Tracking, safety and navigation system for firefighters

• US 20030156495A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Summit Safety, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Summit Safety, Inc.
• Inventors: Bruck, Donald B., MacGregor, Malcolm S., Chizinski, Paul M., Haase, Wayne C., Haase, Zachary S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,826,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8034 wherein the signals are derived simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/64 Luminous indications G01S7/62 takes precedence ; short-range imaging G01S7/52076

Abstract

An ultrasonic signal is used to link a beacon unit to a tracker unit to provide a tracking and navigation system for firefighters to use in a smoke filled environment at the scene of a fire. The beacon unit transmits an omnidirectional ultrasonic signal. The tracker unit, using a directional ultrasonic receiver provides a display or other indication of the signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal to allow the direction to the beacon unit to be determined. The ultrasonic signal provided by the beacon unit may be pulse modulated to include digitally encoded data that may be used to identify particular individuals, objects, materials, dangers, or exits. In addition, the tracker unit may be provided with a transmitter and the beacon unit provided with a receiver such that audio communication may be established therebetween.

Claims

1. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom;

a horn structure having a neck with a first width and an exit orifice having a second width, the second width being greater than the first width

a tracker including an ultrasonic receiver including an ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer disposed within the neck of the horn structure, the ultrasonic receiver capable of receiving the ultrasonic signal having a first frequency via the horn structure, the tracker further providing an indicia of a measurement of the received signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a single visual indicator in which the intensity of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, a single visual indicator pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, an audio signal in which the pitch changes as a function of the received signal strength and an audio signal pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate is a function of the received signal strength;

wherein the approximate azimuth is provided by the direction corresponding to the maximum received signal strength and distance from the tracker to the beacon can be estimated as a function of the maximum received signal strength.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a motion detector coupled to the beacon wherein the motion detector is configured and arranged to activate the beacon in the event that the beacon is motionless for a predetermined period of time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a pulse modulator coupled to the ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the pulse modulator is configured and arranged to cooperate with the ultrasonic transmitter to provide a pulsed ultrasonic signal for transmission via the omnidirectional antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pulse modulator modulates the ultrasonic signal with an encoded unique identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique identifier identifies an individual.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique identifier identifies an object.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique identifier identifies an exit.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique identifier is encoded using a sequence of digital bits.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse position modulation scheme.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse width modulation scheme.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 further including an environmental sensor for measuring one or more environmental conditions coupled to the pulse modulator, wherein the pulse modulator provides an pulsed ultrasonic signal encoded with indicia of the measured one or more environmental conditions.

12. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom;

a tracker including an ultrasonic receiver having an ultrasonic transducer coupled to a directional antenna, the ultrasonic receiver including a narrow band receiver including an in-phase and a quadrature phase receiver, the in-phase and quadrature phase receivers each including a mixer coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and receiving signals therefrom and to a local oscillator, the mixer providing an output signal to a low pass filter, wherein the in-phase local oscillator and the quadrature-phase local oscillator are ninety degrees out of phase with one another, the narrow band receiver capable of receiving the ultrasonic signal having a first frequency via the directional antenna, the narrow band receiver further providing an output that is the in-phase received signal and the quadrature-phase received signal, and/or a combination of the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals and to provide an indicia of a measurement of the received signal strength of the the in-phase received signal and the quadrature-phase received signal, and/or a combination of the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a single visual indicator in which the intensity of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, a single visual indicator pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, an audio signal in which the pitch changes as a function of the received signal strength and an audio signal pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate is a function of the received signal strength;

