HK1107406B - A security entrance system - Google Patents

Description

Security access system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to systems known as "security portals", and in particular to systems for preventing the entry of contraband and/or materials from unprotected areas into protected areas.

Background

Many "security portal" systems are known which are based on various concepts, such as monitoring the portal by radar means [ DE 19817396, int.cl.: G08B13./183, G01S13/04, 1999.10.21 discloses ] or use of access cards equipped with Infrared (IR) radiators [ FR283108, int.cl.: G08B13/19, 2003.04.25 publication ]. These systems may restrict the entry of strangers into the protected area, but they are not suitable for providing secure access when most entrants are temporary visitors to the place (e.g. in airports, railway terminals, bus stops and in banks, large trading centers, etc.). These places present the greatest danger today from the point of view of the various unlawful acts that these places are susceptible to trying to use metal and plastic weapons including plastic explosives.

Known security access systems employ various methods to indicate an attempt to access a protected area by a weapon, explosive or drug. In [ international application WO 9921148, int. cl: in publications G01V11/00, G01BV5/00, G08B23/00, G01N23/04, 1999.04.29, a continuous channel is described which is monitored by means of an ultrasonic radar device, by means of a metal detector, a gas analyzer which analyzes an air sample from a person to be examined. Hand luggage (bags, briefcases, etc.) may be X-ray inspected rather than manually inspected. Such monitoring is very expensive, in addition to the lack of security.

Such a secure portal system [ US 6472984, int.cl.: G08B21/00, 2002.10.29 publication ] is also not simple, in which the partition separating the protected area from the unprotected area is equipped with two or three walk-gates, each provided with a suitable door. A metal detector is utilized as a detector of contraband. There may also be a weight control device and an information control processing device of the inspection area.

Such systems, in addition to being very complex and expensive, do not provide the required security of the verification.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to devise a comprehensive security system that provides a confidential check of each person passing through a walk-gate.

This object is achieved by a security system for preventing access to a protected area from a surrounding area to contraband and/or substances, the system comprises a partition separating a protected area from an unprotected area, at least one walk-gate arranged in the partition, an information control and processing device and a detector of contraband and/or substances, the detector comprising a source of X-ray radiation to provide inspection of persons passing through at least one walk-gate, said detector comprising an X-ray receiver, the X-ray receiver is made as a vertical linear X-ray receiver and built into a walk-gate element with respect to said X-ray radiation source, and, wherein the walk-gate element incorporating the X-ray receiver is a movable door, and a drive mechanism of the door is made so that the drive mechanism maintains a predetermined ratio of a door movement speed to a scanning speed of the X-ray radiation source.

Said drive mechanism of said movable door is made such that it maintains a predetermined ratio of the door movement speed and the scanning speed of the X-ray radiation source.

At least one walk-gate in the partition is preferably provided with at least one door having a corresponding drive mechanism connected to a drive signal output of the information control and processing device.

The X-ray radiation source of said detector of forbidden articles and/or substances is made to generate a flat fan-shaped X-ray beam in the walk-gate plane and can be arranged behind the bottom of one of the walk-gate side walls provided with at least one X-ray transmitting section, or it can be built-in said bottom of one of the walk-gate side walls.

The X-ray receiver of the detector, which is made as a horizontal linear X-ray receiver, may be arranged below or built into the walk-gate floor provided with at least one X-ray transmitting section.

The X-ray receiver of the detector, which is made as a horizontal linear X-ray receiver, may be arranged above or built into the walk-gate ceiling provided with at least one X-ray transmitting section.

Preferably, the walk-gate is additionally equipped with a sensor for determining that a person is ready to pass through the walk-gate, the output of the sensor being connected to the input for activating the X-ray radiation source.

An implementation example of the invention is shown in the following figures.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an implementation example of the proposed system, wherein both the X-ray source and the X-ray receiver are arranged behind the walk-in entrance wall, (a) in front view and (b) in top view.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an implementation example of the proposed system, wherein the X-ray radiation source is arranged behind the walk-gate wall and the X-ray receiver is arranged in the movable door, (a) in front view and (b) in top view.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an implementation example of the proposed system, wherein the X-ray radiation source is arranged behind the walk-gate wall and the X-ray receiver is arranged in the movable door, (a) in front view and (b) in top view.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an implementation example of the proposed system, wherein the X-ray radiation source is arranged behind the walk-in entrance wall, and the X-ray receiver is arranged in said walk-in entrance wall, (a) in front view and (b) in top view.

Detailed Description

According to any of the embodiments of the proposed system, the system comprises a partition 1 separating a protected zone 2 from an unprotected zone 3. The sub-area 1 comprises at least one walk-gate 4 leading from the unprotected area 3 to the protected area. The walk-gate 4 is closed with at least one door 5, the door 5 preferably being a movable door. The system further comprises a detector of contraband and/or substances, which detector is constituted by an X-ray radiation source 6 and an X-ray receiver 9, the X-ray radiation source 6 being equipped with a collimator 7 for generating a flat fan-shaped X-ray beam 8 in the plane of the walk-gate 4, the X-ray receiver 9 being collinear with said X-ray beam 8. In all embodiments of the proposed system, the X-ray receiver 9 is made as a linear receiver and has itself a linear array of elements for converting X-ray radiation into digital electronic signals by means of visible light. An information control processing device 10 is also provided.

In the embodiment example shown in fig. 1, the X-ray radiation source 6 with the collimator 7 is located in a house 11, the house 11 is arranged at an angle of 90 ° to the walk-gate 4 and in the immediate vicinity of the side wall 12 provided with the X-ray transmitting section 13, in the opposite wall 14 of the walk-gate 4 there is also provided an X-ray transmitting section 15, behind the X-ray transmitting section 15 there is arranged a vertical linear X-ray receiver 9, which is made as a movable receiver so that it can move parallel to itself along the section 15 in close synchronism with the scanning movement of the X-ray beam 8, the information control and processing device 10 is made as a computer controlled workstation equipped with dedicated software to process the image thus received and to control the synchronous movement of the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9, the walk-gate 4 is closed with a movable door 5, in the embodiment example described, the sensor for determining that a person is ready to pass through the walk-gate is made as a camera 16, which can be made in any way known to the person skilled in the art.

In the embodiment example shown in fig. 2, the X-ray radiation source 6 with the collimator 7 is arranged in a house 17 behind the walk-gate 4. An X-ray transmitting section 19 is provided in the end wall 18 of the walk-gate 4. The opposite end walls of the walk-gate 4 are closed with a movable door 5 having a vertical linear X-ray receiver 9 fixed therein. The information control-and-processing device 10 is made as a computer-controlled workstation equipped with dedicated software to process the images thus received and to control the synchronous movement of the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9. The drive mechanism (not shown in the figure) of the door 5 is made such that it maintains a predetermined ratio of the door movement speed and the scanning speed of the X-ray radiation source, and is coupled to the output of the information control and processing device 10.

In the embodiment example shown in fig. 3, the X-ray radiation source 6 with the collimator 7 is arranged in a house 20 parallel to the walk-gate 4. In their immediate walls 21, X-ray transparent parts 22 are provided. The end wall of the walk-gate 4 is closed with a movable door 5 to which a vertical linear X-ray receiver 9 is fixed. The system is additionally equipped with a horizontal X-ray receiver 23 arranged on and across the ceiling of the walk-gate 4, while a scanning flat fan-shaped X-ray beam 8 is generated in such a way as to surround (envelope) the vertical detector 9 and the horizontal X-ray receiver 23. The information control-and-processing device 10 is made as a computer-controlled workstation equipped with dedicated software to process the images thus received and to control the synchronous movement of the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9. The drive mechanism (not shown in the figure) of the door 5 is made such that it maintains a predetermined ratio of the door movement speed and the scanning speed of the X-ray radiation source, and is coupled to the output of the information control and processing device 10.

The X-ray radiation source 6 may be fixed in the wall of the walk-gate 4. However, the most preferable is the position shown in fig. 4, in which the X-ray radiation source 6 and the collimator 7 are arranged in the house 24 next to the walk-gate 4, while the X-ray transmitting section 26 is provided in the wall 25 next to them. A vertical linear X-ray receiver 9 is fixed to the opposite wall 27 of the walk-gate 4. The flat fan-shaped X-ray beam is generated in such a way that it can hit the vertical X-ray receiver 9 with high precision. Scanning is provided by a walk-gate floor 28 moving at a constant speed, i.e. according to the principle of a "travelator" or elevator. This embodiment of the proposed system is particularly suitable for underground walkways in airports where such "travelators" or elevators are widely used. The information control-and-processing device 10 is made as a computer controlled workstation equipped with dedicated software to process the images thus received and to control the movement of the base plate 28.

The operation of the proposed system proceeds in the following manner.

The X-ray source emits an X-ray beam which is shaped by a collimator 7 into a planar perpendicular X-ray beam 8.

The collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9 are pre-set in such a way that the vertical X-ray beam 8 hits the X-ray receiver 9 with high precision.

A high precision synchronous movement can be provided, for example, by positioning the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9 (or the door 5) on respective horizontal guides, and their movement along said guides is provided by a stepping motor (not shown in the figures).

For example, in [ international application WO 02/7306, int. cl: G01N23/00, 2002.04.04 publication ], a concept of synchronous design of mobile systems is described. The X-ray receiver 9 moves at a constant speed during the scan. The collimator 7 is moved synchronously with the movement of the X-ray receiver 9 in such a way that a slot shadow projection (slot shadow projection) of the collimator 7, which is produced by the X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray radiation source 6, is always located on the X-ray receiver 9.

It is sufficient to move both elements over time according to the same rule, since similar considerations provide a constant projection of the collimator 7 onto the X-ray receiver over the entire scanning range, the design concept of the movement system makes it possible to technically implement it by relatively simple means, i.e. to make the movement a synchronous movement, wherein the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9 should be moved at a constant speed.

