Low-bulk integrated detector

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dual-technology detecting system (1), comprising: - an archway (2), - a metal detector (3) housed in a first segment (8) of the side panels (5), - a millimetre-wave body scanner (4) housed in a second segment (9) of the side panels (5), said body scanner (4) comprising at least one antenna (13) configured to emit radiant energy, wherein, within the first segment (8), the internal faces (7) of the side panels (5) are separated by a distance (d1) at least equal to 800 mm and smaller than or equal to 900 mm, and within the second segment (9), a maximum distance (d2) between the internal faces (7) of the side panels (5) is larger than or equal to 1000 mm and smaller than or equal to 1200 mm.

Description

DESCRIPTIONTITLE: Small Form Factor Integrated DetectorFIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of detectors designed for the detection of unauthorized objects or materials in a protected access area. More specifically, the invention relates to the integration of an inductive type metal detector and a body scanner designed to inspect individuals entering or leaving a sensitive area, for example passengers before the boarding at airports or individuals accessing a public site, such as a stadium or a theater, in order to detect prohibited objects concealed under clothing. Such systems make it possible in particular to avoid systematic palpation.STATE OF THE ARTIt now appears necessary to control with great reliability the attempts to introduce or leave prohibited products, in particular weapons, in or out of a sensitive area.The problem thus posed covers a very wide range of situations, which includes in particular and without limitation the attempt to introduce prohibited products into a protected area, such as an airport, a store, a school, a station, a public body or even private, or the attempt to leave products outside a defined perimeter, for example in the event of theft in a company or on a protected site.Different types of metal object detectors exist. Generally metal detectors are inductive type detectors. They include at least one transmitter winding and at least one receiver winding. The transmitter winding is powered by alternating current. The receiver coil is designed to detect disturbances in the magnetic field generated by the transmitter coil due to the presence of a metallic object, for example the attenuation of the amplitude of the magnetic field, or even the change in phase of the signal, due to example to eddy currents generated on the metallic object.It has also been proposed to use body scanners. The oldest body scanners are X-ray body scanners. Newer body scanners use so-called millimeter wave technology. An example of a body scanner can be found in document EP 2 202 700.For several years, body scanners (generally referred to by their Anglo-Saxon terminology “body scanner”) have been developed in order to detect weapons, explosives, etc. hidden under the clothing of individuals entering a protected area. These scanners use technologies based on the detection of radiant energiesmodulated, reflected or emitted by the body of the inspected individuals. The radiation energies thus used include X-rays, microwaves, millimeter waves, infrared light, terahertz waves and ultrasound.Despite the use of several types of radiant energy and imaging geometries, these body scanners all work on the principle of creating an electronic image of the individual on which the clothing of the individual is transparent. This image is then displayed on a screen and viewed by an operator so that the latter determines whether the individual is carrying a target object. For this, the operator, who is trained in the detection of target objects, must be able to determine whether the objects identified by the body scanner correspond to human anatomy, an authorized object such as a lighter, a handkerchief or parts, or to a target object such as a weapon or explosive. Alternatively, in order to respect the privacy of the persons inspected, the system may include software comprising code instructions to automatically analyze the image and determine the presence of any anomalies and display them on an avatar representing the person.It turns out nowadays that individuals who attempt to fraudulently introduce a prohibited object, in particular a weapon, into a protected area show great imagination in concealing said objects, for example separating the object into different parts that 'they spread over the body. Examination using body scanners therefore becomes increasingly complex and time-consuming to perform, and in some cases even impossible, if the target object has been concealed in such a way that it cannot be reached by the energy of radiation, for example within a body cavity or between the person's body and another surface that is not penetrable by radiant energy. Moreover, if existing metal detectors are the most efficient solution for detecting the existence or not of a metallic object, they cannot locate a non-metallic object on an individual.It has therefore been proposed to combine a metal detector with a body scanner, in order to improve the detection of target objects likely to be camouflaged on the body of an individual. Typically, in EP 2 202 700, a combination gantry includes a metal detector housed in the uprights of the gantry and a vertical scanner carrying a plurality of sensors configured to scan a person from top to bottom.This combined gantry effectively makes it possible to combine several technologies within the same device. However, current standards impose constraints in terms of space available within the detector in order, in particular, to allow the passage of wheelchairs through the gates. For example, according to the American standard ADAAG (English acronym for Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines, for access guidelines for Americans in wheelchairs) a passage having a depth less than or equal to 24 inches (610 mm ) must have a minimum width at least equalto 32 inches (810 mm). On the other hand, when the passage has a depth greater than 24 inches (610 mm), the width of the passage must be at least equal to 36 inches (915 mm) in order to allow a person in a wheelchair to turn within this passage. . Other standards exist on these dimensions, in particular Italian or English standards. However, all require a minimum width for deep passages of the corridor type at least equal to 915 mm.These different standards (hereinafter referred to by the generic terms of “dimensional standards”) must be compared with the detection accuracy required at the entrance to sensitive areas. Typically, in the case of a metal detector, the space between the windings cannot be equal to 915 mm or more taking into account the targeted sensitivities to guarantee sufficient detection of the target objects.In order to respect these dimensional standards, it was therefore proposed to place a metal detector and body scanner in series, so that each system can be sized and optimized individually. However, due to the electromagnetic incompatibilities between the metal detector and the body scanner, the metal detector must then be placed at a certain distance from the body scanner. Indeed, the body scanner includes many metal parts, power supply systems and other electromagnetic scanning, likely to generate parasitic low and medium frequency electromagnetic fields which interfere with the inductive windings of reception of the metal detector. In addition, the distance between the metal detector and the body scanner makes it possible to limit the risks of false detection in the event of relative movement, even sub-millimetre, between the windings of the metal detector and the metal mass which constitutes the structure of the body scanner and which is much larger (1000-10000 times) than the mass of the metallic target to be detected. However, such a configuration not only has the effect of drastically increasing the impasto on the ground of the complete system, but also of allowing inspected persons to pass each other within the system and / or to only pass through one of the detection devices or even to reverse their order of passage (the person going first through the metal detector can be passed by the person following them before entering the body scanner if the operators are not vigilant), which completely falsifies the detection and the information read by the operators at the output of the system.It has also been proposed to produce a compact combined gantry comprising means of detection mobile in rotation mounted in a cylindrical wall whose diameter is of the order of 1500 mm. However, the entrance to this gantry is less than 600 mm wide and therefore does not, on its own, comply with the constraints imposed by the dimensional standards. This is why this gate is systematically associated with an additional detector capable of allowing the passage of wheelchairs. The total size of the assembly formed by the gantry, certainly compact, but also including the additional detector therefore remains too large.DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the invention is to propose a dual technology detection system with high detection efficiency, making it possible to apply the dual analysis with certainty to each person checked, which limits the risks of false detection and which is small in size while respecting the dimensional standards allowing in particular the passage of a wheelchair.For this purpose, according to a first aspect of the invention, a dual technology detection system is proposed comprising:- a gantry, said gantry comprising two side panels substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane and configured to define a transit channel for an inspected person, said side panels successively comprising a first portion at the level of an entrance to the channel l and a second portion extending between the first portion and an outlet of the channel, the first portion and the second portion being monolithic, the side panels each having an internal face, the internal face of one of the side panels facing the external face of the other of the side panels,- a metal detector housed in the first portion of the side panels comprising a transmitter assembly configured to emit a magnetic field and a receiver assembly configured to detect magnetic field disturbances due to a target object and- a body scanner housed in the second portion of the side panels, said body scanner comprising at least one antenna configured to emit radiant energy.Furthermore, within the first portion, the internal faces of the side panels are separated by a distance at least equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 900 mm, and within the second portion, a maximum distance between the internal faces of the side panels is greater than or equal to 1000 mm and less than or equal to 1200 mm.Certain preferred but non-limiting characteristics of the detection system according to the first aspect are the following, taken individually or in combination:- within the second portion, a distance between the internal faces at the level of the second portion of the side panels gradually increases to the maximum distance, then gradually decreases in the direction of the exit of the channel.- The inner faces of the panels are substantially curved or flat in pieces.- a radius of curvature of the internal faces of the side panels, in the second portion, is between 180 cm and 220 cm.- a depth of the first portion is between 250 mm and 350 mm, preferably of the order of 300 mm.- the distance between the internal faces at the level of the first portion is equal to 820 mm.- a total depth of the side panels, between the inlet and the outlet of the channel, is between 1600 mm and 1800 mm, for example of the order of 1760 mm.- the at least one antenna of the body scanner is configured to emit millimeter waves.- the body scanner comprises an array of antennae, said antennae being arranged along a curved surface.- the curved surface corresponds to all or part of the internal face of the second portion of one of the side panels.- the detection system further comprises a processing unit configured to generate a single image from signals generated by the metal detector and an electronic image created by the body scanner.- The inner faces of the side panels are substantially flat and parallel at the level of the first portion.