Patent ID: 8116428

Claim:
Method for performing security screening at a security checkpoint, comprising: a) performing an X-ray inspection on hand carried baggage and on a liquid product comprised of a container holding a liquid while the liquid product remains outside the hand carried baggage with a same X-ray imaging device, the X-ray inspection generating X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage and X-ray image data of the liquid product; b) processing the X-ray image data of the hand carried baggage to render an image of the hand carried baggage on a display to assist an operator in determining if the baggage contains illegal objects; c) processing with a computer the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the computer being programmed with software to: i) derive path length information based at least in part on the X-ray image data of the liquid product, the path length information being an approximation of a distance travelled by an X-ray through the liquid of the liquid product; ii) use the derived path length information to determine if the liquid held in the container is a security threat.