Apparatus and method of collecting and distributing event data to strategic security personnel and response vehicles

• US 7,173,526 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Inventors: Monroe, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US11/267,667
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/541, 340/533, 340/3.1, 340/937, 340/988, 348/148, 348/152, 348/153
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A security and surveillance system for aircraft on the ground incorporates a plurality of strategically spaced sensors including video imaging generators, audio sensors, motion detectors, and fire and smoke detectors for monitoring critical components and critical areas of both the interior and the exterior of the a commercial transport such as an aircraft. The system is a comprehensive multi-media safety, tracking and/or surveillance system, which provides both visual and/or audio information as well as critical data such as location, direction, intrusion, fire and/or smoke detection and/or status of environmental conditions and/or asset systems status. The collected information is analyzed and prioritized according to type of event, location and nature of required response for automatically dispatching the proper response. The captured data and images are transmitted to a ground based security station for display on a monitor and may be recorded on a “black box” recorder as well as on a ground based recording system.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a location for the occurrence of an event, collecting information relating to the event, prioritizing the information and dispatching an appropriate response based on the prioritized information, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing strategically located sensors having a geographic location identifier in a position adapted for monitoring the location, said sensors further adapted for generating a data signal upon the occurrence of an event;

b. providing response personnel and equipment with receivers adapted for receiving selected collected and analyzed data;

c. further providing response personnel and equipment with location sensors for generating a location signal identifying their precise geographic location at any point in time;

d. collecting and analyzing the data signal in order to determine the time, location and type of event; and

e. alerting and dispatching appropriate response personnel and equipment to the location of the event based on their proximity and resources relative to the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographic location identifiers are GPS signal generators.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of recording the collected and analyzed data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said location is a moveable asset and the location identifier is adapted for providing the step of tracking the movement of said moveable asset.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the prioritizing step includes identifying the location of the moveable asset when an event occurs and determining the personnel and equipment in closest proximity to the moveable asset when the event occurs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing strategically located sensors includes the step of placing a plurality of specific location sensors at each location in order to monitor and define the type of event occurring.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said event detection sensors are event activated.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said event detection sensors are programmed to operate on a timed-interval basis.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said event detection sensors operate on a real time basis for continuous monitoring of the location and wherein there is further included the step of providing an alert signal upon the occurrence of an event.

10. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of providing personnel and equipment with a signal generator for identifying the type and/or training of the personnel and the type of asset whereby appropriately equipped assets and personnel are alerted and dispatched to the event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the collecting step includes;

a. identifying the type of personnel in the system;

b. identifying the type of equipment in the system;

c. identifying the type of event occurring; and

d. matching the personnel and equipment to the event.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the alerting and dispatching step includes alerting the matched personnel and equipment to respond based on proximity to the event.

13. The method of claim 1, further including the step of collecting feedback data from the personnel and equipment dispatched to an event in order to assure response.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of logging the feedback data for archive purposes.

15. The method of claim 1, further including the step of mapping the location of an event on a system map.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mapping step further includes selecting and positioning and event identifying icon on the system map.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mapping step further includes tagging the icon with event critical information.

18. The method of claim 16, further including the step of removing the event icon once an event is closed.

19. A security monitoring, surveillance and event response system comprising:

a. a ground based monitoring station for monitoring the position of and conditions relative to a commercial transport when in port;

b. a network of ground based sensors each operational within a predefined operating zone and adapted for monitoring a selected conditions associated with the commercial transport while within the operating zone for generating a unique data signal representing the specific condition to be monitored for describing the condition and location of the commercial transport while within the zone; and

c. communication system for transmitting the unique data signal from each of the network of sensors to the ground based monitoring station for monitoring the selected conditions at the commercial transport, whereby both the condition and the location of the commercial transport may be determined, the communication system adapted for identifying the event based on the unique data signal and for generating a response based on the location and type of event.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the ground based sensors is hard-wired directly to the ground based monitoring station.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the ground based sensors further includes a transmitter associated with the sensor and there is further included a receiver associated with the ground based monitoring station, whereby the unique data signal generated by said sensor is communicated over a wireless communication system from the sensor to the ground based station.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an audio sensor device for generating an audio signal.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an image sensor device for generating an image signal and at least one audio sensor device for generating an audio signal.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises a motion detector device for generating a signal whenever motion is detected in the range of the device.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an intrusive sensor device for generating a signal whenever intrusive activity occurs in the monitored area of the device.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises a fire detection device for generating a signal in the event of a fire.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises a smoke detection device for generating a signal in the event of the presence of smoke in the range of the device.