- the first and the second panel further each comprise a metal shield positioned between the transmitter assembly and / or the receiver assembly on the one hand and the at least one antenna on the other hand.- the shielding is made of a material having an electrical conductivity greater than or equal to 35*10L6 S / m.- the metal detector is continuous or pulsed waves.- each panel houses a metal base, the transmitter assembly, the receiver assembly and the antennas all being mounted on this metal base so as to be mounted fixed relative to each other.- the metal bases are mechanically connected so as to be fixed relative to each other.- the metal bases are connected at ground level by at least one crosspiece.- the at least one crosspiece is metallic, said at least one crosspiece being covered at a junction with each panel by an electrically insulating sleeve.- all or part of the at least one crosspiece is covered by the sleeve.- the at least one crosspiece is housed in a platform extending between the panels, said platform.DESCRIPTION OF FIGURESOther characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which must be read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a detection system according to a first embodiment of the invention, in which part of the elements concealed under the platform have been shown in dotted lines. A person in a wheelchair is also illustrated as an example at the entrance to the transit channel;FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example of a detection system, one embodiment of the invention;FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a detection system according to a second embodiment of the invention; andFIG. 4 is a block view of an embodiment of the detection system according to one embodiment of the invention.In all the figures, similar elements bear references.identical scents.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONA dual technology detection system 1 comprises a portal 2 in which are housed a continuous or pulsed wave metal detector 3 and a body scanner 4. The metal detector 3 and the body scanner 4 are therefore both integrated into a single structure, which makes it possible to reduce the overall size of the system 1. Moreover, by integrating the metal detector 3 and the body scanner 4 in the same portal 2, the metal detector 3 and the body scanner 4 are mutually monolithic , thus eliminating any risk of relative movement between these two devices, which greatly improves the stability of the detection system 1 . In addition, the detection system 1 does not include a space between the metal detector 3 and the body scanner 4, the persons inspected have no other choice but to pass one after the other through the system. 1, in the two detection devices 3, 4 and in the correct order (generally, passing first through the metal detector 3 then through the body scanner 4).The gate 2The gantry 2 comprises a first side panel 5 and a second side panel 5 substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane P and configured to define between them a transit channel 6 for an inspected person. The side panels 5 can be mechanically connected by a ceiling so as to be integral. Alternatively, the side panels 5 may be separate and distinct.Each panel 5 has an internal face 7, oriented towards the transit channel 6. More precisely, the internal face 7 of the first panel 5 faces the internal face 7 of the second panel 5 so as to laterally delimit the channel 6. The panels 5 also each have a first end, or inlet end, which delimits together an entry into channel 6 for an inspected person, and a second end, or exit end, which is opposite the entry end and defines the exit from channel 6.The panels 5 comprise successively, from the entrance to the exit, a first portion 8 which houses the metal detector 3 and is located at the entrance of the channel 6 and a second portion 9, which houses the body scanner 4 and extends between the first portion 8 and the output of channel 6.In order to obtain an effective detection system 1 in a small footprint, the internal faces 7 of the panels 5 are separated by a distance d1 greater than or equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 900 mm within the first portion 8, then by a maximum distance d2 greater than or equal to 1000 mm and less than or equal to 1200 mm within the second portion 9.Here, the distances d1, d2 between the inner faces 7 of the side panels 5 are measured along axes normal to the plane P of symmetry of the frame 2.In a first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the internal faces 7 of the panels 5 are substantially flat and parallel at the level of the first portion 8 and of the second portion 9. The transition between the internal faces 7 within the first portion 8 and within the second portion 9 can be gradual, as illustrated in FIG. 3, or abrupt (shoulder forming a bend at the interface between the first and the second portion 8, 9).As a variant, and as we will detail in the following, in order to increase the detection efficiency and in particular the ability to explore the person inspected by the body scanner 4, the internal faces 7 are curved at the level of the second portion 9 so that the distance between the internal faces 7 at the level of the second portion 9 of the side panels 5 gradually increases from the interface with the first portion 8 up to the maximum distance d2, then gradually decreases in the direction of the exit of the channel 6. In this alternative embodiment illustrated in particular in FIG. 1, the internal faces 7 of the panels 5 remain substantially flat and parallel at the level of the first portion 8. If necessary, the internal faces 7 can be flat in pieces at within the second portion 9, the sections together forming a channel 6 diverging then converging, from the interface between the first and the second portion 8, 8 in the direction of the outlet. For this, within the second portion 9, the inner faces 7 can for example each successively comprise at least one plane section inclined with respect to the plane of symmetry P so that the channel 6 diverges (with respect to the direction of passage in the portal 4, i.e. fromthe inlet to the outlet of channel 6), then a flat section substantially parallel to the plane of symmetry P and at least one section inclined with respect to the plane P so that