wherein the approximate azimuth is provided by the direction corresponding to the maximum received in-phase received signal and the quadrature-phase received signal, and/or a combination of the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals strength and distance from the tracker to the beacon can be estimated as a function of the maximum received signal strength.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further including a motion detector coupled to the beacon wherein the motion detector is configured and arranged to activate the beacon in the event that the beacon is motionless for a predetermined period of time.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further including a pulse modulator coupled to the ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the pulse modulator is configured and arranged to cooperate with the ultrasonic transmitter to provide a pulsed ultrasonic signal for transmission via the omnidirectional antenna.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the pulse modulator modulates the ultrasonic signal with an encoded unique identifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the unique identifier identifies an individual.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the unique identifier identifies an object.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the unique identifier identifies an exit.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the unique identifier is encoded using a sequence of digital bits.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse position modulation scheme.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse width modulation scheme.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 further including an environmental sensor for measuring one or more environmental conditions coupled to the pulse modulator, wherein the pulse modulator provides an pulsed ultrasonic signal encoded with indicia of the measured one or more environmental conditions.

23. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom;

a tracker including an ultrasonic receiver coupled to a directional antenna, the ultrasonic receiver including an adaptive AGC/squelch circuit that is operative to adjust the gain of received signals by reducing the gain of signals having a signal strength below a predetermined value, wherein the signals signal to noise ration of a signal having a signal strength greater than the predetermined value is increased, the ultrasonic receiver capable of receiving the ultrasonic signal having a first frequency via the directional antenna, the tracker further providing an indicia of a measurement of the received signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a single visual indicator in which the intensity of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, a single visual indicator pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, an audio signal in which the pitch changes as a function of the received signal strength and an audio signal pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate is a function of the received signal strength;

wherein the approximate azimuth is provided by the direction corresponding to the maximum received signal strength and distance from the tracker to the beacon can be estimated as a function of the maximum received signal strength.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further including a motion detector coupled to the beacon wherein the motion detector is configured and arranged to activate the beacon in the event that the beacon is motionless for a predetermined period of time.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further including a pulse modulator coupled to the ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the pulse modulator is configured and arranged to cooperate with the ultrasonic transmitter to provide a pulsed ultrasonic signal for transmission via the omnidirectional antenna.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the pulse modulator modulates the ultrasonic signal with an encoded unique identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the unique identifier identifies an individual.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the unique identifier identifies an object.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the unique identifier identifies an exit.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the unique identifier is encoded using a sequence of digital bits.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse position modulation scheme.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the sequence of digital bits is encoded using a pulse width modulation scheme.

33. The apparatus of claim 25 further including an environmental sensor for measuring one or more environmental conditions coupled to the pulse modulator, wherein the pulse modulator provides an pulsed ultrasonic signal encoded with indicia of the measured one or more environmental conditions.

34. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including a plurality of ultrasonic transmitters each coupled to a unique directional antenna to transmit a corresponding ultrasonic signal therefrom, wherein each directional antenna oriented to a distinct direction(and providing a predetermined amount of overlap with the adjacent directional antennas, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic signals are directed such that a the ultra sonic signals are provided over a predetermined area, wherein each of the ultrasonic transmitters providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the corresponding directional antenna for transmission therefrom each of the ultrasonic transmitter including a pulse modulator coupled thereto, wherein each of the pulse modulators is configured and arranged to cooperate with the corresponding ultrasonic transmitter to provide a pulsed ultrasonic signal for transmission via the corresponding directional antenna, and wherein the pulse modulator modulates the ultrasonic signal with an encoded unique identifier that identifies one from the group comprising of an object, an obstacle, and an exit.

35. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to a directional antenna at a first location, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the directional antenna for transmission therefrom, the ultrasonic transmitter including a pulse modulator coupled thereto, wherein the pulse modulators configured and arranged to cooperate with the ultrasonic transmitter to provide a pulsed ultrasonic signal for transmission via the directional antenna, wherein the pulse modulator modulates the ultrasonic signal with an encoded unique identifier that identifies the first location and type of one from the group comprising of an individual, an object, an obstacle, and an exit, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter and directional antenna are collocated at the location and are operative to scan the area adjacent to the location with the pulsed ultrasonic signal.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is mechanically rotated to scan the area adjacent to the first location.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is electronically rotated to scan the area adjacent to the first location.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the beacon includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers coupled to the directional antenna to provide an ultrasonic signal therefrom, each ultrasonic transducer further coupled to a delay module, each of the delay modules are operative to provide a predetermined delay in the transmission of the pulsed ultrasonic signal from the corresponding transducer to provide a desired predetermined direction for the pulsed ultrasonic signal, wherein the predetermined delay for each of the delay modules can be adjusted to electronically scan the area adjacent to the first location.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the delay modules are delay lines.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein each delay modules is operative to convert the corresponding transducer signal to a digital format at a predetermined time corresponding to the desired delay of that corresponding signal.

41. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom;

a remote display unit;

a tracker probe including an ultrasonic receiver coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic receiver capable of receiving the ultrasonic signal having a first frequency via the omnidirectional antenna, the tracker further coupled to the remote display unity and further providing a measurement of the received signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal to the remote display unity, wherein the remote display unit is operative to provide indicia of the received measurement of the received signal strength, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a single visual indicator in which the intensity of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, a single visual indicator pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, an audio signal in which the pitch changes as a function of the received signal strength and an audio signal pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate is a function of the received signal strength;

wherein the approximate azimuth is provided by the direction corresponding to the maximum received signal strength and distance from the tracker to the beacon can be estimated as a function of the maximum received signal strength.

42. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom, the beacon further including a second signal source that is periodically pulsed on.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the second signal source is a second ultrasonic transmitter that is configured and operative to transmit a second ultrasonic signal at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is within the hearing range of a dog.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the second signal source is a thermal transmitter that is configured and operative to transmit a second signal that is pulsed on and off, wherein the second signal is a thermal signal.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the thermal transmitter is a thermally isolated resistive element.

46. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the thermal transmitter is a light bulb.

47. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an omnidirectional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the omnidirectional antenna for transmission therefrom;

a tracker including an ultrasonic receiver coupled to a directional antenna, the ultrasonic receiver capable of receiving the ultrasonic signal having a first frequency via the directional antenna, the tracker further providing an indicia of a measurement of the received signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of a single visual indicator in which the intensity of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, a single visual indicator pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate of the single visual indicator is dependent upon the received signal strength, an audio signal in which the pitch changes as a function of the received signal strength and an audio signal pulsed on and off at a pulse rate in which the pulse rate is a function of the received signal strength, wherein the approximate azimuth is provided by the direction corresponding to the maximum received signal strength and distance from the tracker to the beacon can be estimated as a function of the maximum received signal strength; and

a thermal imaging camera coupled to the tracker and aligned therewith, the thermal imaging camera and tracker combination operative to provide a thermal image of an area in conjunction with the indicia of the received signal strength of the received ultrasonic signal of substantially the same area.

48. An apparatus for locating people and objects in a difficult to see environment, the apparatus comprising:

a beacon including an ultrasonic transmitter coupled to an directional antenna, the ultrasonic transmitter providing an ultrasonic signal having a first frequency to the directional antenna for transmission therefrom toward an object or person to be imaged;

an ultrasonic imaging system including a Fresnel zone plate acoustically coupled the object or person that is to be imaged, a focal plane array including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers acoustically coupled to the Fresnel zone plate and operative to convert received ultrasonic signals received from the Fresnel zone plate into electrical signals, imaging electronics electrically coupled to the focal plane array and operative convert the electrical signals into video signals, a display coupled to the imaging electronics and operative to display the video signals as an acoustic image.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 further including a video imaging camera providing an optical video image of the person or object to be imaged, wherein display is operative to display the optical video image and overlay thereon the acoustic image formed by the ultrasonic imaging system.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the video imaging camera is a thermal imaging camera, the apparatus further including a thermal source coupled to the person or object to be imaged, wherein the person or object to be imaged is pulsed by a short pulse of thermal energy from the thermal source and wherein the display will provide an image of the increased absorption of the heat by the person or object to be imaged.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the received thermal and ultrasonic are amplitude filtered such that only thermal and ultrasonic signals having an amplitude greater than a predetermined value are displayed.