Wireless network for detection of hazardous materials

• US 20040164859A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: La Spisa, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/372,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164859A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for communicating the detection of hazardous materials, such as a radioactive substance. The method includes detecting at least one hazardous material. This step may be realized using a detector positioned with a wireless unit, for example. Thereafter, at least one wireless unit transmits a notification message in response to detecting hazardous material. The notification message is then received by at least one processing center. The geo-location of the wireless unit and the source of the notification message are subsequently calculated so that the processing center may track the hazardous material, in the event it is mobile.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication comprising:

detecting at least one hazardous material; and

transmitting a notification message from at least one wireless unit in response to the step of detecting at least one hazardous material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting is performed by a detector positioned within the wireless unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message identifies the detected hazardous material as comprising at least one of a radioactive substance, a chemical substance, a biological substance and contraband.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is transmitted over a wireless emergency channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is transmitted within a communication protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is transmitted using a prioritization scheme over other traffic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message comprises at least one of geo-location data, a detected quantity of the hazardous material, a location of the hazardous material, and the time of the hazardous material was first detected.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step:

calculating the geo-location data of the wireless unit.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step:

calculating the location of the detected hazardous material.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step:

tracking the detected hazardous material.

11. A method of wireless communication comprising:

receiving a notification message acknowledging detection of at least one hazardous material by at least one processing center.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification message is transmitted by at least one wireless unit in response to detecting at least one hazardous material.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification message identifies the at least one detected hazardous material as comprising at least one of a radioactive substance, a chemical substance, a biological substance and contraband.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification message is at least one of received over a wireless emergency channel and received within a communication protocol.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification message is received using a prioritization scheme over other traffic.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification message comprises at least one of geo-location data, a detected quantity of the hazardous material, a location of the hazardous material, and the time of the hazardous material was first detected.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

calculating geo-location data of a transmission point for the notification message; and

calculating location data of the detected hazardous material.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step:

tracking the detected hazardous material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of tracking the detected hazardous material comprises:

broadcasting a control message in the proximity of the transmission point of the notification message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of tracking further comprises:

receiving at least another notification message in the proximity of the transmission point of the notification message.