DESC:INTELLIGENT TRAY RETURN SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to apparatus and systems of security checking of passenger baggage at airports and in particular to an Intelligent Tray Return System (ITRS) which can automatize, and thereby speed up security checking of passengers and their baggage at airports.
This Complete Specification is filed in pursuance to the Provisional Specification filed on 14.09.2018 in respect of Patent Application No. 201841034723.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
It is well known that air passenger traffic in India has seen a robust growth in the recent past. With the government implementing increasing air connectivity and the passenger air fares becoming no longer prohibitive, passenger air traffic is poised to witness an explosive growth in the near future.
Growth in air passenger traffic calls for corresponding growth in supporting infrastructure. Along with the increase in the size of airports and additional passenger amenities like seating, food outlets, rest rooms, toilets etc., a large increase in the security checking infrastructure is also necessitated. Otherwise, the time taken for security checking of the passengers and their baggage would assume unacceptable levels. It is already a common experience, particularly in the major airports, to face long and serpentine queues, both at the security checkpoints and boarding counters. Matters have come to such a stand, that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the airlines to adhere to their flight schedules because of this. And the situation is likely to worsen further.
Today, the airports already deploy state-of-the-art automatic transport and retrieval systems (ATRS) for passenger and baggage clearance before departure. There are many such systems in existence. But they are proving not to be fast enough in the face of the high air passenger traffic of today. Consequently, security clearance at an airport has become the single largest bottleneck in fast passenger movement today.
Therefore, there is urgent need in the field for augmenting security checking infrastructure so that a lot more passengers can be checked with their baggage faultlessly in even shorter time than at present.
The intelligent tray return system (ITRS) according to the present invention seeks to overcome the above drawback of the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of the invention is to provide an intelligent tray return system (ITRS) which increases passenger throughput by reducing passenger waiting time for security checking.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ITRS which is cost-effective, enhances security and passenger comfort at the checkpoints and can adapt to any airport layout due to its modular design.
A further object of the invention is to provide an ITRS which provides easy integration with any XBIS (X-Ray Baggage Inspection System) machine available at present.
How the foregoing objects are achieved will be clear from the following description. In this context it is clarified that the description provided is non-limiting and is only by way of explanation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An intelligent tray return system (ITRS) for automating and speeding up security checking at airports has a modular built up. It is suitable for any airport layout due to its modular built up and for any existing XBis device. It comprises of a plurality of tray divest stations, conveying module located parallel to the divest station, metering conveyors and X-ray baggage inspection system (XBis). It also has decision module, baggage reclaim station, empty tray recognition module, flipper module, reject module, reject bag recheck station, rejected luggage collection, tray recirculation station, curve module and return of empty tray pick up station.
The divest stations have two similar loading stations for four passengers to divest at the same time for maximizing passenger flow. The tray is tracked from the time it enters into XBIS up to the recheck station using RFID tracking system. The system provides continuous scanning of baggage and queuing of the images. Its second layer of security screening through recheck station increases passenger throughput by reducing security checking time.
The divest stations are ergonomically designed and are optionally integrated with bar code readers for increased tray tracking and faster recheck processing.
The metering conveyor is adapted to create gaps ranging from 100mm up to 1000mm between two successive trays.
The loaded trays are diverted either to the ‘accept’ or to the ‘reject’ conveyor line by the decision module based on the decision by the security personnel operating the XBis machine.
The ‘accept’ conveyor line carries the accepted trays to the baggage reclaim station for the passengers to collect accepted baggage and automatically feeds the empty tray to the empty tray recognition module ETRM, the tray being sent to flipper module for recirculation only after its recognition as empty by the ETRM.
The ETRM has a machine vision system and a camera programmed such that an empty tray is detected by the camera. The camera can recognise the objects in the tray and send a corresponding signal to the system indicating whether the tray is empty or occupied.
The flipper module flips down the empty tray to the bottom return conveyor for recirculation.
The reject bag recheck station is provided with high resolution X-ray images. Passenger data is transmitted directly from the X-ray inspection unit for re-inspecting suspicious baggage retrieved from the reject/recheck line, thereby increasing passenger throughput rates.
Incoming empty trays from the flipper module are transferred to the divesting station by the tray recirculation station, which is provided with a plurality of roller floor conveyors actuated linearly along a hinge for the transfer of the tray to the bottom conveyor line.
The tray recirculation station is provisioned with side entry for allowing empty trays from the reject recheck station into the tray recirculation system. Only one tray is sent in at a time.
One control room is provided, where X-Ray images are analysed in parallel through centralized remote screening. All images from different security checking lines can be controlled by one or more operators depending on the passenger flow, thereby optimizing the number of line-operators.
A method for using the intelligent tray return system as described above comprises of the steps of: looking for immediate available free divest station by the passenger; picking up an empty tray from the lower conveyor line by the passenger; divesting bags/laptops/mobile phones, putting them in the tray and pushing the tray into the divest station by the passenger; conveying the tray to the metering module and then to decision module via X-Bis by conveying module; in case of a reject, moving the tray by the decision module to reject module and reject bag recheck station for recheck and rejected luggage collection after final rejection; in case of an accept, moving the tray by the decision module to baggage reclaim station for the passengers to collect; automatically moving the empty tray to ETRM and then to flipper module after passenger picks up the bags from the reclaim; moving the empty tray to tray recirculation station and from there to return of empty tray pick up station via curve module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The nature and scope of the present invention will be better understood from the accompanying drawings, which are by way of illustration of a preferred embodiment and not by way of any sort of limitation. In the accompanying drawings: -
Figures 1 and 2 are photographic views showing the general overview of the automatic ITRS system according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a photographic representation of the tray divest station.
Figure 4 is a photographic representation of the metering module.
Figure 5 is a flow diagram of the process of the intelligent tray return system according to the present invention.
Figure 6 shows the general architecture of the central image processing with remote screening for automatic tray retrieval of the intelligent tray return system.
Figures 7a – 7d are screenshot images showing different checking operations that can be performed in the ITRS shown in figures 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Having described the main features of the invention above, a brief and non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment will be given in the following paragraphs with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The shape, size and number of the devices shown are by way of example only and it is within the scope of the present invention to change their shape, size and number without departing from the basic principle of the invention.
All through the specification, the technical terms and abbreviations are to be interpreted in the broadest sense of the respective terms and include all similar items in the field known by other terms, as may be clear to persons skilled in art. Restriction or limitation if any referred to in the specification, is solely by way of example and understanding the present invention.
The security systems existing in the prior art are manually operated systems, wherein the security personnel have to carry the empty trays back to the loading station. Moreover, they have also to handle rejection baggage manually. In the intelligent tray return system (ITRS) of the present invention, both these operations are done automatically.
The intelligent tray return system (ITRS) of the present invention provides the latest high-quality intelligent technology for passenger security management at airports. The system delivers increased passenger throughput, enhances the quality of passengers’ experience and optimizes logistics for the security staff as well as the passengers. The security staff can concentrate more on their core duty of security checking, rather than moving empty tubs/trays from one point to other. In the prior art, they are required to physically send the empty trays back into the system, thereby wasting considerable time and needing additional manpower.
The system is equipped with an image overlay software, named iCheckpoint in this description, which has technological advantages such as:
1. Annotations: The base user can mark the suspicious objects for the recheck user to identify them easily.
2. Touch screen: Multitouch zoom and pan options. Options to accept and reject baggage.
It also employs many other features which quickens the screening process.
With the system’s modular design, airport operators have an option to create individual checkpoints according to their choice. A wide range of components in a new, modern design facilitate the best use of space. The system can replace and/or enhance any existing checkpoint area.

Salient Features of the intelligent tray return system (ITRS):
• Increases passenger throughput
• Improves operational efficiency
• Cost effective – made in India
• Reduces risk of delayed departures
• Reduces queue waiting time
• Increases security personnel's efficiency
• Enhances security and services at checkpoint
• Flexible and modular design for any layout
• Easy Integration with any XBIS machine
• Ergonomically designed for public and security personnel use
• Design not tray specific, hence can be easily accommodated into existing terminals
• Easy configuration tool for local and remote screening
• Digitally enabled for industry 4.0 standard

Following features of the ITRS system of the present invention contribute towards the increase in passenger throughput:
1. Continuous scanning of baggage and queuing of the images.
2. Reduction of time between two successive images.
3. It allows four passengers to divest at the same time.
4. It allows six passengers to reclaim simultaneously.
5. Operational efficiency of the screener is increased due to several features, thereby considerably reducing decision making time.
6. It provides a 2-layer security screening, wherein the recheck user is also provided with the scanned image, marked with suspicious objects, by the base user. This increases passenger throughput by reducing security checking time.

The system is capable of buffering of images. This puts the XBIS to maximum utilisation, such that the scanning of the baggage becomes a continuous process. Buffer modules are provided after the XBIS and before the decision module. These allow the baggage to wait for a decision after scanning is completed. The image of the baggage is queued in the software while the XBIS works on the next baggage simultaneously. In this manner, four baggage images can be queued, putting the XBIS to continuous operation. This reduces the time between two successive baggage images shown to the screener.
Figures 1 and 2 are two photographic images showing the overview of the ITRS system according to the present invention. The system offers a plush and modern look, which is designed to suit the interior ambience of any modern-day airport. The layout of the system can suit any airport layout too, due to its modular built.
Reference is now made to figure 5.
The ITRS according to the present invention comprises of the following modules:
Tray Divest Station (1):
At the very beginning of the security lane, the modules of the tray divest station (1) allow the passengers to safely divest their personal effects like bags, phones, laptops etc. on to the tray, which effects are received from the bottom side of the conveyor as shown in figure 3. These items are placed on empty trays and pushed on to the roller module (2). There are two similar loading stations for four passengers to load the trays and to divest at the same time.
The divest station has been designed ergonomically for easy passenger interface and accessibility to the equipment. The innovative parallel divest solution allows multiple divests and thereby maximizes the passenger flow.
The stations are modular in design and can be replicated, based on the airport requirement. The lines are designed to make the security process logical and intuitive. For this purpose, the module has been equipped with an innate LED lighting system to guide the passenger on the availability of the station.
The stations can be further integrated with bar code readers on request for increased functionality in terms of tray tracking and faster recheck processing.

Conveying (or Roller) Module (2):
After the tray has been successfully divested onto the conveyor of the conveying module (2) located parallel to the divest station, the tray is directed towards the XBis machine for screening. The conveying modules are provided with two levels of conveyors. The top level of the conveyor is for carrying the loaded baggage to screening and to reclaim. The bottom level of conveyor is to recirculate empty trays to the loading station again.
Conveying solutions vary, based on the layout of the solution. The module is broadly divided into two segments based on the position of the conveyor with respect to the XBIS and the type of conveyor (roller or belt) is chosen, based on the layout requirement of the passenger checkpoint. This module is highly customizable, based on the layout requirement.
This system has been provided with inclination and declination conveyors (3) from the divest station to maintain ergonomic loading divesting height of the divest station. This module also accommodates curves for the movement of the tray along any curvilinear motion necessitated by the layout.

Metering Module/Inclined conveyor (3):
The entry and exit points of the XBIS are provided with metering conveyors (3) to meter the flow of the trays into the XBIS for efficient screening process and into the decision conveyor (4) for easy flow of the bags to the required line respectively. Such a module is shown in figure 4.
The metering conveyor is adapted to create gaps between two successive trays. The passengers divest in the trays as they choose to. The metering conveyor is designed to create the required gaps between the trays following the leading tray, before the leading tray is sent for scanning. The module can be customised to create gaps from 100mm up to 1000mm between trays.

Screening / XBIS:
The intelligent tray return system of the present invention is not limited or dedicated to any particular XBIS device or system. Thus, it can accommodate all types and makes of screening equipment.

Decision Module (4):
Once images are captured by the X-Ray (XBis) machine, the security official decides whether the tray is an ACCEPT or a REJECT. This is in the scope of the airport operator.
The operation of this module is fully automatic. The decision is given by the screener, operating the in-built software of the system. The decision is executed by the decision module (4).
Based on the decision by the security personnel operating the XBis machine, the loaded trays are diverted either to the ‘accept’ or the ‘reject’ conveyor line by this module. The decision modules are pop up transfer type. On receipt of a reject signal, the tray is transferred to the reject line for recheck by security personnel.

Baggage reclaim Station (5):
The ‘accept’ conveyor line carries the accepted trays to the baggage reclaim station (5) for the passengers to collect the accepted baggage, leaving the trays empty.
Feeding of the empty tray to the empty tray recognition module (ETRM) (6) is automatic. When the passenger reclaims the baggage, the tray is recognised as empty by the ETRM and then only is sent to recirculation.
The empty trays are then fed to the empty tray recognition module (6).
Empty Tray Recognition Module (6):
This module is provided with a machine vision system, a camera and a self-running program. It is programmed such that the empty tray is detected by the camera. Due to the programming, the camera is empowered to recognise the objects in the tray and send a corresponding signal to the system indicating whether the tray is empty or occupied.
This module ensures that only completely empty trays are transferred to the tray return station, in order to avoid loss of any personal item kept in the tray. This module is provided with a high definition camera to sense the contours of the tray before the tray reaches the tray return station. The image is captured and checked for items within the tray. On detection of any material within the tray, an LED signal is initiated for intimation of the passenger and the security personnel, who should clear the tray of the belongings. When the tray is found totally empty on scanning, the tray finally proceeds to the tray return station (13). The pictures can also be stored for lost and found purposes.

Flipper module (7) and Accept Tray Line with takeaway:
Flipper module (7) is the recirculation module that comes after the ETRM (6). It checks empty trays from the accept line passing through accumulation roller modules. Once the ETRM passes the empty tray to the flipper module, the module flips down the empty tray to the bottom return conveyor for recirculation.
Empty trays are then re-circulated to the divest station (1) through conveyors at the bottom. The trays are transferred back to the system by this module through the tray recirculation station (11).
This conveyor line follows the decline conveyor after XBIS and routes to the accept destination for the passengers to collect the screened and accepted baggage. The length requirement of the module depends upon the number of passenger stations required and is modular. The conveyor is also provided with collection tray for retrieval of the items which have dropped into the system.
Reject Module (8) having Reject Tray Line:
On receipt of a reject signal from the decision module (4), the rejected tray is transferred to the reject module (8) for final recheck by security personnel. The conveyor line of this module follows the decline conveyor after the XBIS and routes to the reject bag recheck station (9) for the security personnel to recheck the passenger baggage. The length requirement of the conveyor depends upon the number of trays to be accumulated and is modular. The conveyor is also provided with collection tray for retrieval of the items which have dropped into the system.

Reject Bag Recheck Station (9):
The reject bag recheck station (9) of the system can increase passenger throughput rates by allowing security staff to re-inspect suspicious baggage retrieved from the reject/recheck line. The recheck workstation provides operators with high resolution X-ray images and the required data of the passenger transmitted from the X-ray inspection unit directly to the recheck operator console. Recheck tables are provided, which offer an ideal working area for operators to search for suspicious items. These tables are available in different designs and in several sizes and shapes, based on requirement.
If the baggage is found acceptable at the reject recheck station (9), it is passed on to the baggage reclaim station (5) for the passengers to collect the accepted baggage. The baggage found finally rejected at the reject recheck station is transferred to the reject luggage collection station (10).
Tray Recirculation Station (11):
The incoming empty trays from the flipper module (7) are returned to the divesting station via a series of floor conveyors. The transfer of the empty trays is accomplished by the tray recirculation station (11). The station is provided with a plurality of roller conveyors. They are actuated linearly along a hinge for the transfer of the trays to the bottom conveyor line.
The tray recirculation station (11) is also provisioned with side entry for allowing empty trays from the rejected luggage collection station (10) to be pushed into the tray recirculation system. A sophisticated control logic allows only one tray to be sent in at a time.

Curve Module (12):
This module guides the empty trays from the tray recirculation station (11) to the return of empty tray pick up station (13) through any curved path (12) necessitated by the airport layout.

Return of Empty Tray Pick Up Station (13):
The empty trays are collected in this station and then returned to the tray divest station (1) as per requirement of the system.