the channel converges towards the outlet.In what follows, the invention will be more particularly described with reference to the embodiment in which the internal faces 7 are curved at the level of the second portion 9. However, this is not limiting, the internal faces 7 can be flat within this second portion 9 or flat in pieces.The first portion 8 of the gantry 2, which houses the metal detector 3, thus makes it possible to guarantee sufficient sensitivity for the detection of metal, while respecting current dimensional standards. In one embodiment, the distance d1 between the internal faces 7 within the first portion 8 is of the order of 820 mm (within 3%).The depth P1 (dimension included in the plane P of symmetry of the gantry 2 and extending along the direction of transit of a person inspected in the transit channel 6) of the first portion 8 is between 250 mm and 350 mm, preferably of the order of 300 mm (within 3%). This limited depth P1 of the first portion 8 is indeed sufficient to house the metal detector 3, while respecting the current dimensional standards insofar as this first portion 8 will then not be considered as a corridor.The transit channel 6 is on the other hand wider at the level of the second portion 9 of the gantry 2, which houses the body scanner 4, in order to allow the entry of a wheelchair and its pivoting between the side panels 5 so as to position the inspected person facing one or the other of the side panels.As indicated above, the inner faces 7 of the side panels 5 are curved. In one embodiment, a radius of curvature of the internal faces 7 is between 180 cm and 220 cm.In one embodiment, the distance between the internal faces 7 increases regularly (if necessary, in pieces), from the interface between the first portion 8 (within which the internal faces 7 are substantially parallel) and the second portion 9 until reaching a maximum corresponding to the maximum distance d2, then decreases regularly (if necessary, in pieces), from this maximum to the exit end of the panels 5. Optionally, the distance between the internal faces 7 at the exit end is substantially equal to the distance d1 between the internal faces 7 at the level of the first portion In one embodiment, the depth P2 of the second portion 9 of the side panels 5 is between 1100 mm and 1300mm. When the depth P1 of the first portion 8 is of the order of 300 mm and the radius of curvature of the internal faces 7 is of the order of 180 cm and 220 cm, the depth P2 of the second portion 9 can for example be of the order of 1150 mm. It follows that a total depth (P1+P2) of the system 1 is greater than or equal to 1400 mm and less than or equal to 1600 mm, for example of the order of 1450 mm.The impasto of the system 1 is therefore significantly reduced in comparison with the combined systems of the prior art, while integrating, in the same portal 2, both a metal detector 3 and a body scanner 4 and respecting the standards current dimensions (including ADAAG in particular).The metal detector 3The metal detector 3 comprises a transmitter assembly 10, a receiver assembly 11 and analysis means 12. The transmitter assembly 10 comprises at least one transmitter coil housed in the first panel 5 and configured to emit a magnetic field. The receiver assembly 11 comprises at least one receiver coil housed in the second panel 5 which is configured to detect magnetic field disturbances due to metallic objects. Finally, the analysis means 12 are adapted to analyze the signals from the receiver coils to detect the presence of metal objects carried by an individual passing through said channel 6 formed between the two side panels 5.In a manner known per se, the transmitter and receiver windings preferably cover the entire height of the side panels. They can be the subject of many known embodiments, as used today in classic 2s portal metal detectors. Their operation in itself is also conventional. The structure and operation of the transmitter and receiver windings will therefore not be described in detail hereafter. It will however be noted that, preferably, each transmitter or receiver winding can be formed by several separate windings whose relative distribution over the height of the side panels 5 is adapted to optimize detection and is controlled by the analysis means 12, the case optionally via a transmitter 10a and receiver 11a interface, to transmit alternating inductive fields over a frequency range and to receive all of these alternating inductive fields over said frequency range, respectively.In one embodiment, the metal detector inductive fields generated by the transmitter and receiver coils are in the frequency range between 70 Hz and 50 kHz, preferably between 100 Hz and 50 kHz.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Dual technology detection system (1) comprising:- a gantry (2), said gantry (2) comprising two side panels (5) substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane (P) and configured to define a transit channel (6) for an inspected person, said panels (5) lateral comprising successively a first portion (8) at an inlet of the channel (6) and a second portion (9) extending between the first portion (8) and an outlet of the channel (6), the first portion ( 8) and the second portion (9) being monolithic, the side panels (5) each having an internal face (7), the internal face (7) of one of the side panels (5) facing the internal face of the other of the side panels (5),- a metal detector (3) housed in the first portion (8) of the side panels (5) comprising a transmitter assembly (10) configured to emit a magnetic field and a receiver assembly (11) configured to detect disturbances of the magnetic field due to a target object,- a body scanner (4) housed in the second portion (9) of the side panels (5), said body scanner (4) comprising at least one antenna (13) configured to emit radiant energy,the detection system (1) being characterized in that:- within the first portion (8), the internal faces (7) of the side panels (5) are separated by a distance (d1) at least equal to 800 mm and less than or equal to 900 mm,- within the second portion (9), a maximum distance (d2) between the inner faces (7) of the side panels (5) is greater than or equal to 1000 mm and less than or equal to 1200 mm.

