Intelligent system for detecting multiple hazards and field marker therefor

• US 6,876,308 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bahador Ghahramani
• Original Assignee: Bahador Ghahramani
• Inventors: Ghahramani, Bahador
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/674,761
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/540, 340/505, 340/10.1, 340/693.5, 340/539.22, 340/521, 340/632, 340/690, 340/691.4, 340/691.7, 340/606, 340/618, 340/603, 340/573.1, 89/11.3, 102/402, 588/200
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 7/00 Arrangement or adaptation of portable emergency signal devices on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/12 Means for clearing land minefields; Systems specially adapted for detection of landmines

Abstract

A system of identifying, classifying quantifying, notifying and neutralizing an environmental hazard comprises a field deployable marker and a remote receiving station. The field deployable marker carries a means for identifying, a means for classifying and a means for quantifying any environmental hazard. A means for notifying the remote receiving station and a means for neutralizing the identified environmental hazard are also carried by the field deployable marker wherein the means for notifying transmits data to the remote receiving station.

Claims

1. A system of detecting, qualifying, quantifying, providing notification of and neutralizing an environmental hazard comprises a field deployable marker, a remote station and separably deployable means for neutralizing said environmental hazard, said field deployable marker carrying a means for detecting, qualifying and quantifying environmental hazards, a means for communicating to a remote station, a means for controlling said means for detecting, qualifying, and quantifying and a means for signaling, said means for signaling indicating status of said field deployable marker or status of environmental conditions surrounding said field deployable marker, when deployed, to said remote station and/or personnel within sight of a deployed field deployable marker wherein said means for communicating transmits data to said remote station.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said means for communicating has a means for activating sensors carried by said field deployable marker, a means for transmitting and a means for receiving associated therewith, said means for activating receiving instruction from said remote station through said means for receiving.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein said means for activating has means to change an onboard state of said means for signaling, said onboard state comprising a first state selected from the group comprising sampling or unknown mode, low level hazard and high level hazard and a second state selected from the group comprising sampling or unknown mode, low level hazard, high level hazard and safe mode.

4. A system as in claim 3 wherein said onboard state of said means for signaling:

has a preset initial state indicating unknown mode at deployment of said field deployable marker.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein said means for activating changes said initial state to a second state corresponding to an environmental condition at a position where said field marker has been deployed, said means for activating changing said initial state to said second state upon receiving a command signal from said remote station.

6. A system as in claim 4 wherein said means for activating changes said initial state to a second state corresponding to an environmental condition at a position where said field marker has been deployed, said means for activating changing said initial state to said second state upon detecting an elevated level of at least one hazard.

7. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating is queried to submit sampling data.

8. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating is queried to resubmit sampling data.

9. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating is queried to start a sampling sequence.

10. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating is queried to restart a sampling sequence.

11. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating changes said coded identification number.

12. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating changes said access code.

13. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating changes said coded identification number and said access code.

14. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating changes an onboard state of said means for signaling, said onboard state comprising a first state selected from the group comprising sampling or unknown mode, low level hazard and high level hazard and a second state selected from the group comprising sampling or unknown mode, low level hazard, high level hazard and safe mode.

15. A system as in claim 2 wherein said remote station addresses any one of a plurality of said field deployable markers by transmitting a coded identification number and an access code to said one field deployable marker wherein said means for activating deactivates said one field deployable marker.

16. A system of detecting, qualifying, quantifying, providing notification of and neutralizing an environmental hazard comprises a field deployable marker, a remote station and separably deployable means for neutralizing said environmental hazard, said field deployable marker carrying a means for detecting, qualifying and quantifying environmental hazards, a means for communicating to a remote station, a means for controlling said means for detecting qualifying and quantifying and a means for signaling, said means for signaling indicating status of said field deployable marker or status of environmental conditions surrounding said field deployable marker, when deployed, to said remote station and/or personnel within sight of a deployed field deployable marker wherein said remote station receives at least one data stream from said means for communicating.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein said remote station contains personnel to evaluate said data stream.

18. A system as in claim 17 wherein said personnel at said remote station transmit at least one command sequence to said field deployable marker using a pocket transmitter.

19. A system as in claim 17 wherein said personnel at said remote station transmit at least one command sequence to said field deployable marker using a Geo-Positional Satellite.

20. A system of detecting, qualifying, quantifying, providing notification of and neutralizing an environmental hazard comprises a field deployable marker, a remote station and separably deployable means for neutralizing said environmental hazard, said field deployable marker carrying a means for detecting, qualifying and quantifying environmental hazards, a means for communicating to a remote station, a means for controlling said means for detecting, qualifying and quantifying and a means for signaling, said means for signaling indicating status of said field deployable marker or status of environmental conditions surrounding said field deployable marker, when deployed to said remote station and/or personnel within sight of a deployed field deployable marker wherein personnel at said remote station deploy effective countermeasures through said separably deployable means in response to information received from said field deployable marker through said means for communicating.