Module pack for coordination of work within hazardous environments

• US 6,282,410 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southern California Edison Company (Edison International)
• Original Assignee: Southern California Edison Company (Edison International)
• Inventors: Joyce, John, Monsen, Andres III
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US09/240,917
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 455/74, 455/860, 455/89, 455/90, 455/575, 455/78, 455/566, 455/66, 455/344, 340/539, 340/691.1, 340/693.1, 340/693.5, 340/693.6, 340/521, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 250/388, 250/484.5, 250/364, 250/380, 250/370, 250/435, 250/438
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/026 Semiconductor dose-rate meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/12 Provision for actuation of an alarm

Abstract

A module pack for relaying communications and data information includes: (a) a portable housing, (b) an audio signal receiver disposed within the housing, the audio signal receiver being capable of receiving electromagnetic audio signals, (c) a video signal receiver disposed within the housing, the video signal receiver being capable of receiving electromagnetic video signals, (d) a radiation dosimeter receiver disposed within the housing, and radiation dosimeter receiver being capable of receiving radiation dosimeter data, and (e) a communications data transmitter for transmitting the audio signals, the video signals and the dosimeter data to a location separate from the housing via a single communications data transmission cable. The invention provides a fully integrated module which allows for critical communications and radiation dosimetry data to be exchanged between several workers working simultaneously within the work area and with health physics technicians and supervisors working away from the work area. The combination of the invention allows for the rapid and efficient set-up, operation and disassembly of various modular communications and radiation dosimetry data receiver/transmitters. Use of the invention has been found to greatly reduce the costs of conducting work within radiation hazardous environments, while greatly improving the ability of the workers to conduct the work in a safe and efficient manner.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

(a) a portable housing;

(b) an audio signal receiver attached to the housing, the audio signal receiver being capable of receiving electromagnetic audio signals;

(c) a video signal receiver attached to the housing, the video signal receiver being capable of receiving video signals;

(d) a radiation dosimeter receiver attached to the housing, the radiation dosimeter receiver being capable of receiving radiation dosimeter data; and

(e) a communications data transmitter disposed within the portable housing for transmitting said audio signals, said video signals and said radiation dosimeter data to a location separate from the housing via a single communications data transmission cable.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing encloses a volume less than about 12 cubic feet.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing has the shape of a parallelepiped.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing has a plurality of handles and wheels to allow it to be easily translate across a horizontal surface.

5. The combination of claim 1 having a plurality of audio signal receivers attached to the housing.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the audio signal receivers are microcell base stations, each capable of supporting multiple cellular telephones.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the audio signal receiver is attached to the housing via an audio signal receiver input cable which attaches to an audio signal receiver cable connection port attached to the housing.

8. The combination of claim 7 further comprising an audio signal receiver input cable tester.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the video signal receiver has multiple video signal receivers attached to the housing.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the video signal receiver further comprises a video camera control signal transmitter capable of transmitting control signals to a pan/tilt/zoom video camera.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein the video signal receiver is attached to the housing via a video signal receiver input cable which attaches to a video signal receiver cable connection port attached to the housing.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein the radiation dosimeter receiver is capable of receiving radiation dosimeter data via electromagnetic waves.

13. The combination of claim 1 comprising a plurality of radiation dosimeter receivers attached to the housing.

14. The combination of claim 1 wherein the radiation dosimeter receiver is powered by AC electrical power having a voltage greater than about 10 volts.

15. The combination of claim 1 wherein the radiation dosimeter signal receiver is attached to the housing via a radiation dosimeter signal receiver input cable which attaches to a radiation dosimeter signal receiver connection port attached to the housing.

16. The combination of claim 1 wherein the communications data transmitter includes a plurality of VTT transmitters and a terminal server.

17. The combination of claim 1 wherein the audio signal receiver is attached to the housing via an audio receiver cable connection port and an audio signal receiver input cable, the video receiver is attached to the housing via a video signal receiver cable connection port and the radiation dosimeter receiver is attached to the housing via a radiation dosimeter receiver cable connection port and a radiation dosimeter receiver input cable, and wherein the audio receiver cable connection port can only be used to connect the audio signal receiver input cable, wherein the video signal receiver connection port can only be used to connect the video signal receiver input cable and wherein the radiation dosimeter receiver cable connection port can only be used to connect the radiation dosimeter receiver input cable.

18. The combination of claim 1 wherein the communications data transmission cable is a UTP cable.

19. A combination comprising:

(a) a portable housing enclosing a volume less than about 12 cubic feet;

(b) a plurality of audio signal receivers attached to the housing, the audio signal receivers being capable of receiving audio communications data from a plurality of cellular telephones via electromagnetic waves;

(c) a plurality of video signal receivers attached to the housing, the video signal receivers being capable of receiving electromagnetic video signals;

(d) a plurality of radiation dosimeter receivers attached to the housing, the radiation dosimeter receivers being capable of receiving radiation dosimeter data via electromagnetic waves; and

(e) a communications data transmitter disposed within the portable housing for transmitting said audio signals, said video signals and said dosimeter data to a location separate from the housing via a single communications data transmission cable.

20. A combination comprising:

(a) a portable housing;

(b) an audio signal receiver attached to the housing, the audio signal receiver being capable of receiving electromagnetic audio signals;

(c) a video signal receiver attached to the housing, the video signal receiver being capable of receiving video signals;

(d) a hazardous material indication receiver attached to the housing, the hazardous indication receiver being capable of receiving hazardous material indication data; and

(e) a communications data transmitter disposed within the portable housing for transmitting said audio signals, said video signals and said radiation dosimeter data to a location separate from the housing via a single communications data transmission cable.