Parallel Scanner Grid for High-Throughput Security Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security screening systems at facilities like airports face challenges in efficiently handling high volumes of passengers and baggage, leading to overcrowding, increased waiting times, and potential compromises in security scanning quality due to the limitations of single-input, single-output scanning systems and the need for individual scanning of each item.
Innovation Solution
An object screening system that includes a scanner grid with multiple scanners arranged in a predetermined configuration to parallelly scan multiple objects, a distribution module to determine and implement a distribution pattern for directing objects to scanners, and a processing unit to identify risk categories and direct objects to safe or recheck conveyor lines, thereby optimizing scanning time and throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single-input, single-output scanning system is used, then each item can be thoroughly scanned for security, but the scanning throughput is limited and waiting times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the scanning function into multiple independent scanners arranged in a grid configuration. Each scanner can independently scan objects placed on the conveyor belt, allowing parallel processing of multiple items simultaneously. This segmentation enables the system to maintain thorough inspection quality while dramatically increasing scanning throughput to handle high passenger volumes during peak periods.
2Productivity
If multiple scanners are added to increase throughput, then scanning capacity improves, but the floor space requirement increases which is not feasible in existing airports
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a single-line sequential scanning approach to a multi-dimensional parallel scanning architecture. Multiple scanners are arranged in a grid pattern across the conveyor belt width, utilizing the lateral dimension to enable simultaneous scanning of multiple objects. This dimensional change allows the system to achieve high throughput without proportionally increasing the linear floor space footprint, making it suitable for existing airport terminals with space constraints.
3Measurement precision
If passengers are required to remove items for scanning, then security inspection quality improves, but the time required for each passenger increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning actions by capturing images of all objects on the conveyor belt simultaneously using multiple scanners. This parallel image capture eliminates the need for sequential scanning and removes the requirement for passengers to manually remove items for individual inspection. The preliminary parallel action maintains comprehensive inspection quality while dramatically reducing the time each passenger spends at the security checkpoint.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein disclose an object screening system and method. The object screening system includes a scanner grid configured to parallelly scan a plurality of objects received via a receiving conveyor line, where the scanner grid includes a plurality of scanners arranged in a pre-determined configuration selected to substantially reduce a scanning time of the plurality of objects. A distribution module configured to determine a distribution pattern for the plurality of objects received via the receiving conveyor line and to selectively direct each of the plurality of objects to respective input conveyor lines of one or more scanners in accordance with the distribution pattern. A processing unit configured to receive a data package corresponding to each of the scanned objects from the one or more scanners and to process the data package to identify a risk category of the objects based on the data package.