Autonomous surveillance system

• US 20060257853A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Smiths Detection Incorporated (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Detection Incorporated (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Herman, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/007,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257853A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2205 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0255 with mechanical, e.g. inertial, classification, and investigation of sorted collections with centrifuges G01N15/042
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0272 with screening; with classification by filtering B01D takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/022 sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2217 using a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/019 Biological contaminants; Fouling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6439 with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

A detection system includes a collector for capturing a first particle, a first device for determining a class of a second particle, a second device for determining an identity of the first particle, and a control system. The control system is configured to select a test to be performed by the second device based on the class determined by the first device.

Claims

1. A detection system, comprising:

a collector for capturing a first particle contained in an aerosol;

a first device for determining a class of a second particle contained in the aerosol;

a second device for determining an identity of the first particle; and

a control system configured to select a test to be performed by the second device based on the class determined by the first device.

2. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device is configured to select the class from the group consisting of bacteria, fungus, toxin, and virus.

3. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the first and second particles are biological particles.

4. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to be portable.

5. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to be mounted to a vehicle.

6. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is a handheld detection system.

7. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to be mounted to a stationary object.

8. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to be installed in a building.

9. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the detection system is configured to be installed in an out of doors location.

10. The detection system of claim 1, wherein a size of the detection system is approximately 6 cubic feet or less.

11. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector is configured to sample ambient air.

12. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector is configured to capture respirable particles.

13. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector is configured to collect particles having a size in a range from approximately 1 μ

m to approximately 10 μ

m.

14. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector includes a wet concentrator.

15. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector includes a dry filter.

16. The detection system of claim 15, further comprising a mechanism for automatically washing the dry filter.

17. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the collector is configured to generate a liquid sample containing the first particle.

18. The detection system of claim 17, wherein the collector is configured to provide the liquid sample to the second device.

19. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the first device is configured to sample ambient air.

20. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the first device is configured to induce fluorescence of the second particle and to analyze the induced fluorescence to determine the class of the second particle.

21. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the first device is configured to determine the class of the second particle in approximately 2 minutes or less.

22. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device includes a polymerase chain reaction module.

23. The detection system of claim 22, wherein the control system is configured to select a polymerase chain reaction test for bacterial agents when the first device determines that the class of the second particle is bacteria, wherein the control system is configured to select a polymerase chain reaction test for fungal agents when the first device determines that the class of the second particle is fungus, wherein the control system is configured to select a polymerase chain reaction test for viral agents when the first device determines that the class of the second particle is virus, and/or wherein the control system is configured to select a polymerase chain reaction test for toxic agents when the first device determines that the class of the second particle is toxin.

24. The detection system of claim 22, wherein one of the tests selected by the control system includes a polymerase chain reaction test for bacterial agents, a polymerase chain reaction test for fungal agents, a polymerase chain reaction test for viral agents, and/or a polymerase chain reaction test for toxic agents.

25. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device includes an array of polymerase chain reaction modules.

26. The detection system of claim 25, wherein the polymerase chain reaction modules are capable of operating simultaneously.

27. The detection system of claim 25, wherein the polymerase chain reaction modules are capable of operating independently.

28. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device is configured to perform a lateral flow antibody assay.

29. The detection system of claim 28, wherein the second device includes a lateral flow strip.

30. The detection system of claim 29, wherein the second device includes an imaging source configured to read the lateral flow strip.

31. The detection system of claim 30, wherein the imaging source includes a photomultiplier tube and/or a CCD camera.

32. The detection system of claim 29, wherein the control system is configured to select the lateral flow strip based on the class determined by the first device.

33. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device is configured to perform a competitive antibody-antigen assay.

34. The detection device of claim 33, wherein the second device includes a luminometer configured to read a result of the competitive antibody-antigen assay.

35. The detection system of claim 33, wherein the control system is configured to select the competitive antibody-antigen assay based on the class determined by the first device.

36. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device includes a surface plasmon resonance chip.

37. The detection system of claim 36, wherein the control system is configured to select the surface plasmon resonance chip based on the class determined by the first device.

38. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the second device is configured to determine the identity of the first particle in approximately one hour or less after the first particle is captured by the collector.

39. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control operation of the detection system.

40. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the control system includes a wireless communication system for remote control of the detection system.

41. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to initiate the test in the second device after the first device determines the class of the second particle.

42. The detection system of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure for enclosing at least a portion of the detection system.

43. The detection system of claim 42, wherein the control system is configured to control a temperature in the enclosure.

44. The detection system of claim 42, wherein the control system is configured to maintain a temperature in the enclosure in a range of approximately 10°

C. to 30°

C.

45. The detection system of claim 42, wherein the control system is configured to maintain a temperature in the enclosure at approximately 18°

C.

46. A method for analyzing an airborne particle, comprising:

sampling ambient air;

capturing a first particle from the ambient air;

generating a liquid sample that includes the first particle;

analyzing a second particle from the ambient air to determine a class of the second particle;

selecting a test to determine an identity of the first particle based on the class of the second particle; and

subjecting the liquid sample to the test.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the class includes bacteria, fungus, virus, and toxin.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising performing a polymerase chain reaction assay for a bacterial agent when the class is bacteria, performing a polymerase chain reaction assay for a fungal agent when the class is fungus, performing a polymerase chain reaction assay for a viral agent when the class is virus, and performing a polymerase chain reaction assay for a toxic agent when the class is toxin.