Configuration Options:
According to the ITRS of the present invention, it is possible to create an entire checkpoint having all the features that are needed to execute a sophisticated security protocol, facilitating high passenger throughput and supporting an ergonomic working posture for operators.
The system integrates all the above mentioned modules to achieve a complete checkpoint solution. The modules can be arranged based on the layout requirement of the airport to accommodate and ease the passenger flow through passenger checkpoints.
Centralized Image Processing (CIP) – Remote Screening:
Reference is now made to figure 6 which shows the general architecture of the central image processing with remote screening for the intelligent tray retrieval system of the present invention.
As shown this figure, security checking images from all checkpoints in different security checking lanes (lane 1, lane 2… lane n) are fed to a central repository (14), which is adequately secured. This repository sends these images for central screening (15) or for remote monitoring (16), whichever is desired by the airport operator.
The centralized remote screening allows airports to centralize screenings of multiple passenger security checkpoints in a single control room, where the X-Ray images can be analysed in parallel and all images from different security checking lines can be controlled by one or more operators. This makes it possible to optimize the verification of the images. The same operator can analyse the images from several security control machines from a remote-control room.
Centralized Image Processing (CIP) allows flexibility to airports security personnel to optimize the number of line-operators to be deployed through centralized remote screening, which removes the relationship of a screen associated with a security control machine. Based on the passenger flow rate, the deployment of the required number of operators can be determined. For example, when the passenger flow is high, several operators may be necessary to analyse images from a single line. However, when the passenger flow is low, only one operator can analyse the images form several lines.
The method for using the intelligent tray return system of the invention comprises of:
- looking for immediate available free divest station by the passenger;
- picking up an empty tray from the lower conveyor line by the passenger;
- divesting bags/laptops/mobile phones, putting them in the tray and pushing the tray into the divest station (1) by the passenger;
- conveying the tray to the metering module (3) and then to decision module (4) via X-Bis by conveying module (2);
- taking decision whether the tray is an ‘accept’ or a ‘reject’ by the screener and moving the tray to decision module (4);
- in case of a reject at decision module (4), moving the tray by the decision module to reject module (8), reject bag recheck station (9) for recheck and rejected luggage collection (10) after final rejection or to baggage reclaim station (5) in case of an accept at the bag recheck station (9) ;
- in case of an accept at decision module (4), moving the tray by the decision module to baggage reclaim station (5) for the passengers to collect;
- automatically moving the empty tray to ETRM (6) and then to flipper module (7) after passenger picks up the bags from the reclaim station (5);
- moving the empty tray to tray recirculation station (11) and to return of empty tray pick up station (13) via curve module (12); and
- automatically returning all empty trays to tray divest station (1) by return of empty tray pick up station (13).
The ETRM recognises whether the tray is empty. If the tray is empty, it sends it further. If it is not empty, the ETRM waits at this module for the passenger to pick up its contents and then only sends the tray further.
When the tray is in the accept lane, the passenger picks up his baggage at the baggage reclaim station (5). If it is in the reject lane, the passenger is called for physical checking of the bags.
It may be noted that in this system, all operations are done automatically except the passenger loading empty tray at divest station and picking up his baggage.
Features of Software iCheckpoint:
As briefly mentioned before, an indigenously developed image overlay software, called iCheckpoint in this description, is provided for running the iTRS system according to the present invention. The following are the main functions performed by the software:
As shown in figures 7a and 7b, it can perform different image analyses like turning an X-ray image into negative colour, black & white, showing only organic material, showing only inorganic material, showing of high penetration items (dense objects) and showing edges of objects as in an XBIS system. The software can perform all functions that an XBIS can do.
The advantage of the software is that it is touch-enabled, whereby the functions can be activated through a touch screen. Zoom IN/Out operations can be performed using fingers (pinch and zoom). All the other functions too are touch based.
As shown in figures 7c and 7d, the screeners can mark the suspicious objects. The software carries small semi-transparent icons in which the screener can annotate the image with a small oval/rectangular marking, noting what it is. This helps the user of the recheck facility to identify what the bag was rejected for.
Thus, the screener can easily take a decision whether to accept a bag or to finally reject it. This in turn is communicated to the hardware and the baggage takes the specific lane (either Accept lane or Reject lane) automatically.
The tray is tracked from the time it enters into XBIS and up to the recheck station using RFID tracking system.
The screener can see the physical image of the scanned baggage as a thumbnail image, giving the screener more clarity of what he is looking at.
The recheck station is a big advantage over the prior art. This is a second layer of security screening, wherein the rejected baggage from main screener is sent for physical check. The recheck user can see the same X-ray image of the baggage, along with annotations made by the main screener. The recheck user has the same options of functions as in the main screen.
The decision of the recheck user whether to allow or finally discard the baggage is stored in the database for later requirements. This enhances the security of the total system.
Advantages:
Some of the non-limiting advantages of the present invention are mentioned in the list below. Other advantages will be clear to a person skilled in the art from the description provided above.
• Provides a second layer of security screening through recheck station.
• Increases passenger throughput by reducing security checking time.
• Cost-effective, being indigenously built.
• Highly flexible, being modular in design. Suits any existing airport layout.
• Offers easy integration with any existing XBIS machine.
• Reduces queue waiting time for air passengers.