The synchronous movement of the collimator 7 and the X-ray receiver 9 is achieved due to the high precision ratio of their speeds. Since the rotational speed of a stepping motor is ultimately determined by the switching speed of its windings, two frequencies with precisely determined proportions must be combined in order to provide synchronous movement. The ratio may also be changed in very small increments.

The sensor 24 for determining that a person is ready to pass through the walk-gate 4 provides a signal that the person is present and in this way activates the X-ray radiation source 6. The sensor 24 may for example be made as a camera as shown in fig. 1.

The X-ray beam 8 passes through the X-ray transparent parts 13, 19, 22 or 26 of the walls 12, 18, 21, 25 (see fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively) or without these walls and further through the body 29 and then through the X-ray transparent part 15 of the wall 14 (fig. 1) or directly (fig. 2, 3 and 4) hitting the X-ray receiver 9 at each given scanning interval, and then the electronic digital signal is read out. The output electronic digital signal is supplied to the information control processing device 10, and the information control processing device 10 generates an image of the human subject 29. Due to the projection characteristics of the images thus received, the person under examination passes the walk-gate only once to provide the required information about the presence of contraband and/or substances on the surface of the human body and in the interior cavity.

In order to improve the safety of the proposed system, the system may additionally be equipped with more than two doors (not shown in the figures) arranged behind said movable door 5 and controlled by the information control-and-processing means 10. These gates may be operated, for example, as described in [ US 2003020607, int.cl.g08b21/00, 2003.01.30 publication ]. After scanning, the person 29 passes through the door 5, and the door 5 is closed after the person passes through. And then only one of the other two doors is opened in front of the person. If the analysis of the scanned image of the inspected person does not reveal any contraband and/or substance, one of the doors to the protected area is opened. If the analysis of the scanned image of the inspected person reveals some contraband and/or substance, another door to the inspection room is opened. The image analysis is performed by a computer controlled workstation or by a plurality of remote control devices. The person to be examined is not aware of the scan or the results of the scan or where the door he/she is passing through is leading.

The maximum dose experienced by the person at each scan is 0.1 μ Zv, which meets international radiation safety standards and has no limit on the number of tests including pregnant women and children. Such a low dose is achieved due to optimization of the anode voltage and current of the X-ray radiation source 7 and the values of its output filters, the width of the collimator slots, the size of the X-ray sensitive elements of the X-ray receiver 9 and the scanning time.

Claims (10)

1. A security access system for preventing the ingress of contraband and/or materials from a surrounding area into a protected area, the security access system comprising:

a partition separating a protected zone from an unprotected zone;

at least one walk-gate disposed in the partition;

information control and processing device and detector of contraband and/or substances, which detector comprises an X-ray radiation source to provide inspection of persons passing through at least one walk-gate, said detector having an X-ray receiver made as a vertical linear X-ray receiver and built-in a walk-gate element in relation to said X-ray radiation source, and wherein said walk-gate element in which said X-ray receiver is built-in is a movable door, the drive mechanism of said door being made such that it maintains a predetermined ratio of the door movement speed and the scanning speed of the X-ray radiation source.

2. The security entrance system of claim 1, wherein at least one walk-gate in said partition is provided with at least one door having a corresponding drive mechanism connected to a signal output of the information control and processing device.

3. A security entrance system as in claim 1, wherein said detector of contraband and/or substances is constituted by an X-ray scanning radiation source and an X-ray receiver collinear with said X-ray radiation and connected to an information input of an information control and processing device.

4. A security entrance system as in claim 1, wherein said X-ray radiation source of said detector of forbidden articles and/or substances is made to generate a flat fan-shaped X-ray beam in the walk-gate plane and is arranged behind the bottom of one of the walk-gate side walls provided with at least one X-ray transparent portion.

5. A security entrance system as in claim 1, wherein said X-ray radiation source of said detector of contraband and/or substances is made to generate a flat fan-shaped X-ray beam in the walk-gate plane and is built into the bottom of one side wall of said walk-gate.

6. A security entrance system as in claim 3, wherein said detector of contraband and/or substances further comprises a horizontal linear X-ray receiver arranged under or built into said walk-gate floor provided with at least one X-ray transparent section.

7. A security entrance system as in claim 3, wherein said detector of contraband and/or substances further has a horizontal linear X-ray receiver built into the walk-gate floor.

8. A security entrance system as in claim 3, wherein said detector of contraband and/or substances further comprises a horizontal linear X-ray receiver arranged above said walk-gate ceiling provided with at least one X-ray transparent section.

9. A security entrance system as in claim 3, wherein said detector of contraband and/or substances further comprises a horizontal linear X-ray receiver built into the walk-gate ceiling.

10. A security entrance system as in claim 3, wherein said walk-gate is additionally equipped with a sensor for determining that a person is ready to pass through said walk-gate, the output of said sensor being connected to an input for activating the X-ray radiation source.