Airborne biota monitoring and control system

• US 6,853,328 B1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Information Movement and Management, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Augustus H. Green, David L. Guice, William V. Dent
• Inventors: Dent, William V., Green, Augustus H., Guice, David L
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US10/721,112
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342 52- 56, 342/59, 342/175, 342/90, 342192-197, 250/493.1, 250/494.1, 250/495.1, 735/87, 431/07, 431/12, 431/21, 431/24, 431/321, 431/33, 431/38, 431/44, 356 401- 515
• US Class Current: 342/54
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/026 combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/012 Flying insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/002 Detecting animals in a given area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for identifying harmful airborne biota, particularly insects, and including plant material, such as mold spores and pollen, and flying insects and birds and either killing ordisabling the harmful airborne biota is disclosed. Lasers, radar, and other types of radiation may be used to illuminate at least a perimeter around assets to be protected, with radiation returns detected and applied to a pattern classifier to determine whether the detected insects of interests are harmful, benign or beneficial. In the event the insects are determined to be harmful, a variety of measures responsive to the radiation returns may be taken to eliminate the harmful insects, these measures including firing pulses of beamed energy or radiation of a sufficient intensity to at least incapacitate them, or mechanical measures such as controlled drone aircraft to track and kill the pests.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and disabling or killing harmful airborne biota, particularly insects, comprising:

at least one energy-transmitting transmitter positioned to emit a beam of detection energy over or around an area to be protected from said harmful airborne biota,

a receiver of a return signal of said detection energy from said harmful airborne biota,

one or more data processors for processing said return signal and identifying said airborne biota,

a harmful airborne biota killing or disabling system responsive to said one or more data processors.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said energy-transmitting transmitter comprises a radar beam.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said harmful airborne biota killing or disabling system comprises a laser beam.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said harmful airborne biota killing or disabling system comprises a range-limited beam of energy.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said range-limited beam of energy further comprises an energy beam that is attenuated by atmosphere.

6. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said range-limited beam of energy further comprises focusing said range-limited beam of energy.

7. A system as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a backstop for said range-limited beam of energy.

8. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said range-limited beam of energy, is tilted upward at a relatively shallow angle.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said backstop is selectively positioned to block an upwardly tilted said range-limited beam of energy from an elevated feature so that said range-limited beam of energy cannot impinge on said elevated feature.

10. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said energy transmitting transmitter, said receiver and said a harmful airborne biota killing or disabling system are mounted on an elevated structure above said area to be protected.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one said elevated structure is positioned within said area to be protected.

12. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of said elevated structure positioned around said area to be protected.