Self-contained sensor package for water security and safety

• US 8,134,462 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Tran, Nghia, Blackburn, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBINIYI, PAULSON
• Application Number:
  US12/188,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/618, 340/602, 340/573.16, 340/539.26, 340/539.22, 340/539.17, 340/539.15, 340/539.16, 340/506, 340/623, 340/426.25
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/10 of fish
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/084 by monitoring physical movement characteristics of the water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish

Abstract

Disclosed is a floating sensor system having a casing that encloses a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a digital processor and a non-volatile memory. The casing also encloses a data bus that connects the microcontroller to an external environment sensor, an RF transceiver, and a battery. The non-volatile memory includes a history file that maintains a record of events sensed by the external environment sensors. The digital processor is configured to establish a pattern of expected external environmental behavior based on the record of events. The digital processor is also configured to emit a signal through the RF transceiver from the system when an unexpected event occurs.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a casing designed to float on a surface of a body of water;

a first sensor mounted to the casing, the first sensor configured to generate a first signal representing a characteristic of the water;

a second sensor mounted to the casing, the second sensor configured to generate a second signal representing a characteristic of an atmosphere above the surface of the water;

a processor mounted inside the casing, the processor configured to generate and store a pattern that evolves over time of expected external environmental behavior based on the first and second signals, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an alarm signal upon detecting a pattern in the first and second signals that is not found in the pattern of expected external environmental behavior;

a transceiver configured to transmit the alarm signal;

an energy source mounted inside the casing, the energy source being operatively coupled to the first and second sensors, the transceiver and the processor; and

a remote station configured to relay the transmitted alarm signal to a user.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the remote station is configured to communicate the alarm signal to a remote user via a network of computers.

3. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a solar cell and a battery.

4. The sensor system of claim 3, further comprising a status indicator mounted to the casing and operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the status indicator is configured to communicate status information of the sensor system to a user.

5. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the status information to the remote station.

6. The sensor system of claim 5, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive instructions from the remote station.

7. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises:

a short-term memory configured to receive the first and second signals;

a first long-term memory configured to store first signal history;

a second long-term memory configured to store second signal history; and

a comparator configured to compare the contents of the short-term memory to the contents of the first and second long-term memories.

8. The sensor system of claim 6, wherein the transceiver is a radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

9. The sensor system of claim 8, wherein the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of a motion detector, a thermometer, a light sensor, a pH level sensor, a microphone, a pressure sensor, a hydrophone, a geophone and a Geiger counter.

10. The sensor system of claim 9, wherein the second sensor is selected from the group consisting of a motion detector, a wind speed detector, a light sensor, a microphone, an air pressure sensor, a thermal detector, and a Geiger counter.

11. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a sub-surface acoustic sensor and the second sensor is an air-acoustic sensor.