Method of Operating a Networked CBRNE Detection System

• US 20090273471A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Tupper, Kevin J., Morrissey, Raymond, Bruzzi, Marie Catherine, Vinciguerra, Edward J., D'italia, Robert, Psinakis, Thomas J., Pellegrino, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/186 Fuzzy logic; neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

A CBRNE detection system and method for operating same are disclosed. The method provides a relatively increased Probability of Detection and a relatively decreased Probability of False Alarms for a networked system of detectors. In the illustrative embodiment, a central controller of the system is capable of receiving information from individual CBRNE detectors and of determining whether or not to issue an alarm indicating that a CBRNE event has occurred. Data obtained from individual CBRNE detectors is evaluated based on one or more “sensor alert-to-system alarm” processing modes. The various processing modes specify the requirements that must be satisfied before a system-wide “alarm” is issued.

Claims

1. A method for operating a CBRNE detection system, wherein the system comprises a plurality of networked CBRNE detectors that are installed at a location and that monitor one or more parameters that, as a function of a value thereof, are potentially indicative of elevated levels of a CBRNE agent and of the occurrence of a CBRNE event, wherein the method comprises:

selecting at least one alert-to-alarm processing mode from several available alert-to-alarm processing modes, wherein the alert-to-alarm processing modes determine whether or not to issue an alarm that a CBRNE event has occurred based on one or more alerts from one or more of the CBRNE detectors, wherein the alerts signify that the one or more parameters meet or exceed a threshold;

evaluating the alerts in accordance with the selected alert-to-alarm mode; and

issuing or not issuing the alarm based on the results of the evaluation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of selecting an alert-to-alarm processing mode further comprises selecting the processing mode before commissioning the CBRNE detection system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of selecting an alert-to-alarm processing mode further comprises selecting the processing mode in response to receiving the alert during operation of the CBRNE detection system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of selecting an alert-to-alarm processing mode further comprises periodically adjusting the threshold based on fluctuations in an expected background level of the monitored one or more parameters.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically adjusting an alert threshold based on information from an environmental sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically adjusting an alert threshold based on an evaluation of a potential efficacy of a CBRNE event based on prevailing environmental conditions.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically adjusting an alert threshold for a second detector based on estimated CBRNE-agent concentration at the second detector.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically adjusting an alert threshold based on an expected change in the monitored one or more parameters, wherein the change is expected based on a changed environmental condition.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of selecting an alert-to-alarm processing mode further comprises establishing an alarm logic.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the operation of establishing the alarm logic comprises establishing rules for dynamically selecting the alert-to-alarm processing mode.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising modifying the alarm logic by adjusting at least one logic parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a threshold to trigger an alert, duration of an alert, requirements for corroboration in time, requirements for corroboration in space, and windowing criteria.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the operation of establishing the alarm logic further comprises establishing a time window for corroborating alerts between different CBRNE detectors, wherein the time window is a function of a distance between the different CBRNE detectors and an expected propagation rate of a CBRNE agent.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the alert-to-alarm processing mode is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a single-detector mode wherein an alert from a single CBRNE detector is capable of triggering the alarm;

(b) a multi-detector corrobation mode wherein alerts from at least two of the CBRNE detectors are required to trigger the alarm; and

(c) an orthogonal-detector corrobation mode wherein alerts from at least two CBRNE detectors that use different detection technologies to detect the same CBRNE agent are required to trigger the alarm.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the operation of establishing an alarm logic, wherein establishing alarm logic comprises decreasing a threshold when the selected alert-to-alarm processing mode is changed from the single-detector mode to the multi-detector corroboration mode or the orthogonal-detector corroboration mode.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the operation of establishing an alarm logic, wherein, when the selected alert-to-alarm mode is one of the multi-detector corrobation mode or the orthogonal-detector corroboration mode, the operation of establishing alarm logic comprises establishing threshold values for at least some of the CBRNE detectors based on a location thereof relative to a location of a CBRNE detector that first issues an alert.

16. A method for operating a CBRNE detection system that comprises a plurality of CBRNE detectors that monitor one or more parameters that, as a function of a value thereof, are potentially indicative of elevated levels of a CBRNE agent and of the occurrence of a CBRNE event, wherein the method comprises:

selecting a first alert-to-alarm processing mode from a plurality of different alert-to-alarm processing modes, wherein the alert-to-alarm processing modes determine whether or not to issue an alarm that a CBRNE event has occurred based on one or more alerts from one or more CBRNE detectors, wherein the alerts signify that the one or more parameters meet or exceed a threshold;

changing to a second alert-to-alarm processing mode based on a triggering condition;

evaluating the alerts in accordance with at least the second alert-to-alarm processing mode; and

issuing or not issuing the alarm based on the results of the evaluation.

17. A system comprising a plurality of networked CBRNE detectors, wherein each CBRNE comprises:

a. one or more sensors for monitoring one or more parameters that, as a function of a value thereof, are potentially indicative of elevated levels of a CBRNE agent and of the occurrence of a CBRNE event; and

b. a processor that operates the CBRNE detector in accordance with at least one alert-to-alarm processing mode from several available alert-to-alarm processing modes, wherein the alert-to-alarm processing modes determine whether or not to issue an alarm that a CBRNE event has occurred based on one or more alerts from one or more of the CBRNE detectors, wherein the alerts signify that the one or more parameters meet or exceed a threshold.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the CBRNE detectors comprises an environmental sensor for sensing local environmental conditions.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a central control system, wherein the central control system is in communication with each of the networked CBRNE detectors.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the central control system or the processor in the CBRNE detector evaluates the alerts in accordance with the selected alert-to-alarm mode.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein at least one of the central control system or the processor in the CBRNE detector issues or does not issue an alarm based on the results of the evaluation.