Geopositionable expendable sensors and the use therefor for monitoring surface conditions
First Claim
1. A sensor system for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of sensor pods, comprising, a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data, comprising a chemical reagent which is released from the sensor pod and reacts with contamination at the terrain surface to form a reactant, and a spectral analysis unit which quantifies the reactant and the level of contamination measured, a processor for processing the contaminating agent data, a geopositioning mechanism for determining the position of the sensor, and a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data; and
(b) an airborne dispensing portion for dispensing the plurality of sensor pod to the terrain surface, and (c) an airborne monitoring portion for receiving the transmitted contamination agent data and position data from the plurality of sensor pods.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor system for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof. The sensor system includes a plurality of sensor pods, a ground station, an airborne dispensing portion, and an airborne monitoring portion. The sensor pods include a pod housing, a descent slowing airfoil, a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data, a processor for processing the contaminating agent data, a GPS unit for determining the position of the sensor, and a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data to the airborne monitoring portion. The airborne monitoring portion receives the transmitted data from the sensor pods, and relays the data to the ground station, where the contamination map is made available.
32 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A sensor system for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of sensor pods, comprising, a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data, comprising a chemical reagent which is released from the sensor pod and reacts with contamination at the terrain surface to form a reactant, and a spectral analysis unit which quantifies the reactant and the level of contamination measured, a processor for processing the contaminating agent data, a geopositioning mechanism for determining the position of the sensor, and a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data; and
(b) an airborne dispensing portion for dispensing the plurality of sensor pod to the terrain surface, and (c) an airborne monitoring portion for receiving the transmitted contamination agent data and position data from the plurality of sensor pods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A sensor system for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of sensor pods, comprising, a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data, a processor for processing the contaminating agent data, a geopositioning mechanism for determining the position of the sensor, and a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data;
(b) an airborne dispensing portion for dispensing the plurality of sensor pod to the terrain surface, and (c) an airborne monitoring portion for receiving the transmitted contamination agent data and position data from the plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor has an identification code which is transmitted by the transmitter to the airborne monitoring system, and wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor pods is a master sensor pod which includes a RF receiver, and at least one of the plurality of sensor pods is a slave sensor pod which includes a RF transmitter for transmitting the at least one slave sensor pod'"'"'s identification code, the slave sensor pod'"'"'s contamination agent data, and a time stamp of the slave sensor, which master sensor pod then uplinks the data from the slave pod and its own data to the airborne monitoring system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A sensor system for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of sensor pods, comprising, a pod housing, a descent slowing mechanism on the pod housing, a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data, the detector unit comprising a chemical reagent which is released from the sensor pod and reacts with contamination at the terrain surface to form a reactant, and a spectral analysis unit which quantifies the reactant and the level of contamination measured, a processor for processing the contaminating agent data, a geopositioning mechanism for determining the position of the sensor, and a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data;
(b) a ground station;
(c) an airborne dispensing portion for dispensing the plurality of sensor pods to the terrain surface, and (d) an airborne monitoring portion for receiving the transmitted contamination agent data and position data from the plurality of sensors, and a transmitter for transmitting the contamination agent data and position data from the plurality of sensor pods to the ground station. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A sensor pod for monitoring for the presence of contamination with one or more contaminating biological, chemical and/or radioactive agents on a terrain surface, and creating a contamination map thereof, comprising:
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a pod housing;
a descent slowing mechanism on the pod housing;
a detector unit for detection of the contaminating agent and outputting contaminating agent data;
a chemical reagent which is released from the sensor pod and reacts with contamination at the terrain surface to form a reactant;
a spectral analysis unit which quantifies the reactant and a level of contamination measured;
a processor for processing the contaminating agent data;
a geopositioning mechanism for determining the position of the sensor; and
a transmitter for transmitting contamination agent data and position data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification