Method and apparatus for assessing characteristics of liquids

Abstract

A method to perform security screening at an airport on hand-carried baggage. The method includes requesting passengers with hand carried baggage to remove from the baggage a container that holds a liquid and perform an x-ray inspection on the hand carried baggage and on the container while the container remains outside the baggage. According to the method, the results of the x-ray inspection are used to determine if the baggage contains illegal objects and if the liquid is a security threat.

1 - 94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 ) A method for performing liquid product threat status determination, said method comprising:
 a. scanning two or more liquid products concurrently with an X-ray scanner to generate X-ray image data conveying an image of the two or more liquid products, each liquid product being comprised of a container holding a body of liquid;   b. processing the X-ray image data with software executed by a CPU to determine if one of the liquid products in the image is a security threat;   c. displaying on a display means an image of the liquid products derived from the X-ray image data, wherein displaying the image of the liquid products includes visually enhancing under control of the software the one liquid product such that it is visually distinguishable from another liquid product in the image.   
     
     
         96 ) A method as defined in  claim 95 , wherein the X-ray scanner is a single view X-ray scanner. 
     
     
         97 ) A method as defined in  claim 95 , wherein the X-ray image data conveys X-ray attenuation information. 
     
     
         98 ) A method as defined in  claim 97 , wherein the software executed by the CPU is responsive to an input by a human operator designating on the display means the one liquid product to process X-ray attenuation information in an area of the image associated with the one liquid product designated by the human operator to determine the threat status of the one liquid product. 
     
     
         99 ) A method as defined in  claim 98 , wherein said method comprising implementing on the display means a Graphical User Interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including a display area for displaying the image of the liquid products. 
     
     
         100 ) A method as defined in  claim 99 , wherein the Graphical User Interface (GUI) includes at least one tool for allowing the human operator to provide the input designating the one liquid product. 
     
     
         101 ) A method as defined in  claim 100 , wherein the tool includes a pointing device. 
     
     
         102 ) A method as defined in  claim 100 , wherein the tool includes a touch sensitive surface on the display means. 
     
     
         103 ) A method as defined in  claim 100 , wherein the input conveys a designation of an edge of the one liquid product. 
     
     
         104 ) A method as defined in  claim 100 , wherein the input conveys a zone curtailing a portion of the image where the one liquid product lies. 
     
     
         105 ) A method as defined in  claim 103 , wherein the software executed by the CPU is responsive to the input to process the X-ray image data to identify the area of the image associated with the one liquid product at least in part based on the designation of the edge. 
     
     
         106 ) A method as defined in  claim 104 , wherein the software executed by the CPU is responsive to the input to process the X-ray image data to identify the area of the image associated with the one liquid product at least in part based on the zone conveyed by the input. 
     
     
         107 ) A method as defined in  claim 95 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes highlighting an edge of the one liquid product in the image. 
     
     
         108 ) A method as defined in  claim 95 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes highlighting the one liquid product in its entirety in the image. 
     
     
         109 ) A method as defined in  claim 95 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes de-emphasizing areas in the image except an area of the image where the one liquid product lies. 
     
     
         110 ) An apparatus for performing liquid product threat status determination, said apparatus comprising:
 a. an input for receiving X-ray image data conveying an image of two or more liquid products concurrently scanned with an X-ray scanner, each liquid product being comprised of a container holding a body of liquid;   b. a processor in communication with said input, said processor being programmed with software for:
 i. processing the X-ray image data to determine if one of the liquid products in the image is a security threat; 
 ii. processing the X-ray image data to generate image signals derived from the X-ray image for driving a display means, the image signals displaying on the display means an image of the liquid products derived from the X-ray image data, wherein displaying the image of the liquid products includes visually enhancing the one liquid product such that it is visually distinguishable from another liquid product in the image; 
   c. an output in communication with said processor for releasing the image signal.   
     
     
         111 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 110 , wherein the X-ray scanner is a single view X-ray scanner. 
     
     
         112 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 110 , wherein the X-ray image data conveys X-ray attenuation information. 
     
     
         113 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 112 , wherein the processor is programmed to be responsive to an input by a human operator designating on the display means the one liquid product to process X-ray attenuation information in an area of the image associated with the one liquid product designated by the human operator to determine the threat status of the one liquid product. 
     
     
         114 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 113 , wherein the processor is programmed to implement on the display means a Graphical User Interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including a display area for displaying the image of the liquid products. 
     
     
         115 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 114 , wherein the Graphical User Interface (GUI) includes at least one tool for allowing the human operator to provide the input designating the one liquid product. 
     
     
         116 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 115 , wherein the tool includes a pointing device. 
     
     
         117 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 115 , wherein the tool includes a touch sensitive surface on the display means. 
     
     
         118 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 115 , wherein the input conveys a designation of an edge of the one liquid product. 
     
     
         119 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 115 , wherein the input conveys a zone curtailing a portion of the image where the one liquid product lies. 
     
     
         120 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 118 , wherein the processor is programmed to be responsive to the input to process the X-ray image data to identify the area of the image associated with the one liquid product at least in part based on the designation of the edge. 
     
     
         121 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 119 , wherein the processor is programmed to be responsive to the input to process the X-ray image data to identify the area of the image associated with the one liquid product at least in part based on the zone conveyed by the input. 
     
     
         122 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 110 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes highlighting an edge of the one liquid product in the image. 
     
     
         123 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 110 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes highlighting the one liquid product in its entirety in the image. 
     
     
         124 ) An apparatus as defined in  claim 110 , wherein visually enhancing the one liquid product includes de-emphasizing areas in the image except an area of the image where the one liquid product lies.