Remote baggage screening system, software and method

Claim 1

A system for remote baggage screening comprising: at least one baggage inspection system disposed at a first location and connected on a first subnet, the at least one baggage inspection system adapted to examine an item under inspection and obtain information about the item under inspection; a unique item identifier associated with the item under inspection that links the information to the item under inspection; a storage medium coupled to the at least one baggage inspection system for storing the information about the item under inspection with the unique item identifier; an operator interface disposed at a second location remote from the first location and connected on a second subnet, the operator interface being configured to receive the information about the item under inspection from the at least one baggage inspection system and present the information for access by an operator; and a server coupled to the operator interface, to the at least one baggage inspection system, and to the storage medium, the server being adapted to control information transfer between the at least one baggage inspection system, the storage medium and the operator interface to enable the operator, through the operator interface, to access and manipulate the information about the item under inspection and to view and control a configuration of the at least one baggage inspection system.

Claim 2

A system for remote baggage screening comprising: at least one baggage inspection system disposed at a first location and connected on a first subnet, the at least one baggage inspection system adapted to examine an item under inspection and obtain information about the item under inspection; a unique item identifier associated with the item under inspection that links the information to the item under inspection; a storage medium coupled to the at least one baggage inspection system for storing the information about the item under inspection with the unique item identifier; an operator interface disposed at a second location remote from the first location and connected on a second subnet, the operator interface being configured to receive the information about the item under inspection from the at least one baggage inspection system and present the information for access by an operator; and a server coupled to the operator interface, to the at least one baggage inspection system, and to the storage medium, the server being adapted to control information transfer between the at least one baggage inspection system, the storage medium and the operator interface to enable the operator, through the operator interface, to access and manipulate the information about the item under inspection and to view and control a configuration of the at least one baggage inspection system.

Claim 9

A system for baggage screening that is remotely monitored and controlled, the system comprising: a plurality of baggage inspection machines that obtain information about an item under inspection, each baggage inspection machine being coupled to a local network link; a storage medium, coupled to the local network link, that stores the information obtained by the plurality of baggage inspection machines; a controller, coupled to the local network link, the controller being configured to retrieve the information about the item under inspection from the storage medium via the local network link and to process the information to provide processed information; and an operator interface configured to receive the processed information from the controller and to provide the processed information for inspection by an operator; wherein the operator interface is located remote from the plurality of baggage inspection machines and is coupled to the controller via a second network link; wherein the item under inspection includes a unique item ID, the unique item ID being associated with the information to link the information to the item under inspection; and wherein the controller is further configured to provide status information about the plurality of baggage inspection machines to the operator interface, via the second network link, so as to enable the operator, through the operator interface and the controller, to view the status information and to control a status and configuration of the plurality of baggage inspection machines.

Claim 10

A system for baggage screening that is remotely monitored and controlled, the system comprising: a plurality of baggage inspection machines that obtain information about an item under inspection, each baggage inspection machine being coupled to a local network link; a storage medium, coupled to the local network link, that stores the information obtained by the plurality of baggage inspection machines; a controller, coupled to the local network link, the controller being configured to retrieve the information about the item under inspection from the storage medium via the local network link and to process the information to provide processed information; and an operator interface configured to receive the processed information from the controller and to provide the processed information for inspection by an operator; wherein the operator interface is located remote from the plurality of baggage inspection machines and is coupled to the controller via a second network link; wherein the item under inspection includes a unique item ID, the unique item ID being associated with the information to link the information to the item under inspection; and wherein the controller is further configured to provide status information about the plurality of baggage inspection machines to the operator interface, via the second network link, so as to enable the operator, through the operator interface and the controller, to view the status information and to control a status and configuration of the plurality of baggage inspection machines.

Claim 32

A system for remote inspection of items, the system comprising: at least one inspection machine constructed to examine an item under inspection to obtain information about the item under inspection; a database coupled to the at least one inspection machine, the database being adapted to receive the information about the item under inspection from the at least one inspection machine and to store the information in an item file, the item file including a unique item identifier that uniquely links the item file to the item under inspection; an item file inspection device that receives the item file, analyzes data contained in the item file and records screening information based on an analysis of the item file; a server, coupled to the database and to the item file inspection device by a secure network link and located remote from the at least one inspection machine, the server being adapted to control transfer of the item file from the database to the item file inspection device and transfer of the screening information from the item file inspection device to the database; and an operator interface coupled to the server, the operator interface being adapted to receive the screening information and to display the screening information; wherein the screening information is linked with the item file using the unique item identifier, and wherein the database is further adapted to store the screening information; wherein the server is further adapted to control transfer of the screening information between the database and the operator interface to enable the operator, through the operator interface, to access and manipulate the information about the item under inspection and to provide the operator interface with status information about the at least one baggage inspection machine so as to enable the operator to view and control a configuration of the at least one baggage inspection system; and wherein the item file inspection device is located remote from the at least one inspection machine.

Claim 33

A system for remote inspection of items, the system comprising: at least one inspection machine constructed to examine an item under inspection to obtain information about the item under inspection; a database coupled to the at least one inspection machine, the database being adapted to receive the information about the item under inspection from the at least one inspection machine and to store the information in an item file, the item file including a unique item identifier that uniquely links the item file to the item under inspection; an item file inspection device that receives the item file, analyzes data contained in the item file and records screening information based on an analysis of the item file; a server, coupled to the database and to the item file inspection device by a secure network link and located remote from the at least one inspection machine, the server being adapted to control transfer of the item file from the database to the item file inspection device and transfer of the screening information from the item file inspection device to the database; and an operator interface coupled to the server, the operator interface being adapted to receive the screening information and to display the screening information; wherein the screening information is linked with the item file using the unique item identifier, and wherein the database is further adapted to store the screening information; wherein the server is further adapted to control transfer of the screening information between the database and the operator interface to enable the operator, through the operator interface, to access and manipulate the information about the item under inspection and to provide the operator interface with status information about the at least one baggage inspection machine so as to enable the operator to view and control a configuration of the at least one baggage inspection system; and wherein the item file inspection device is located remote from the at least one inspection machine.