Carrier security system

• US 7,005,982 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative American Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovative American Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Frank, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/280,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.26, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.17, 340/692, 436/58, 436/63, 436/57
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3595 using FTIR
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence

Abstract

A process deploys detection devices in the carrier vehicles, collection facilities and collection boxes to determine if hazardous materials have deposited. The system is designed to provide detection, identification and measurement of chemical, biological and DNA/RNA elements. When a hazardous material is detected, an alarm notifies the worker. The system communicates with a central monitoring station that receives vehicle ID, GPS positioning and identification of the hazardous material. A HAZMAT team is then dispatched to the vehicle site. Systems that can benefit include carrier vehicles, collection boxes, collection facilities, mail carriers, cargo carriers, freight carriers, package delivery services, express delivery services, etc. The carrier vehicles may include trucks, automobiles, aircraft and ships. The collection boxes may include, containers, mail collection boxes, express delivery collection boxes, etc. The collection facilities may include mail and package receiving centers, express mail and package receiving stations, and shipping and receiving stations.

Claims

1. A carrier security system comprising:

an element detection system for automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting, comprising detecting by calorimetric spectroscopy at least one biological hazardous element and without using chemical reagents, at least one unauthorized element in a carrier storage environment for containing at least one delivery item, and wherein the element detection system includes an impactor that collects particles for the detecting by the element detection system;

a computer system communicatively coupled to the element detection system, the computer system being responsive to the element detection system automatically detecting the at least one unauthorized element for communicating detected element information from the element detection system to the computer system for automatically detecting at least one unauthorized element in the carrier storage environment and determining an alarm condition; and

an alarm notification system communicatively coupled to the computer system for generating an alarm notification signal in response to the computer system determining an alarm condition.

2. The carrier security system of claim 1, further comprising at least one remote monitoring station, being communicatively coupled with the computer system, for remotely monitoring the alarm condition determined by the computer system.

3. The carrier security system of claim 2, wherein the at least one remote monitoring station is communicatively coupled with the computer system by at least one of a wired link and a wireless link.

4. The carrier security system of claim 1, wherein the element detection system is suitable for detection of the following:

a chemical hazardous element, a biological hazardous element, a radioactive hazardous element, and an explosive hazardous element.

5. The carrier security system of claim 1, further comprising a video information capture system, communicatively coupled to the computer system, for capturing video information of the carrier storage environment containing delivery items, and wherein the computer system determining an alarm condition further associates any captured video information with the alarm condition for providing the captured video information to personnel.

6. The carrier security system of claim 5, further comprising at least one remote monitoring station, being communicatively coupled with the computer system, for remotely monitoring the alarm condition determined by the computer system.

7. The carrier security system of claim 6, wherein, in response to the computer system determining the alarm condition, the at least one remote monitoring station remotely receives the captured video information associated with the alarm condition for providing the captured video information to remote monitoring station personnel.

8. The carrier security system of claim 1, wherein the element detection system comprises:

a static detection system for collecting samples of air in the carrier environment in order to detect at least one unauthorized element; and

a verification station, communicatively coupled to the static detection system, the verification station for monitoring the collected air samples from the static detection system and identifying the at least one unauthorized element.

9. The carrier security system of claim 8, wherein the static detection system comprises:

an air handler for circulating the air in the carrier environment; and

a self-sealing filter for trapping particles of the at least one unauthorized element and allow removal of the filter without contamination from the at least one unauthorized element.

10. The carrier security system of claim 9, wherein the verification station comprises at least one of an ion trap mass spectrometer and a radioactive detection device.

11. The carrier security system of claim 10, wherein the radioactive detection device comprises at least one of a gamma ray detection device, an x-ray detection device, and a neutron detection device.

12. The carrier security system of claim 8, wherein the verification station identifies the at least one unauthorized element by calorimetric spectroscopy.

13. The carrier security system of claim 12, wherein the verification station comprises a CalSpec tester for detecting the at least one unauthorized element at a sensitivity of substantially one part per trillion.

14. The carrier security system of claim 1, further comprising:

a means for automatically moving the element detection system throughout the carrier storage environment.

15. The carrier security system of claim 1, wherein the element detection system further for automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting at least one radioactive hazardous element.

16. The carrier security system of claim 1, wherein the element detection system includes a virtual impactor that collects particles for the detecting by the element detection system.

