Methods and systems for providing security

• US 7,129,830 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, Steven H., Hager, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US10/987,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/539.13, 340/988, 340/524, 340/525, 340/506, 342/118, 342/126, 342/118.1, 701/200, 701/215, 701/214, 701/125
• US Class Current: 340/500
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/20 Calibration, including self-calibrating arrangements

Abstract

A security system is described which includes a base station, at least one calibration unit and at least one sensor module having at least one sensor therein. The calibration unit is configured to provide signals to the at least one sensor module. The signals contain data configured to at least partially enable each sensor module to determine its location within a coordinate system. Each sensor module is further configured to transmit module location data, module orientation data, and sensor status from each sensor to the base station.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a base station;

at least one sensor module comprising at least one sensor and a processor; and

at least one calibration unit, said calibration unit configured to transmit signals to be received by said at least one sensor module, said signals containing a plurality of GPS derived locations and times of transmission, said processor programmed to calculate a position of said sensor module within a three dimensional coordinate system utilizing said plurality of GPS derived locations and times of transmission, said at least one sensor module configured to transmit module location data, module orientation data, and sensor status from said at least one sensor to said base station.

2. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor comprises one or more of a smoke sensor, a fire sensor, a gas sensor, an audio sensor, a video sensor, and a vibration sensor.

3. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor module is configured to periodically transmit module location data, module orientation data, and sensor status utilizing a frequency from about 20 kHz to about 100 kHz.

4. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one calibration unit is configured to:

determine its location within a coordinate system utilizing GPS; and

transmit a GPS derived location and a time of transmission.

5. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one calibration unit comprises a clock, said clock configured to receive time updates based on GPS information received by said calibration unit.

6. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one calibration unit comprises a first calibration unit and a second calibration unit, said first calibration unit configured to determine its location within a coordinate system utilizing GPS, said second calibration unit configured to receive a location of said first calibration unit from said first calibration unit, then determine its location within the coordinate system utilizing GPS.

7. A security system according to claim 6 wherein said first calibration unit and said second calibration unit are configured to sequentially transmit their location within the coordinate system, as derived from received GPS signals, and a time of transmission.

8. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor module comprises a clock, and wherein said processor is programmed with a distance calculation program configured to determine a distance between said sensor module and a respective said calibration unit, based upon a time of transmission received from the respective said calibration unit and a time provided by said clock.

9. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said processor is programmed with a three dimensional position program configured to determine a position of said sensor module based upon a GPS derived location received from the respective said calibration units.

10. A security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor module comprises an orientation compass configured to provide module orientation data to said processor.

11. A sensor module for a security system, said sensor module comprising:

at least one sensor providing a status;

a receiver configured to receive at least a plurality of GPS derived locations and times of transmission from a plurality of calibration unit locations;

a processor programmed to calculate a position of said sensor module within a three dimensional coordinate system based on the received plurality of GPS derived locations and times of transmission; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the status from said at least one sensor, module orientation data, and the calculated position from said processor.

12. A sensor module according to claim 11 further comprising a clock, said processor configured to determine a distance between said sensor module and a unit transmitting a time of transmission to said receiver utilizing a time from said clock.

13. A sensor module according to claim 12 wherein said processor is configured to determine a delay by subtracting the time of transmission from the time from said clock.

14. A sensor module according to claim 12 wherein said processor is configured to correct any errors in said clock based on receiving at least four OPS derived locations and times of transmission.

15. A sensor module according to claim 11 further comprising an orientation compass configured to determine an orientation of said sensor module, said transmitter configured to transmit the orientation of said sensor module.

16. A sensor module according to claim 15 wherein said transmitter is configured to periodically transmit status from said sensor, the calculated position of said sensor module, and the orientation of said sensor module.

17. A sensor module according to claim 11 wherein said sensor comprises at least one of a smoke sensor, a fire sensor, a gas sensor, an audio sensor, a video sensor, and a vibration sensor.

18. A method for providing security to an area utilizing a plurality of sensor modules, said method comprising:

providing sensor modules each including at least one sensor therein to be dispersed within the area to be monitored, the sensor modules also including a processor;

providing a plurality of calibration units to be dispersed within a vicinity of the sensor modules;

configuring the calibration units to derive and transmit their GPS location and a time of transmission to the sensor modules;

programming the processor of each sensor module to calculate a position of the sensor module within a three dimensional coordinate system based on the signals and times of transmission received from the calibration units; and

further programming the sensor modules to transmit their location, module orientation data and a status from the at least one sensor therein.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:

providing the sensor modules with an orientation compass therein; and

further programming the sensor modules to transmit their orientation along with their location and the status from the at least one sensor.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein programming the processor of each sensor module to calculate a position of the sensor module comprises:

configuring the sensor modules with a clock providing a time; and

programming the processor of each sensor module to determine a delay time by comparing the time of transmission received from each calibration unit to a time provided by the clock.

21. A method according to claim 18 wherein programming the processor of each sensor module to calculate a position of the sensor module comprises:

configuring the sensor modules with a clock providing a time;

configuring the sensor modules to receive GPS locations and times of transmission from four calibration unit locations; and

programming the processor of each sensor module to correct any errors in the clock based on the received GPS locations and times of transmission.

22. A method according to claim 18 wherein configuring the calibration units to derive and transmit their GPS location and a time of transmission to the sensor modules comprises:

configuring the calibration units with a sequence; and

causing each calibration unit to derive and transmit their GPS location and a time of transmission according to the sequence.

23. A method according to claim 22 further comprising configuring the calibration units to derive and transmit their GPS location and a time of transmission upon reception of a GPS location and time from a calibration unit immediately preceding the respective calibration unit in the sequence.

24. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:

receiving the locations and status transmitted from the at least one sensor module at a base station; and

causing a response to be initiated based on the status received at the base station.