Airborne Deployed Radio Frequency Identification Sensing System to Detect an Analyte

• US 20090243855A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US of A As Represented By The Secretary of The Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Prokopuk, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 7,876,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder

Abstract

The invention generally relates to an airborne deployed passive radio frequency identification system and a method to identify an analyte and then to communicate a result of the analyte identification to a receiving station for an analysis and generation of a set of recommended actions. The invention will enhance the situational awareness and preparedness of forward deployed combat troops or security forces by assessing the presence of benign substances or hazardous substances as they advance and enter an area.

Claims

1. An airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising:

an unmanned air vehicle;

at least one RFID canister separable from said unmanned air vehicle;

a parachute for controlling a descent of a separated RFID canister;

a plurality of RFID sensors contained within said separated RFID canister;

a scattering mechanism contained within said separated RFID canister to scatter said plurality of RFID sensors over an area to be monitored resulting in an RFID monitored area;

a transceiver contained within said unmanned air vehicle for sequencing an interrogation signal and a response signal wherein said interrogation signal and said response signal are in communication with said plurality of RFID sensors;

an interrogation response processor contained within said unmanned air vehicle for processing said interrogation signal and said response signal;

a telemetry system partially contained within said unmanned air vehicle for communicating an output of said interrogation response processor to a receiving station; and

a computer in communication with said receiving station wherein said computer processes said output of said interrogation response processor as transmitted by said telemetry system and received by said receiving station.

2. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said RFID canister is further comprised of:

a shell to protect an RFID sensor compartment containing said plurality of RFID sensors and to protect a deployment system compartment containing said scattering mechanism wherein said RFID compartment and said deployment system compartment communicate using a two way valve;

an opening in said shell wherein said opening is an access for passing a firing pin lanyard;

said opening operating as a pressure equalization port wherein said pressure equalization port equalizes an air pressure within said deployment system compartment with an external air pressure; and

a parachute anchor point connected to said shell for anchoring said parachute.

3. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said scattering mechanism is further comprised of:

a firing pin;

a spring kept in a state of compression by said firing pin;

a firing pin lanyard for removing said firing pin, said firing pin lanyard having a first end connected to said firing pin, said firing pin lanyard having a second end connected to said parachute wherein a deployment of said parachute removes said firing pin resulting in a decompression of said spring;

a piezoelectric switch which is activated in response to said decompression of said spring wherein activating said piezoelectric switch connects a battery supply to a collector lead of a transistor and connects said battery supply to an input of a voltage regulator;

an altitude sensor for sensing an altitude for said separated RFID canister, said altitude sensor having a power input port connected to an output voltage port of said voltage regulator, said altitude sensor having an altitude data output port wherein said altitude data output port communicates an altitude measurement;

a microcontroller for processing said altitude measurement, said microcontroller having an input data port connected to said altitude data output port, said microcontroller having a triggering output port connected to a base lead of said transistor wherein said triggering output port communicates a result of said microcontroller processing said altitude measurement;

a valve connected to an emitter lead of said transistor wherein said valve is activated by a voltage present at the emitter lead of said transistor, said valve controlling a release of a compressed gas into said RFID canister creating a pressure build up within said RFID canister to exert a separating force on a bottom plate of said RFID canister resulting in a scattering of said plurality of RFID sensors when said bottom plate is separated from said RFID canister.

4. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of RFID sensors is further comprised of:

at least one RFID sensor to detect an explosive agent;

at least one RFID sensor to detect a chemical agent;

at least one RFID sensor to detect a biological agent; and

at least one RFID sensor to detect a radiological agent.

5. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, in which said plurality of RFID sensors comprises at least one RFID sensor selected from the group consisting of an explosive agent RFID sensor, a chemical agent RFID sensor, a biological agent RFID and a radiological agent RFID sensor.

6. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said telemetry system includes a ground based receiving station comprised of:

a telemetry antenna for collecting a transmitted telemetry stream transmitted from said unmanned air vehicle;

a receiver having a receiver input port and having a receiver output port wherein said receiver input port is connected to said telemetry antenna;

a bit synchronizer having an bit synchronizer input port connected to said receiver output port of said bit receiver, said bit synchronizer synchronizing said telemetry stream transmitted from said unmanned air vehicle, said bit synchronizer having a bit synchronizer output port;

a decommutation unit having a decommutation input port connected to said bit synchronizer output port of said bit synchronizer, said decommutation unit decommutating said telemetry stream transmitted from said unmanned air vehicle, said decommutation unit having a decommutation output port; and

a telemetry processor having a telemetry processor input port connected to said decommutation output port of said decommutation unit, said telemetry processor having a telemetry processor output port wherein said telemetry processor outputs data corresponding to a content of said telemetry stream transmitted from said unmanned air vehicle.

7. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said unmanned air vehicle maneuvers along a predetermined flight path wherein said predetermined flight path begins at an RFID canister drop point coordinate and encompasses said area to be monitored.

8. The airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 1, wherein said computer system operates a software algorithm, said software algorithm having an output for conveying to a user a plurality of alerts and a plurality of corresponding recommended measures wherein said plurality of alerts and said plurality of corresponding recommended measures are adopted by said user to modify a mission.

9. An passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system for detecting a plurality of substances comprising:

means for detecting said plurality of substances whereby said means for detecting provides for and results in an identification of said plurality of substances;

means for airborne delivery of said means for detecting;

means for scattering said means for detecting over an area whereby a scattering of said means for detecting results in an area to be monitored;

means for communicating with said means for detecting which are located within said area to be monitored whereby said means for communication outputs a detection report;

means for detection report processing whereby said means for detection report processing outputs a telemetry message obtained from processing said detection report;

means for transmitting said telemetry message;

means for receiving said telemetry message whereby said means for receiving outputs a received telemetry message;

means for processing said received telemetry message whereby said means for processing produces a processed telemetry message;

means for converting said processed telemetry message into an observable alert and an observable recommendation; and

means for conveying said observable alert and said observable recommendation to a user.