17. A carrier vehicle security system comprising:

an element detection system for automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting, comprising detecting by calorimetric spectroscopy at least one biological hazardous element and without using chemical reagents, at least one unauthorized element in a carrier vehicle environment for containing at least one delivery item, the element detection system further for detecting at least one chemical hazardous element, and wherein the element detection system includes an impactor that collects particles for the detecting by the element detection system;

a computer system communicatively coupled to the element detection system, the computer system being responsive to the element detection system automatically detecting the at least one unauthorized element for communicating detected element information from the element detection system to the computer system for automatically detecting at least one unauthorized element in the carrier vehicle environment and determining an alarm condition; and

an alarm notification system communicatively coupled to the computer system for generating an alarm notification signal in response to the computer system determining an alarm condition.

18. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, further comprising at least one remote monitoring station, being communicatively coupled with the computer system, for remotely monitoring the alarm condition determined by the computer system.

19. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 18, wherein the at least one remote monitoring station is communicatively coupled with the computer system by at least one of a wired link and a wireless link.

20. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 18, wherein the at least one remote monitoring station comprises an alarm condition notification system for notifying remote monitoring station personnel that an alarm condition has been determined by the computer system of the carrier vehicle security system.

21. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, wherein the element detection system is suitable for detection of the following:

a a radioactive hazardous element and an explosive hazardous element.

22. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, further comprising a video information capture system, communicatively coupled to the computer system, for capturing video information of the carrier vehicle environment containing delivery items, and wherein the computer system determining an alarm condition further associates any captured video information with the alarm condition for providing the captured video information to personnel.

23. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 22, further comprising at least one remote monitoring station, being communicatively coupled with the computer system, for remotely monitoring the alarm condition determined by the computer system.

24. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 23, wherein, in response to the computer system determining the alarm condition, the at least one remote monitoring station remotely receives the captured video information associated with the alarm condition for providing the captured video information to remote monitoring station personnel.

25. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, wherein the alarm notification signal comprises at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication of the determined alarm condition.

26. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, further comprising a global positioning system, communicatively coupled to the computer system, for locating a position of the carrier vehicle environment containing delivery items, and wherein the computer system determining an alarm condition further associates any global positioning information with the alarm condition.

27. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 17, wherein the element detection system comprises a CalSpec tester for detecting the at least one unauthorized element comprising detecting the at least one biological hazardous element.

28. The carrier vehicle security system of claim 27, wherein the CalSpec tester for detecting the at least one unauthorized element at a sensitivity of substantially one part per trillion.

29. A method comprising the steps of:

automatically, continuously, and autonomously, monitoring the air in a carrier storage environment for containing at least one delivery item;

automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting, comprising detecting by calorimetric spectroscopy at least one biological hazardous element and without using chemical reagents, at least one unauthorized element in the carrier storage environment;

particle collection by an impactor, wherein collected particles being used by the detecting of the at least one unauthorized element;

capturing information relating to the at least one unauthorized element from the element detection system;

automatically determining, from the captured information, an alarm condition; and

generating an alarm notification signal in response to determining an alarm condition.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting the at least one unauthorized element further comprising detecting for:

a chemical hazardous element, a a radioactive hazardous element, and an explosive hazardous element.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising associating any captured video information of the carrier storage environment with the alarm condition.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the alarm notification signal comprises at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication of the determined alarm condition.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting comprises detecting the at least one unauthorized element by calorimetric spectroscopy.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting is done with a CalSpec tester for detecting the at least one unauthorized element at a sensitivity of substantially one part per trillion.

35. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions for performing the steps of:

automatically, continuously, and autonomously, monitoring the air in a carrier storage environment for containing at least one delivery item;

automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting, comprising detecting by calorimetric spectroscopy at least one biological hazardous element and without using chemical reagents, at least one unauthorized element in the carrier storage environment;

particle collection by an impactor, wherein collected particles being used by the detecting of the at least one unauthorized element;

capturing information relating to the detected at least one unauthorized element from the element detection system;

automatically determining, from the captured information, an alarm condition; and

generating an alarm notification signal in response to determining an alarm condition.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the automatically, continuously, and autonomously, detecting the at least one unauthorized element further comprising detecting for:

a chemical hazardous element, a radioactive hazardous element, and an explosive hazardous element.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 35, further comprising computer instructions for associating any captured video information of the carrier storage environment with the alarm condition.