Systems and methods for detecting and processing

• US 7,019,637 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Yoshimura, Ann S., Johnson, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/402,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/521, 340/522, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 702182-185, 702/188, 700 29- 30, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provides systems and method for detecting. Sensing modules are provided in communication with one or more detectors. In some embodiments, detectors are provided that are sensitive to chemical, biological, or radiological agents. Embodiments of sensing modules include processing capabilities to analyze, perform computations on, and/or run models to predict or interpret data received from one or more detectors. Embodiments of sensing modules form various network configurations with one another and/or with one or more data aggregation devices. Some embodiments of sensing modules include power management functionalities.

Claims

1. A sensing module comprising:

at least one detector interface coupleable to a detector;

at least one environmental sensor interface coupleable to an environmental sensor unit;

at least one processor configured to receive data from the at least one detector interface and the at least one environmental sensor interface during operation, the at least one processor further being operable to generate transmit information based, at least in part, on data received from the detector interface and the environmental sensor interface;

at least one wireless modem in communication with the at least one processor through a plurality of interfaces, the wireless modem being operable to transmit the transmit information; and

a power module coupleable to a power source and configured to provide power management for the wireless modem, the at least one processor, and the environmental sensor interface.

2. A sensing module according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interfaces, each coupleable to a detector.

3. A sensing module according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interfaces, each coupleable to an environmental sensing unit.

4. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the wireless modem is configured to communicate according to a peer-to-peer protocol.

5. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the wireless modem is configured to communicate according to a star topology protocol.

6. A sensing module according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wireless modems and a plurality of antennas, each in communication with at least one of the modems.

7. A sensing module according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the wireless modems is configured to communicate according to a peer-to-peer protocol and at least one of the wireless modems is configured to communicate according to a star topology protocol.

8. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the power management comprises switching between an internal and an external power source.

9. A sensing module according to claim 8, wherein the power management further comprises charging an internal power source.

10. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute a model to predict a measurement from the detector interface.

11. A sensing module according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare at least some of the data received from the detector interface with the prediction.

12. A sensing module according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive data from a second sensing module, and predict a measurement from the detector interface based, at least in part, on data received from the second sensing module.

13. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute a model to interpret a measurement from the detector interface.

14. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the detector to which the detector interface is coupleable is chosen from a group of detectors including chemical, biological, and radiological detectors.

15. A sensing module according to claim 1, wherein the sensing module is mobile.

16. A method for detecting a condition and generating an alarm when the condition is detected, the method comprising:

predicting detector data based, at least in part, on a model of the condition;

receiving data indicative of the condition; and

generating an alarm based, at least in part, on a comparison between the received data and the predicted data, the alarm being generated if the received data is in accordance with the model.

17. A method for detecting according to claim 16, further comprising receiving data indicative of a second condition and

wherein the predicting is further based on the data indicative of the second condition.

18. A method for detecting according to claim 16, further comprising aggregating the received data indicative of a plurality of the conditions;

and generating the alarm based, at least in part, on the aggregated received data.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising modifying the manner in which the detector data are predicted.

20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising modifying the model.

21. A method according to claim 16, the method further comprising:

mediating communication between a detector and a first network; and

simultaneously mediating communication between a sensing module and a second network.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first network is a wireless network and said second network is a wired network.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said second network is an Ethernet network.

24. A detection system comprising:

a plurality of detection modules, each of the detection modules comprising;

at least one environmental sensor interface coupleable to an environmental sensor unit;

at least one processor configured to receive data from the at least one environmental sensor interface during operation, the at least one processor further being operable to generate transmit information based, at least in part, on data received from the at least one environmental sensor interface;

at least one wireless modem in communication with at least one processor through a modem interfaces, the wireless modem being operable to transmit the transmit information; and

a power module coupleable to a power source and configured to provide power management for the wireless modem, the at least one processor, and the at least one environmental sensor interface; and

an aggregation device in communication with the plurality of detection modules according to a star topology protocol;

wherein the aggregation device is configured to control one or more of the detection modules.

25. A detection system according to claim 24, wherein the detection modules are in communication with each other according to a peer-to-peer protocol.

26. A detection system according to claim 24, wherein the aggregation device comprises a sensing module.

27. A method for detecting a condition and generating an alarm when the condition is detected, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of the sensing modules, each of the sensing modules being operable to provide data indicative of the condition;

forming an ad hoc network of the sensing modules;

predicting detector data based, at least in part, on a model of the condition;

receiving data indicative of the condition from the sensing modules; and

generating an alarm based, at least in part, on a comparison between the received data and the predicted data.

28. A method for detecting according to claim 27, wherein the alarm is generated if the received data violates the model.

29. A method for detecting according to claim 27, wherein the alarm is generated if the received data is in accordance with the model.

30. A method for detecting according to claim 27, further comprising receiving data indicative of a second condition;

and

wherein the predicting is further based on the data indicative of a second condition.

31. A method for detecting according to claim 27, further comprising providing a data aggregation device in communication with the plurality of sensing modules;

and controlling at least one of the sensing modules using the data aggregation device.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the controlling comprises modifying the behavior of at least one detector.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein the controlling comprises modifying the model.

34. A method according to claim 27, the method further comprising:

mediating communication between a detector and a first network; and

simultaneously mediating communication between a sensing module and a second network.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said first network is a wireless network and said second network is a wired network.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein said second network is an Ethernet network.