpoint at the airport and carried by the person P on the person&#39;s P wrist. In one preferred embodiment, hand supports  31  are included to locate the bracelet in a position desirable for investigation and scanning. 
   Technological advances and cameras, such as, the camera  20  have produced high resolution images capable of generating a significant number of pixels from a received image. By transmitting the image to the controller  26 , the camera  20  enables the controller  26  to record and detect through a comparative software generating computer algorithms minor changes in sequential images transmitted by the camera  20 . The camera  20  is capable of generating the high resolution images that provide a high number of pixels. The camera  20  includes several alternatives, such as, for example charge coupled cameras, high dynamic range cameras, active pixel cameras, and complementary metal oxides semi-conductor cameras and their equivalents. Each of these cameras provide the high resolution necessary to generate the plurality of pixels required for the controller  26  to measure variations in pixels between sequentially generated images. It may be necessary to provide an infrared transmitter (not shown) to enhance the image of the person P generated by the camera  20 . The infrared transmitter is particularly relevant when a satisfactory amount of light is not available such as, for example, during night time. Alternatively, the camera  20  capable of detecting electromagnetic radiation also produces sufficient resolution. 
   As the person P passes through the gate  16 , the camera  20  scans the person P to generate a first plurality of pixels that include contour of the person P, facial characteristics, and the like. The location of the first plurality of pixels is transmitted and stored in the controller  26 . While the camera  20  generates the first plurality of pixels, the measuring device  18  weights the person P and transmits the weight taken, such as a first value of the weight of the person P to the controller  26 . The controller  26  integrated the location of the first plurality of pixels and the first value of the weight to generate a first reference as the person P passed through the first station  12 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the second station  14  includes a second gate, generally indicated at  28 . A second camera  32  is placed above the person P as the person passes through the second gate  28  just prior to boarding a plane (shown in phantom) or other secured means of transportation. The second station  14  includes a second weight measuring device  30  and a second luggage scale  37  electronically communicating  36  with the controller  26 . Similarly to the design of the first station  12 , the camera  32  of the second station  14  is provided to scan the person P to generate a 2-dimensional or the 3-dimensional image of the person P. The camera  32  is preferably mounted to the wall (not shown), but may optionally be mounted to the second gate  28 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 . The camera  32  is preferably hard wired  34  to the controller  26 . However, as discussed above, in an alternate embodiment, the camera  32  includes an RF or equivalent transmitter and signals a remote processor (not shown) with the image of the person P being generated. 
   The second gate  28  includes a second detection device  33  disposed inside the wall of the second gate  28 . The detection device  33  electronically communicates  35  with the controller  26 . The detection device  33  is adaptable for detecting any metal objects (not shown) carried by the person P. The detection device  33  is also adaptable for scanning an identification number printed on the wrist cuff of the bracelet  29  issued to the person P at E-checkpoint at the airport and carried by the person P on the person&#39;s P wrist as the person P passes through the second gate  28 . An alarm or signaling device  38  electronically communicates  40  with the controller  26 . The alarm device  38  includes several alternatives such as, for example, an optical device, a sound transmitting device, and the like. The function of the alarm device  38  will be discussed as the description of the present invention proceeds. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , as the person P passes through the second gate  28  before boarding the plane, the camera  32  scans the person P to generate a second plurality of pixels that include contour of the person&#39;s P, facial characteristics, and the like. The location of the second plurality of pixels is transmitted and stored in the controller  26 . As the camera  32  generates the second plurality of pixels, the measuring device  30  weighs the person P and transmits the weight taken, such as a second value of the weight of the person P to the controller  26 . The controller  26  integrates the location of the second plurality of pixels and the second value of the weight to generate a second reference as the person P has not passed beyond the second station. 
   Alluding to the above, the comparative software (not shown) of the controller  26  compares the first plurality of the pixels with the second plurality of the pixels and the first value of the weight with the second value of the weight to determine correlation. The comparative software of the controller  26  also compares reading of an identification number, as printed or embedded in the wrist cuff or the bracelet, taken or screened by the respective detection devices  25  and  33 . As the discrepancy is identified by the comparative software, which may be the discrepancy between the first value of the weight and the second value of the weight, location of the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels, or for example, any other combination thereof, or the discrepancy between the identification numbers, the comparative software will generate an alarm signal in response to the discrepancies identified. The alarm signal is transmitted to the controller  26 . The controller  26  transmits an electronic signal to the alarm or signaling device  38 . The alarm device  38  generates optical signal or an alarming sound to notify the authorities about potential threat and opportunity for further investigations. Alternatively, the location of the second plurality of pixels and the second weight taken at the second station  28  may be stored in the controller  26  for a pre-determined period of time to form a database, if the discrepancies are not identified. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the second gate  28  includes several alternative embodiments, generally shown at  200  and  300 , respectively. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the second gate  200  includes side walls  202  and  204  interconnected by a top wall  204  and a bottom wall  208 . The bottom wall  208  supports a weight measuring device  210 . A pair of spaced wheel assemblies  212  and  214  is attached to the bottom wall  208  to move the second gate  200  between several remote locations such as, departing gates at the airports, as shown in phantom in  FIG. 4 . The wheel assemblies  212  and  214  are rigidly connected to the bottom wall  208  and include brakes (not shown), respectively, to prevent movement of the second gate  200  when the second gate  200  is used to identify the person P. Alternatively, the wheel assemblies  212  and  214  may be foldable into the bottom wall  208  as the second gate  200  is used to identify the person P and retractable from the bottom floor  208  as the second gate  200  is moved between or to remote locations. The mechanical aspects of the wheel assemblies  212  and  214 , being foldable or as held in place by the brakes, are known to those skilled in the art. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates the second alternative embodiment of the second gate  300 . The second gate  300  presents side walls  302  and  304 , a bottom wall  306  having a weight measuring device  308  installed therein, and a top wall  310 . The top wall  310  and the bottom wall  306  are hinged  312  to the side wall  302  and are mechanically interconnected  314  with the side wall  304 . To move the second gate  300  to the remote location such as, for example, another airport, or simply to store the second gate  300 , the side wall  304  is disengaged from the top wall  310  and the bottom wall  306 . The top wall  310  and the bottom wall  306  are collapsed to extend along the side wall  302 . The side wall  304  is then placed on top of the bottom wall  306  and the top wall  310  in a sandwich-like fashion. The side walls  302  and  304  are then interconnected by fasteners or an equivalent (not shown). A pair of wheel assemblies  316  and  318  are foldable into or retractable to and from the side walls  302  and  304  of the second gate  300 . 
   The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
   Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, wherein reference numerals are merely for convenience and are not to be in any way limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.