2. Detection system (1) according to claim 1, wherein within the second portion (9), a distance between the internal faces (7) at the level of the second portion (9) of the side panels (5) increases gradually up to the maximum distance (d2), then gradually decreases towards the exit of the channel (6).

3. Detection system (1) according to claim 2, in which the internal faces (7) of the panels (5) are substantially curved or flat in pieces.

4. Detection system (1) according to claim 3, wherein a radius of curvature of the inner faces (7) of the side panels (5), in the second portion (9), is between 180 cm and 220 cm.

5. Detection system according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a depth (P1) of the first portion (8) is between 250 mm and 350 mm, preferably of the order of 300 mm.

6. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the distance between the internal faces (7) at the level of the first portion (8) is equal to 820 mm.

7. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which a total depth (P1 + P2) of the side panels (5), between the inlet and the outlet of the channel (6), is comprised between 1600 mm and 1800 mm, for example of the order of 1760 mm.

8. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one antenna (13) of the body scanner (4) is configured to emit millimeter waves.

9. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the body scanner (4) comprises an array of antennas (13), said antennas (13) being arranged along a curved surface (7).

10. Detection system (1) according to claim 9, in which the curved surface corresponds to all or part of the internal face (7) of the second portion (9) of one of the side panels (5).

11. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a processing unit (15) configured to generate a single image from signals generated by the metal detector (3) and an electronic image created by the body scanner (4).

12. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the inner faces (7) of the side panels (5) are substantially flat and parallel at the level of the first portion (8).

13. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which the first and the second panel (5) each further comprise a metal shield (16) positioned between the transmitter assembly (10) and / or the receiver assembly (11) on the one hand and the at least one antenna (13) on the other hand.

14. Detection system (1) according to claim 12, in which the shielding (16) is made of a material having an electrical conductivity greater than or equal to 35*10L6 S / m.

15. System (1) detection according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the metal detector (3) is continuous or pulsed wave.

16. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each panel (5) houses a metal base (17), the transmitter assembly (10), the receiver assembly (11) and the antennas (13) all being mounted on this metal base (17) so as to be mounted fixed relative to each other.

17. System (1) detection according to claim 16, wherein the metal bases (17) are mechanically connected so as to be fixed relative to each other.

18. System (1) detection according to claim 17, wherein the metal bases (17) are connected at ground level by at least one crosspiece (18).

19. Detection system (1) according to claim 18, wherein the at least one crosspiece (18) is metallic, said at least one crosspiece (18) being covered at a junction with each panel (5) by an electrically insulating sleeve (19).

20. Detection system (1) according to claim 19, in which all or part of the at least one crosspiece (18) is covered by the sleeve (19).

21. Detection system (1) according to one of claims 19 or 20, wherein the at least one crosspiece is housed in a platform (20) extending between the panels (5), said platform (20 being mechanically isolated from said panels (5).