28. The system of claim 19, further including a recorder for capturing the combined output signal in a retrievable format.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein each sensor further includes a transmitter adapted for wireless transmission of the combined output signal to a remote location and wherein said ground based monitoring station includes a receiver, whereby the sensor signal may be transmitted to the monitoring station.

30. The system of claim 19, further including a mobile monitoring station for receiving the unique signal from the sensor.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein said commercial transport includes a unique identifier which is adapted to be sensed by the ground based sensor, whereby the ground based sensor can generate an identification signal for alerting that the commercial transport is within range of the ground based sensor.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein said ground based sensor includes a time stamp for monitoring when said transport is within range.

33. The system of claim 19, further including:

collector adapted for collecting the plurality of data signals from the plurality of sensors and generating therefrom a combined signal incorporating each of the plurality of signals into a combined output signal; and

a processing system for receiving and processing the combined output signal.

34. The system of claim 33, said collector and processing system further including a self-contained power supply.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein one of said image signal, said audio signal and said data signal is an analog signal and wherein one of said image signal, said audio signal and said data signal is a digital signal, the multiplexer network further including an analog to digital converter for converting the analog signal into a converted digital signal, the multiplexer adapted for multiplexing the converted digital signal and the digital signal into a combined digital output signal.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said collector comprises a multiplexer for accepting all of the plurality of data signals and for generating therefrom a combined multiplex signal preserving the discrete identity of each of the plurality of data signals.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said combined multiplex signal includes specific, time sequenced interval segments of the plurality of data signals in a serial format.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said combined multiplex signal includes the plurality of signals released simultaneously in a compressed, parallel format.

39. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of said sensors comprises an image sensor device for generating an image signal.

40. The system of claim 39, further including an illumination source associated with said image sensor for illuminating the critical location.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said image sensor is a full motion video sensing and recording device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said image and video sensors are responsive to the presence of activity within range in order to activate the sensor and initiate generation of a signal to the ground based monitoring station.

43. The system of claim 19, wherein said transport has an on-board monitoring system including a network of on-board sensors adapted for monitoring specific on-board conditions and generating a data signal in response thereto, and wherein said ground based monitoring station and said network of ground based sensors are adapted to interface with said on-board monitoring system to provide comprehensive information to both the ground based monitoring station and the on-board monitoring system inclusive all of the data collected by both the on-board sensors and the ground based sensors.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said on-board sensor is a global positioning sensor adapted for generating a signal indicating the location of the transport.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said global positioning sensor includes a separate sensor component in each end of the transport, whereby size and heading of the transport may be monitored.

46. The system of claim 19, wherein there is further included ground support equipment and ground support vehicles, and wherein each of said ground support equipment and ground vehicles includes location sensors for generating and sending ground support location signals, whereby the position of the commercial transport and relative to the ground support equipment and ground support vehicles may be monitored.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said location sensor is an on-board GPS system.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said commercial transport is adapted for directly receiving the ground support location sensor signals.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein said commercial transport is adapted for directly receiving the ground support location sensor signals and the location sensor signals generated by other commercial transports in the vicinity.

50. The system of claim 19, wherein said sensor is adapted for alerting the ground based monitoring station of the situational conditions in the vicinity of the commercial transport when in port.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said sensor is adapted for generating an alarm whenever specific conditions are present.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said ground based monitoring station further includes a transmitter for transmitting instructional information to the sensor upon presence of a specific condition.

53. The system of claim 19, wherein there is further provided support systems in port for supporting the commercial transport and wherein said support systems further include at least one support system sensor adapted for transmitting a signal to the ground based monitoring station, whereby conditions of the commercial transport and the support system may be simultaneously monitored.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said sensor and said support system sensor are each global positioning system sensors whereby the relative proximity of the commercial transport and the support system may be tracked and monitored.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the ground based monitoring station further includes a mapping capability for generating a map defining the presence of the commercial transport relative to the support system.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said support system sensor includes a support system identifier for signaling to the ground based monitoring station the identity of the support system.

57. The system of claim 19, further including a personnel based unit including at least one sensor and a personnel communications system capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the ground based communications system for monitoring conditions present at the sensor.

58. The system of claim 57, further including a personnel based system for generating the location coordinates of the personnel and communicating this to the ground based communication system.

59. The system of claim 58, further including a location signal generator associated with the transport, whereby the proximity of the transport to the personnel may be monitored.

60. The system of claim 59, further including a signaling device for signaling the personnel in closest proximity to the transport upon the receipt of specific signal from the sensor by the ground based communication system.

61. The system of claim 50, wherein said personnel based system includes means for remotely controlling the sensor.

62. The system of claim 51, wherein said personnel based system includes means providing for communication directly between the transport and the personnel.

63. The system of claim 52, wherein said personnel based system includes means providing for communication directly between personnel.