Event-driven mobile HAZMAT monitoring

• US 7,847,676 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Jr., Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US12/495,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/870.16, 340/540, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A HAZMAT monitoring system detects a plurality of different hazardous materials and includes first and second pluralities of RSIs. Each RSI of the first plurality forms a node in a first wireless sensor network and is associated with a mobile container and with at least one sensor that is configured to acquire data for detecting a first hazardous material. Each RSI further is configured to receive the sensor data and wirelessly transmit, over the first wireless sensor network, data relating to the received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material. Each RSI of the second plurality is similarly associated and configured. Communications within a respective wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the another wireless sensor network. A gateway is configured to independently communicate with each respective wireless sensor network.

Claims

1. A system of ad hoc wireless sensor networks for monitoring for a plurality of different hazardous materials, the system comprising:

(a) a first plurality of remote sensor interfaces, each remote sensor interface of the first plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a first ad hoc wireless sensor network and being,

(i) associated with a mobile container, and

(ii) associated with at least one sensor for detecting a first hazardous material,

(b) at least a second plurality of remote sensor interfaces,

(i) each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a second ad hoc wireless sensor network,

(A) wherein communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(B) wherein communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(ii) each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces being,

(A) associated with a mobile container, and

(B) associated with at least one sensor for detecting a second hazardous material; and

(c) a gateway that,

(i) communicates with the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(ii) communicates with the second ad hoc wireless sensor network;

(d) wherein,

(i) a said sensor for detecting the first hazardous material, upon detecting the first hazardous material, communicates sensor data pertaining to such detection to a said particular remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network with which it is associated,

(ii) said particular remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network receives the sensor data and wirelessly transmits, over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, and

(iii) said gateway receives data wirelessly transmitted over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, and communicates data relating to the detection of the first hazardous material to a network external to each of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network and the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, said gateway being at least in intermittent electronic communications with the external network; and

(e) wherein,

(i) a said sensor for detecting the second hazardous material, upon detecting the second hazardous materia, communicates sensor data pertaining to such detection to a said particular remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network with which it is associated,

(ii) said particular remote sensor interface receives the sensor data and wirelessly transmits, over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, and

(iii) said gateway receives data wirelessly transmitted over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, and communicates data relating to the detection of the second hazardous material to the external network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the remote sensor interfaces of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network is associated with a railroad car.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the remote sensor interfaces of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network is associated with a tanker truck.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the remote sensor interfaces of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network is associated with a maritime shipping container.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway communicates with the external network by way of satellite communications.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway communicates with the external network by way of cellular communications.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein remote sensor interfaces of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network hop communication, whereby a remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network indirectly communicates, with the gateway when out of range of direct communications with the gateway;

and wherein remote sensor interfaces of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network communications, whereby a remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network indirectly communicates with the gateway when out of range of direct communications with the gateway.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway and the remote sensor interfaces of the first and second ad hoc wireless sensor networks are located on cars of a train.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway and the remote sensor interfaces of the first and second ad hoc wireless sensor networks are located on maritime shipping containers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network and a remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network are attached to the same mobile container.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway is attached to a mobile container.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway is stationary.

13. A HAZMAT monitoring system for detecting a plurality of different hazardous materials each representing a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive threat, the HAZMAT monitoring system comprising:

(a) a first plurality of remote sensor interfaces, each remote sensor interface of the first plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a first ad hoc wireless sensor network and being,

(i) associated with a mobile container, and

(ii) associated with at least one sensor for detecting a first hazardous material;

(b) a second plurality of remote sensor interfaces,

(i) each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a second ad hoc wireless sensor network,

(A) wherein communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(B) wherein communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(ii) each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces being,

(A) associated with a respective mobile container, and

(B) associated with at least one sensor, for detecting a second hazardous material; and

(c) a gateway that,

(i) communicates with the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, and

(ii) communicates with the second ad hoc wireless sensor network;

(d) wherein

(i) a said sensor for detecting the first hazardous material, upon detecting the first hazardous material, communicates sensor data pertaining to such detection to a said particular remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network with which it is associated,

(ii) said particular remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network receives the sensor data and wirelessly transmits over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, and

(iii) said gateway receives data wirelessly transmitted over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material and communicates data relating to the detection of the first hazardous material to a network external to each of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network and the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, said gateway being at least in intermittent electronic communications with the external network; and

(e) wherein,

(i) a said sensor for detecting the second hazardous material, upon detecting the second hazardous material, communicates sensor data pertaining to such detection to a said particular remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network with which it is associated,

(ii) said particular remote sensor interface receives the sensor data and wirelessly transmits, over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, and

(iii) said gateway receives data wirelessly transmitted over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material and communicates data relating to the detection of the second hazardous material to the external network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway communicates with the external network by way of satellite communications.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway communicates with the external network by way of cellular communications.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein, remote sensor interfaces of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network hop communications whereby a remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network indirectly communicates with the gateway when out of range of direct communications with the gateway;

and wherein remote sensor interfaces of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network hop communications, whereby a remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network indirectly communicates with the gateway when out of range of direct communications with the gateway.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway and the remote sensor interfaces of the first and second ad hoc wireless sensor networks are located on cars of a train.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway and the remote sensor interfaces of the first and second ad hoc wireless sensor networks are located on maritime shipping containers.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway is attached to a mobile container.

20. A method for monitoring for a plurality of different hazardous materials using a system of ad hoc wireless sensor networks, the system comprising, a first plurality of remote sensor interfaces, each remote sensor interface of the first plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a first ad hoc wireless sensor network and being, attached to a mobile container, associated with at least one sensor that is configured to acquire data for detecting the first hazardous material and to communicate sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, configured to receive the sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material that is communicated from said respective at least one associated sensor, and configured to wirelessly transmit, over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material;

a second plurality of remote sensor interfaces, each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces forming a node in a second ad hoc wireless sensor network, wherein communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, and wherein communications within the second ad hoc wireless sensor network do not result in communications within the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, and each remote sensor interface of the second plurality of remote sensor interfaces being, attached to a respective mobile container, associated with at least one sensor that is configured to acquire data for detecting the second hazardous material and to communicate sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, configured to receive the sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material that is communicated from said respective at least one associated sensor, and configured to wirelessly transmit, over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to said received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material; and

a gateway configured to, communicate with the first ad hoc wireless sensor network and receive data wirelessly transmitted over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, and further configured to communicate data relating to the detection of the first hazardous material to a network external to each of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network and the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, aid gateway being at least in intermittent electronic communications with the external network, and communicate with the second ad hoc wireless sensor network and receive data wirelessly transmitted over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network relating to received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, and further configured to communicate data relating to the detection of the second hazardous material to the external network, the method comprising the steps of, following detection of the first hazardous material, wirelessly transmitting to the gateway, from a remote sensor interface of the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, over the first ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the first hazardous material, and further communicating by the gateway data relating to the detection of the first hazardous material to the external network, and following detection of the second hazardous material, wirelessly transmitting to the gateway, from a remote sensor interface of the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, over the second ad hoc wireless sensor network, data relating to received sensor data pertaining to the detection of the second hazardous material, and further communicating by the gateway data relating to the detection of the second hazardous material to the external network.