System and method for securing a large infrastructure

• US 20060068754A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Azzaro, Steven Hector, Goldfarb, Helena, Shaginaw, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/955,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/00 Protection or supervision of installations arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00

Abstract

A security monitoring system 10 for a large infrastructure 12 is provided. The system includes several magnetometers 14 disposed around an area 16 of the infrastructure. According to aspects of present technique at least one magnetometer 28 is configured to relay an alert signal indicating a change in a magnetic flux profile around the area. A central unit 56 is configured to receive the alert signal from at least one magnetometer and initiate a response to the alert signal.

Claims

1. A security monitoring system for large infrastructure, comprising:

a plurality of magnetometers disposed around an area of the infrastructure, wherein at least one magnetometer is configured to relay an alert signal indicating a change in a magnetic flux profile in the area.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a central unit configured to receive the alert signal from the at least one magnetometer and initiate a response to the alert signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetometers sense at least a magnet flux and the change in magnetic flux profile.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the change in the magnetic flux profile occurs due to the presence of metal objects indicating a local disturbance in the magnetic flux.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of magnetometers compensate for an initial local disturbance.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of magnetometers sense and determine whether the local disturbance is normal.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one magnetometer senses and determines whether the local disturbance is not normal and relays the alert signal to a central unit.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor package, the sensor package comprising at least one of an acoustic, an accelerometer, or a sounder and wherein the sensor package determines at least one attribute about the area, the attribute indicating a local disturbance.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetometers establish a network for wirelessly communicating the alert signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetometers have a neighbor or a parent child relationship with each other.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one magnetometer is initialized for a known location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of magnetometers have no known location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the magnetometers have at least one fixed frame of reference.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a sounder for locating relative positions of the plurality of magnetometers.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an RF receiver for locating the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal via a strength of RF signal.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a global positioning system receiver for determining a location of the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the magnetometers are configured to use triangulation to determine a location of the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of magnetometers communicate in a node to node or a hub to hub manner.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein a dedicated node is used to relay the alert signal to the central unit.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are charged by a battery.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the battery is a solar cell and battery system.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are charged by a power scavenging unit.

23. A security monitoring system for securing a large infrastructure, comprising:

a plurality of magnetometers disposed around the infrastructure and configured to sense magnetic flux and to relay an alert signal indicating a change in magnetic flux around the infrastructure, the plurality of magnetometers establishing a wireless network for communication of the alert signal; and

a remote monitoring unit configured to receive the alert signal from at least one magnetometer and to initiate a response to the alert signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of magnetometers sense at least a magnet flux and the change in magnetic flux to determine a local disturbance.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one magnetometer senses and determines whether the local disturbance is not normal and relays the alert signal to the remote monitoring unit.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising a sensor package disposed around the pipeline, the sensor package comprising at least one of an acoustic, an accelerometer, or a sounder, and wherein the sensor package determines at least one attribute about the infrastructure, the attribute indicating a local disturbance.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are calibrated for base levels of the magnetic flux at a respective locations of individual magnetometers from the plurality of magnetometers.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are charged by a battery.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the battery is a solar cell and battery system.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are charged by a power scavenging unit.

31. A method for securing a large infrastructure, the method comprising:

deploying a plurality of magnetometers around the large infrastructure, the magnetometers forming a wireless network;

sensing at least a magnetic flux and a change in magnetic flux around the large infrastructure via at least one magnetometer and generating a sensed signal; and

analyzing the sensed signal for determining a local disturbance around the large infrastructure,

wherein the change in the magnetic flux occurs due to the presence of metal objects indicating the local disturbance.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining whether the local disturbance is normal or not normal.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising relaying an alert signal to a central unit when the local disturbance is not normal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a dedicated node is used to relay the alert signal to the central unit.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising compensating for an initial local disturbance.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the establishing the network comprises establishing a neighbor or a parent child relationship amongst the plurality of magnetometers.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one magnetometer is initialized for a known location.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the plurality of magnetometers have no known location.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the magnetometers have at least one fixed frame of reference.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising using a sounder for locating relative positions of the plurality of magnetometer.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising using an RF detector for locating the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising using a global positioning system receiver for determining a location of the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising using triangulation to determine a location of the at least one magnetometer relaying the alert signal.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the plurality of magnetometers communicate in a node to node or a hub to hub manner.

45. The method of claim 31, further comprising charging the plurality of magnetometers via a battery.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the battery is a solar cell and battery system.

47. The method of claim 31 further comprising charging the plurality of magnetometers via a power scavenging unit.

48. A method for securing a large infrastructure, the method comprising:

deploying a plurality of magnetometers around the large infrastructure;

sensing at least a magnetic flux and a change in magnetic flux around the large infrastructure via at least one magnetometer and generating a sensed signal; and

analyzing the sensed signal for determining a local disturbance around the large infrastructure,

wherein the change in the magnetic flux occurs due to the presence of metal objects indicating the local disturbance.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising establishing a wireless network around the large infrastructure using the plurality of magnetometers.

50. A means for securing a large infrastructure comprising:

means for establishing a wireless network around the large infrastructure using a plurality of magnetometers;

means for sensing at least a magnetic flux and a change in magnetic flux around the large infrastructure via at least one magnetometer and generating a sensed signal; and

means for analyzing the sensed signal for determining a local disturbance around the large infrastructure,

wherein the change in the magnetic flux occurs due to the presence of metal objects indicating the local disturbance.