10. The passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 9, whereby said means for scattering is further comprised of:

means for directing a current flow originating from a power supply means;

an altitude sensing means for sensing an altitude of said means for scattering whereby said altitude sensing means has an altitude output;

means for controlling a switching means whereby said switching means is responsive to said altitude output; and

pressurization means for exerting a separation pressure on said means for scattering whereby activation of said pressurization means is responsive to said switching means.

11. The passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 9, whereby said means for detecting said plurality of substances is further comprised of:

means for detecting an explosive agent;

means for detecting a chemical agent;

means for detecting a biological agent; and

means for detecting a radiological agent.

12. The passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 9, whereby said means for transmitting is further comprised of:

means for collecting a transmitted telemetry stream whereby said means for collecting said transmitted telemetry stream includes a collected telemetry stream output;

said means for receiving said collected telemetry stream output whereby said means for receiving includes a receiver output;

means for synchronizing said receiver output whereby said means for synchronizing includes a synchronized output;

means for decommutating said synchronized output whereby said means for decommutating includes a decommutated output; and

means for processing said decommutated output whereby said means for processing includes said processed telemetry message.

13. The passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 9, whereby said means for airborne delivery is further comprised of:

means for flying along a predetermined flight path;

means for changing an altitude of said means for airborne delivery; and

navigation means for determining a latitude, longitude and altitude of said means for airborne delivery.

14. The passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 9, whereby said means for processing said received telemetry message is further comprised of:

a first software means to retrieve said identification of said plurality of substances from said processed telemetry message;

second software means to retrieve a merged detection report from said processed telemetry message;

a third software means to retrieve a location coordinate from said processed telemetry message; and

a fourth software means to format an output of said first software means, an output of said second software means, and an output of said third software means into a format compatible for processing by said means for converting.

15. A method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system to identify a type of hazardous material, said method comprising the steps of:

dropping a canister containing a plurality of RFID sensors wherein said RFID sensors are dropped from an airborne vehicle at a predetermined coordinate;

recording in a first computer memory a first global positioning coordinate of said predetermined coordinate;

scattering said plurality of RFID sensors over an area wherein said scattering results in a monitored area and said monitored area is monitored for the presence of said type of hazardous material;

flying a predetermined flight path wherein said predetermined flight path is flown over said monitored area;

identifying said type of hazardous material using said plurality of RFID sensors;

interrogating each of said plurality of RFID sensors to obtain a response from each of said plurality of RFID sensors wherein said response identifies said type of hazardous material present in said monitored area;

recording in a second computer memory a second global positioning coordinate of said response;

storing in a third computer memory a first retrievable dataset wherein said first retrievable dataset includes said type of hazardous material present in said monitored area and said second global positioning coordinate of said response;

operating a first computer software program operatively coupled to said retrievable dataset wherein said first computer software program includes a correlation window calculation;

applying said correlation window calculation to a content of said first retrievable dataset wherein said content includes said type of hazardous material present in said monitored area and said second global positioning coordinate of said response resulting in a merged detection report;

transmitting said merged detection report in a telemetry message to a telemetry receiver wherein said telemetry receiver is operatively coupled to a second computer software program;

handling and interpreting said telemetry message received by said telemetry receiver wherein said second computer software program handles and interprets said telemetry message resulting in a second retrievable dataset;

storing said second retrievable dataset in a fourth computer memory wherein said second retrievable dataset includes said merged detection report;

converting said merged detection report into an observable alert and an observable recommendation using an analysis and recommendation algorithm; and

conveying said observable alert and said observable recommendation to a user.

16. The method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 15, wherein said scattering step further includes:

directing a current flow originating for a power supply, said power supply providing said current flow to an altitude sensor, a switch and a valve;

sensing an altitude utilizing an altitude sensor having an altitude measurement output;

controlling a switch whereby said switch is responsive to said altitude measurement output; and

exerting a separation pressure force whereby an activation of a valve produces said separation pressure force, said activation of said valve is responsive to said switch, and said separation force is generated by releasing a compressed gas through said valve upon said activation of said valve.

17. The method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 15, wherein said identifying step further includes:

identifying an explosive agent;

identifying a chemical agent;

identifying a biological agent; and

identifying a radiological agent.

18. The method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 15, wherein said flying step further includes:

changing an altitude of said airborne vehicle wherein said altitude is in the range of 50 feet to 200 feet above a ground level;

flying a spiral flight pattern over said monitored area; and

determining a latitude, longitude and altitude position of said airborne vehicle while flying said spiral flight pattern using a global positioning system and a flight control computer.

19. The method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 15, in which said plurality of RFID sensors comprises at least one RFID sensor selected from the group consisting of an explosive agent RFID sensor, a chemical agent RFID sensor, a biological agent RFID and a radiological agent RFID sensor.

20. The method for using an airborne passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system of claim 15, wherein said conveying step further includes:

presenting to said user a graphical display wherein said graphical display includes a plurality of graphical symbols identifying said type of hazardous material and said second global positioning coordinate;

presenting to said user a textual display wherein said textual display includes a plurality of textual symbols identifying said type of hazardous material and said second global positioning coordinate;

presenting to said user a combined display, said combined display including a combination of said graphical symbols and said textual symbols wherein said combined display identifies said type of hazardous material and said second global positioning coordinate; and

presenting to said user a recommended measure based upon an output of said analysis and recommendation algorithm wherein said recommended measure is displayed on said graphical display, is displayed on said textual display and is displayed on said combined display.