Real-time predictive sensor network and deployable sensor

• US 10,291,711 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRIAD National Security, LLC
• Original Assignee: TRIAD National Security, LLC
• Inventors: Hehlen, Markus, Brown, Michael, Frigo, Janette, Priedhorsky, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US15/868,517
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/00 Recording measured values
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/826 where the data is sent periodically
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Deployable, predictive sensor systems may form a sensor network configured to provide environmental data in real-time or near-real-time. The sensors may be deployable sensors that can be launched and/or airdropped in areas that may be contaminated or otherwise unsafe for humans to enter. The predictive sensor network may include sensor tetrapods that may include anemometers for measuring wind speed, radiation sensors, gaseous contaminant sensors, biological sensors, and/or any other desired sensor type. These sensors may inform wind, transport and dispersion models in real-time. The sensor tetrapods may be satellite-linked, linked via a cellular network, linked via RF line-of-sight, a wireless communication link, and/or another compatible wireless network to a wind, dispersal, and deposition model that provides a dispersion pattern, a deposition pattern, and a wind pattern to enable a high-quality remote assessment of the changing scene in real-time.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of deployable sensors, each deployable sensor comprising at least four collapsible legs with respective springs that snap the at least four legs into a geometric configuration when released for deployment, the at least four collapsible legs protecting the respective deployable sensor during unpowered landing after being released for deployment regardless of an orientation in which the deployable sensor lands, the collapsible legs facilitating more compact packing with other deployable sensors prior to deployment; and

at least one computing system, wherein

the plurality of deployable sensors are configured to;

collect information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position, and

transmit the collected information to the at least one computing system, and

the at least one computing system is configured to;

receive the transmitted information collected by the plurality of deployable sensors,

calculate a concentration, transport, and dispersal of the contaminants using a predictive model,

produce a contamination map based on the calculated concentration, transport, and dispersal of the contaminants from the predictive model, the contamination map comprising a dispersion pattern, a deposition pattern, and a wind pattern, and

transmit the contamination map to at least one user device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected information comprises spatial data pertaining to radiation, chemical contaminants, and/or biological contaminants.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameters comprise wind speed and direction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deployable sensors are tetrapod sensors comprising four legs in a tetrapod configuration.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deployable sensors comprise:

a microprocessor configured to process the collected information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position; and

radio frequency (RF) circuitry configured to transmit the processed information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position from the microprocessor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of deployable sensors further comprise:

a scintillator that emits light when struck by ionizing radiation;

a photodetector configured to produce an analog electrical signal responsive to detecting light emitted by the scintillator; and

signal processing circuitry configured to convert the analog electrical signal from the photodetector into a digital signal that can be processed by the microprocessor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of deployable sensors further comprise:

an environmental sensor configured to provide the environmental parameters; and

a global positioning system (GPS) configured to provide a current location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the information pertaining to the contaminants comprises a gamma (γ

) rate, γ

spectrum, and neutron rate.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a ballistic launch unit configured to launch the plurality of deployable sensors into a contaminated area.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deployable sensors that are ballistically deployable, and the plurality of legs are configured to survive impact with the ground after being launched.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein each leg is a rigid member that does not bend along its length, but bends at an end thereof via the respective springs.

9. A deployable sensor, comprising:

a sensor body housing components, the components configured to;

collect information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position, and

transmit the collected information to the at least one computing system;

a plurality of legs attached to the sensor, the plurality of legs enabling the sensor to be deployed ballistically, dropped from manned or unmanned aircraft, or both, the at least four collapsible legs protecting the respective deployable sensor during unpowered landing after being released for deployment regardless of an orientation in which the deployable sensor lands;

at least one spring for each leg that snap the legs into a geometric configuration when released for deployment, the collapsible legs facilitating more compact packing with other deployable sensors prior to deployment; and

an environmental sensor configured to detect and provide wind data for use in determining a wind pattern when combined with wind data from other deployable sensors.

10. The deployable sensor of claim 9, wherein the collected information comprises spatial data pertaining to radiation, chemical contaminants, and/or biological contaminants.

11. The deployable sensor of claim 9, wherein the environmental parameters comprise wind speed and direction.

12. The deployable sensor of claim 9, wherein plurality of legs comprise four legs in a tetrapod configuration.

13. The deployable sensor of claim 9, wherein the components comprise:

a microprocessor configured to process the collected information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position; and

radio frequency (RF) circuitry configured to transmit the processed information pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position from the microprocessor.

14. The deployable sensor of claim 13, wherein the components further comprise:

a scintillator that emits light when struck by ionizing radiation;

a photodetector configured to produce an analog electrical signal responsive to detecting light emitted by the scintillator; and

signal processing circuitry configured to convert the analog electrical signal from the photodetector into a digital signal that can be processed by the microprocessor.

15. The deployable sensor of claim 13, wherein the components further comprise:

an environmental sensor configured to provide the environmental parameters; and

a global positioning system (GPS) configured to provide a current location.

16. A computing system, comprising:

memory storing computer program code for predictive modeling of contaminants; and

at least one processor configured to execute the computer program code, the computing system configured to;

receive information collected by a plurality of deployable sensors pertaining to contaminants, environmental parameters, and position,

calculate a concentration, transport, and dispersal of the contaminants using a predictive model, and

produce a contamination map based on the calculated concentration, transport, and dispersal of the contaminants from the predictive model, the contamination map comprising a dispersion pattern, a deposition pattern, and a wind pattern, wherein

the computing system is part of a deployable sensor comprising at least four collapsible legs with respective springs that snap the at least four legs into a geometric configuration when released for deployment, the at least four collapsible legs protecting the respective deployable sensor during unpowered landing after being released for deployment regardless of an orientation in which the deployable sensor lands, the collapsible legs facilitating more compact packing with other deployable sensors prior to deployment.