The present invention has been described with reference to some drawings and a preferred embodiment purely for the sake of understanding and not by way of any limitation and the present invention includes all legitimate developments within the scope of what has been described herein before and claimed in the appended claims.

,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. An intelligent tray return system (ITRS) having a modular built up for automating and speeding up security checking at airports, the system being suitable for any airport layout due to its modular built up and for any existing XBIS device, comprising of a plurality of tray divest stations (1), conveying modules (2) located parallel to the divest station, metering conveyors (3), X-ray baggage inspection system (XBIS), decision module (4), baggage reclaim station (5), empty tray recognition module (6), flipper module (7), reject module (8), reject bag recheck station (9), rejected luggage collection (10), tray recirculation station (11), curve module (12) and return of empty tray pick up station (13), said divest stations (1) having two similar loading stations for four passengers to divest at the same time for maximizing passenger flow, the tray being tracked from the time it enters into XBIS to the recheck station using RFID tracking system, wherein the system provides continuous scanning of baggage and queuing of the images, its second layer of security screening through recheck station (9) increasing passenger throughput by reducing security checking time.

2. The ITRS as claimed in claim 1, wherein the divest stations (1) are ergonomically designed and are optionally integrated with bar code readers for increased tray tracking and faster recheck processing.

3. The ITRS as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metering conveyor (3) is adapted to create gaps ranging from 100mm up to 1000mm between two successive trays.

4. The ITRS as claimed in claim 1 wherein, based on the decision by the security personnel operating the XBIS machine, the loaded trays are diverted either to the ‘accept’ or the ‘reject’ conveyor line by the decision module (4), which are pop up transfer type.

5. The ITRS as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ‘accept’ conveyor line carries the accepted trays to the baggage reclaim station (5) for the passengers to collect accepted baggage, automatically feeding the empty tray to the empty tray recognition module ETRM (6), the tray being sent to flipper module (7) for recirculation only after its recognition as empty tray by the ETRM.

6. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein the ETRM (6) is provided with a machine vision system with a camera and is programmed such that an empty tray is detected by the camera, which is empowered to recognise the objects in the tray and send a corresponding signal to the system indicating whether the tray is empty or occupied.

7. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein flipper module (7) flips down the empty tray to the bottom return conveyor for recirculation.

8. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein the reject bag recheck station (9) is provided with high resolution X-ray images and passenger data transmitted directly from the X-ray inspection unit for re-inspecting suspicious baggage retrieved from the reject/recheck line, thereby increasing passenger throughput rates.

9. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein incoming empty trays from flipper module (7) are transferred to the divesting station by tray recirculation station (11) provided with a plurality of roller floor conveyors which are actuated linearly along a hinge for the transfer of the tray to the bottom conveyor line.

10. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein the tray recirculation station (11) is provisioned with side entry for allowing empty trays from the reject recheck station (9) into the tray recirculation system, only one tray being sent in at a time.

11. The ITRS as claimed in any previous claims, wherein one control room is provided, where X-Ray images are analysed in parallel through centralized remote screening and all images from different security checking lines can be controlled by one or more operators depending on the passenger flow, thereby optimizing the number of line-operators to be deployed.

12. A method for using the intelligent tray return system as claimed in claims 1-11 comprises of:
- looking for immediate available free divest station by the passenger;
- picking up an empty tray from the lower conveyor line by the passenger;
- divesting bags/laptops/mobile phones, putting them in the empty tray and pushing the tray into the divest station (1) by the passenger;
- conveying the tray to the metering module (3) and then to decision module (4) via X-Bis by conveying module (2);
- in case of a reject, moving the tray by the decision module (4) to reject module (8) and reject bag recheck station (9) for recheck and rejected luggage collection (10) after final rejection;
- in case of an accept, moving the tray by the decision module (4) to baggage reclaim station (5) for the passengers to collect;
- automatically moving the empty tray to ETRM (6) and then to flipper module (7) after passenger picks up the bags from the reclaim collection (10); and
- moving the empty tray to tray recirculation station (11) and from there to return of empty tray pick up station (13) via curve module (12).
Dated this 14th day of September, 2018.

(SUBHASISH GHOSH)
IN/PA – 212
Applicants’ Agent
for seenergi IPR