Mapping system for irradiation protection

• US 8,519,856 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Tegreene, Clarence T., Weaver, Thomas A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/928,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20110309942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 340/600, 340/578, 340/584, 4554561-4563, 455/414.3, 250/336.1
• US Class Current: 340/600
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use

Abstract

Exemplary methods, systems and components enable detection and/or monitoring and/or control of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure of target body-related portions of a user operating a telecommunication device. In some embodiments a risk-assessment output is provided based on a safety threshold or predetermined intrusion level of EMR exposure. A further aspect may include interaction with external EMR sources regarding possible modification of emissions as well as possible arrangements for other types of remedial action. Some embodiments may provide travel route mapping data indicative of EMR source locations and/or irradiation values in a given locale.

Claims

1. A method of providing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure data for a given locale, comprising:

maintaining EMR mapping data for one or more approximate irradiation values correlated with one or more travel segments along a possible travel route;

transferring the EMR mapping data to a communication device associated with a target person or related target vehicle, wherein such transferred EMR mapping data is accessible to the target person or related target vehicle prior to or while proceeding via the one or more travel segments; and

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating available remedial action that includes an exchange or payment of offsetting consideration with at least one radiation emission source in the one or more travel segments.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device a status output indicating whether the approximate irradiation value currently exceeds a predetermined threshold level.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing the status output based on emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated on the target person or related target vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing the status output based on emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated at a location in at least one travel segment.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device a status output that indicates whether the approximate irradiation value is predicted to exceed a predetermined threshold level at a given future time period.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said transferring to the communication device the status output includes:

providing the status output based on calibrated or detected emission values maintained in a data record or database or lookup table or map display.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device a risk assessment regarding undesirable or interfering EMR emissions along the one or more travel segments, wherein the risk assessment is determined by user selection or third party or health status or regulatory standard.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for two or more alternative future time periods along the one or more travel segments.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for two or more alternate travel segments.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for alternative travel velocities along the one or more travel segments.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device a risk assessment based on real-time irradiation values detected by a sensor or monitor during a time period while the target person or related target vehicle is actually proceeding via the one or more travel segments.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a record of maximum and/or cumulative EMR exposure of the target person or related target vehicle during a time period while the target person or related target vehicle is actually proceeding via the one or more travel segments.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

maintaining the record of maximum and/or cumulative EMR exposure to be accessible to one or more of the following designated entities;

parent, family member, friend, insurance entity, physician, nurse, health care entity.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating coordinate location parameters for at least one radiation emission source along the one or more travel segments.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating estimated EMR emission values associated with at least one radiation emission source along the one or more travel segments.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating available remedial action that includes modification or cessation of electromagnetic emissions generated by at least one radiation emission source in the one or more travel segments.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring the EMR mapping data to the communication device includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate one or more of the following type of optional EMR travel map parameters;

time of day, total travel time, travel velocity, alternate travel segments, alternate travel routes.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring the EMR mapping data to the communication device includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate one or more of the following type of optional EMR travel map parameters;

pedestrian route, motor vehicle route, bicycle route, public transportation route, ground vehicle, airplane, sea vessel, two-dimensional travel path, three-dimensional travel path, on-the-fly route change, initially fixed travel route.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring the EMR mapping data to the communication device includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate exposure risks based on one or more of the following type of EMR travel map parameters;

solo target person, group of target travelers, stationary emission source, moving emission source, target person'"'"'s emission source, available remedial action, unknown remedial action, absence of remedial action.

20. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer-readable media having encoded instructions for executing a method of providing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure data for a given locale, wherein the method includes:

maintaining EMR mapping data for one or more approximate irradiation values correlated with one or more travel segments along a possible travel route;

transferring the EMR mapping data to a communication device associated with a target person or related target vehicle, wherein such transferred EMR mapping data is accessible to the target person or related target vehicle prior to or while proceeding via the one or more travel segments; and

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating available remedial action that includes an exchange or payment of offsetting consideration with at least one radiation emission source in the one or more travel segments.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device a status output indicating whether the approximate irradiation value currently exceeds a predetermined threshold level.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the method further includes:

providing the status output based on emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated on the target person or related target vehicle.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the method further includes:

providing the status output based on emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated at a location in at least one travel segment.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device a status output that indicates whether the approximate irradiation value is predicted to exceed a predetermined threshold level at a given future time period.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said method feature transferring to the communication device the status output includes:

providing the status output based on calibrated or detected emission values maintained in a data record or database or lookup table or map display.

26. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device a risk assessment regarding undesirable or interfering EMR emissions along the one or more travel segments, wherein the risk assessment is determined by user selection or third party or health status or regulatory standard.

27. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for two or more alternative future time periods along the one or more travel segments.

28. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for two or more alternate travel segments.

29. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data regarding a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for alternative travel velocities along the one or more travel segments.

30. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device a risk assessment based on real-time irradiation values detected by a sensor or monitor during a time period while the target person or related target vehicle is actually proceeding via the one or more travel segments.

31. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

maintaining a record of maximum and/or cumulative EMR exposure of the target person or related target vehicle during a time period while the target person or related target vehicle is actually proceeding via the one or more travel segments.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the method further includes:

maintaining the record of maximum and/or cumulative EMR exposure to be accessible to one or more of the following designated entities;

parent, family member, friend, insurance entity, physician, nurse, health care entity.

33. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating coordinate location parameters for at least one radiation emission source along the one or more travel segments.

34. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating estimated EMR emission values associated with at least one radiation emission source along the one or more travel segments.

35. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

transferring to the communication device additional EMR mapping data indicating available remedial action that includes modification or cessation of electromagnetic emissions generated by at least one radiation emission source in the one or more travel segments.

36. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate one or more of the following type of optional EMR travel map parameters;

time of day, total travel time, travel velocity, alternate travel segments, alternate travel routes.

37. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the method further includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate one or more of the following type of optional EMR travel map parameters;

pedestrian route, motor vehicle route, bicycle route, public transportation route, ground vehicle, airplane, sea vessel, two-dimensional travel path, three-dimensional travel path, on-the-fly route change, initially fixed travel route.

38. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the method further includes:

enabling interactive selection by a user of the communication device in a manner to evaluate exposure risks based on one or more of the following type of EMR travel map parameters;

solo target person, group of target travelers, stationary emission source, moving emission source, target person'"'"'s emission source, available remedial action, unknown remedial action, absence of remedial action.

39. A system for providing access to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) mapping data, comprising:

means for maintaining EMR mapping data that includes approximate irradiation values correlated with one or more travel segments along a possible travel route;

processor means operatively linked to the EMR mapping data, wherein the processor means is configured to transfer the EMR mapping data to a communication device associated with a target person or related target vehicle;

wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data that includes an emission source identification list for the one or more travel segments.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said processor means is configured to make such transferred EMR mapping data accessible to a target person or related target vehicle prior to or while proceeding via at least one of the travel segments.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said processor means is configured to transfer a status output indicating whether the approximate irradiation value exceeds a predetermined real-time or cumulative threshold level.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data regarding emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated in the one or more travel segments.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data regarding emissions detected by an EMR sensor or monitor situated on a target person or related target vehicle.

44. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data regarding calibrated or detected emission values maintained in a data record or database or lookup table or map display.

45. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data regarding one or more of the following type of possible alternative travel parameters:

morning, afternoon, night, time-of-day, day of week, weekday, weekend, speed of travel, total travel time, direct route, indirect route, outdoor route, indoor route, pedestrian route, vehicle route, mode of transportation, travel cost, two-dimensional route, three-dimensional route, land route, water route, air route.

46. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer a status output that includes a risk assessment regarding undesirable or interfering EMR emissions as determined by a predetermined threshold level associated with a target person or related target vehicle.

47. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer a status output that includes a risk assessment regarding undesirable or interfering EMR emissions as determined by user selection or third party or health status or regulatory standard.

48. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer a status output that includes a risk assessment based on one or more of the following type of EMR travel map parameters:

solo target person, group of target travelers, stationary emission source, moving emission source, target person'"'"'s emission source, available remedial action, unknown remedial action, absence of remedial action.

49. The system of claim 39 wherein said means for maintaining EMR mapping data further includes means for maintaining additional mapping data indicating available remedial action regarding one or more radiation emission sources in the one or more travel segments.

50. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer EMR mapping data that includes an emission source map for one or more alternate travel segments.

51. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor means is configured to transfer a status output indicating a comparison of approximate real-time or cumulative irradiation values for two or more alternate travel segments.

52. The system of claim 39 further comprising:

a data record of maximum and/or cumulative EMR exposure based on actual travel of a targeted person or related target vehicle along the possible travel route.

53. The system of claim 39 further comprising:

a communication link operably connected with the data record in a manner to provide access to one or more of the following designated entities;

parent, family member, friend, insurance entity, physician, nurse, health care entity.