METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ON-BOARD VEHICLE DETECTION OF HARMFUL MATERIAL

• US 20120242472A1
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clever Devices, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Clever Devices, Ltd.
• Inventors: Dowling, Anne, WALSH, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

An on-board terrorist threat detection and reporting system and method are provided for use on-board a transportation vehicle. The system includes a plurality of sensors for sensing a potential threat. The plurality of sensors are positioned on the transportation vehicle. The system also includes a database for storing threat related reference information, and a memory unit for storing sensor information corresponding to the potential threat sensed by one or more of the plurality of sensors. The system further includes a processor for analyzing the sensor information and corresponding threat related reference information.

Claims

1. A threat detection and reporting system on-board a transportation vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for sensing a potential threat, wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned on the transportation vehicle;

a database for storing threat related reference information;

a memory unit for storing sensor information corresponding to the potential threat sensed by one or more of the plurality of sensors; and

a processor for analyzing the sensor information and corresponding threat related reference information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor information comprises one or more of a time and date when sensing of a potential threat begins, a time and date when sensing of the potential threat ends, identifiers of the one or more sensors sensing the potential threat, positions of the one or more sensors within the transportation vehicle, a material identified as the potential threat, a material emission level, a location of the material within the transportation vehicle, and a location of the transportation vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the threat related reference information comprises one or more of materials that are known as potential threats, material emission levels known to be harmful, geographic areas that are known to contain the materials that are known as potential threats, geographic areas that are known to cause false-positives in identifying potential threats, geographic areas where the transportation vehicle is known not to be in service, and material emission levels appropriate for each geographic area.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates notifications based on the analyzed sensor information and corresponding threat related reference information and provides notification information to at least one of a transportation vehicle operator and outside systems.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a locating unit for determining a location of the transportation vehicle utilizing an odometer and a Global Positioning System of the transportation vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of sensors are positioned near entrance and exit areas of the transportation vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor analyzes the sensor information by determining whether a material identified as the potential threat has been left in the transportation vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor analyzes the sensor information by determining whether a material identified as the potential threat has been brought onto or taken off the transportation vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor analyzes the sensor information by determining whether a material identified as the potential threat is being accumulated by sensing the material on the transportation vehicle a predetermined number of times over a predetermined period of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor analyzes the sensor information by further determining whether the accumulated material identified as the potential threat is being transported to a common location.

11. An on-board threat detection and reporting method in a transportation vehicle comprising the steps of:

monitoring for a potential threat at a plurality of sensors positioned on the transportation vehicle;

storing threat related reference information in a database of the transportation vehicle;

storing sensor information corresponding to the potential threat, when the potential threat is sensed by one or more of the plurality of sensors; and

analyzing the sensor information and corresponding threat related reference information at a processor in the transportation vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor information comprises one or more of a time and date when sensing of the potential threat begins, a time and date when sensing of the potential threat ends, identifiers of the one or more sensors sensing the potential threat, a position of the one or more sensors within the transportation vehicle, a material identified as the potential threat, a material emission level, a location of the material within the transportation vehicle, and a location of the transportation vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the threat related reference information comprises one or more materials that are known as potential threats, material emission levels known to be harmful, geographic areas that are known to contain the materials that are known as potential threats, geographic areas that are known to cause false-positives in identifying potential threats, geographic areas where the transportation vehicle is known not to be in service, and material emission levels appropriate for each geographic area.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating notifications at the processor based on the analyzed sensor information and corresponding threat related reference information; and

providing notification information to at least one of a transportation vehicle operator and outside systems.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a location of the transportation vehicle at a locating unit utilizing an odometer and a Global Positioning System of the transportation vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of sensors are positioned near entrance and exit areas of the transportation vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing sensor information comprises determining whether a material identified as the potential threat has been left in the transportation vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing sensor information comprises determining whether a material identified as the potential threat has been brought on or taken off the transportation vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the sensor information comprises determining whether a material identified as the potential threat is being accumulated by sensing the material a predetermined number of times over a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein analyzing the sensor information further comprises determining whether the accumulated material identified as the potential threat is being transported to a common location.