Diversity networks and methods for secure communications

• US 9,092,962 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kontek Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kontek Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Merrill, Charles, Kriegel, Kevin Charles, Nolte, Roger Allen, Tullis, Barclay J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Nam
• Application Number:
  US12/877,754
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/01 characterised by the transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

Security systems may include sensing, networked communications, stealth, alarms, and countermeasures, any or all of which may adapt to threats. These systems may also include armor and barriers of concrete and/or steel. They can adapt to severity of threats, weather, and/or other situational aspects. They can anticipate at least some threats in order to obtain early warning and react more quickly to those threats. They can adapt by altering their configurations, including alterations in communication networking structures and methods, and changes in data-storage and processing duties at processing nodes. Defensive and/or offensive countermeasures can be employed to deter, confuse, trap, and/or disable terrorists. The systems are capable of self-maintenance, self-healing, and self-restoration as threats subside. The systems can include subsystems capable of autonomous operation. At least some of the systems and/or their subsystems are capable of allocating power among subsystems, and of regulating bandwidth utilizations.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

a. a computer; and

b. a computerized sensor;

wherein the computerized sensor is protected within concrete or steel components of a physical security barrier and is communicatively connected to the computer and configured to communicate messages containing sensor data to the computer;

wherein paths, channels, and/or other communications technologies used to link the computerized sensor to the computer are switched automatically and autonomously by the computerized sensor; and

wherein at least some of the messages are sent by the computerized sensor at pseudo-randomly selected times known in advance by both the computer and the computerized sensor.

2. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications media;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications media; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more communications media.

3. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

a. multiple digital-communications media; and

b. an interlinked chain of concrete barrier modules, wherein each module comprises a hole through that module, and wherein each module comprises a steel beam that extends movably through the respective hole of that module;

wherein the steel beam of at least one of the modules is rotatable coupled to a respective steel beam of each of two adjacent modules that are located next to the at least one of the modules; and

wherein at least one of the multiple digital-communications media is routed along a path extending through at least the respective holes of the at least one of the modules and the two adjacent modules.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the computerized sensor is a continuity sensor configured to sense a physical breach of the chain of concrete barrier modules;

and wherein the computerized sensor comprises at least a portion of the at least one of the digital-communications media that is routed through the respective holes of the at least one of the modules and the two adjacent modules.

5. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications paths;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications paths; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more of the communications paths.

6. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications channels;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications channels; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more of the communications channels.

7. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications technologies.

8. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications link technologies.

9. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications protocols.

10. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple communications technology attributes each with one selected from the group consisting of multiple communications media, multiple communications paths, multiple communications channels, multiple communications technologies, multiple communications link technologies, and multiple communications protocols.

11. The network of claim 1, wherein the computerized sensor and computer that are communicatively connected for communicating messages containing sensor data are communicatively connected by means of multiple networks some of which do not share any communications paths with one-another.

12. The network of claim 1, wherein the computer is one selected from the group consisting of a linked concentrator, a sensor server, a network node, a router, an alarm server, a monitor-and-control subsystem, a network operations center, and a tactical operations center.

13. The network of claim 1, wherein communications from the computerized sensor to the computer begin at times known in advance by the computer.

14. A network comprising:

a. a computer; and

b. a computerized sensor;

wherein the computerized sensor is protected within concrete or steel components of a physical security barrier and is communicatively connected to the computer and configured to communicate messages containing sensor data from the computerized sensor to the computer over one or more provisioned channels, paths, and/or communications technologies selected automatically and randomly by the computerized sensor; and

wherein the computerized sensor initiates messages at randomly selected times known in advance by both the computer and the computerized sensor.

15. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications media;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications media; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more of the communications media.

16. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

a. multiple digital-communications media; and

b. an interlinked chain of concrete barrier modules, wherein each module comprises a hole through that module, and wherein each module comprises a steel beam that extends movably through the respective hole of that module;

wherein the steel beam of at least one of the modules is rotatably coupled to a respective steel beam of each of two adjacent modules that are located next to the at least one of the modules; and

wherein at least one of the multiple digital-communications media is routed along a path extending through at least the respective holes of the at least one of the modules and its two adjacent modules.

17. The network of claim 16, wherein the computerized sensor is a continuity sensor configured to sense a physical breach of the chain of concrete barrier modules;

and wherein the computerized sensor comprises at least a portion of the at least one of the digital-communications media that is routed through the respective holes of the at least one of the modules and the two adjacent modules.

18. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications paths;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications paths; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more of the communications paths.

19. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications channels;

wherein each of the messages is communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over two or more of the communications channels; and

wherein not all of the messages are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over the same two or more of the communications channels.

20. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications technologies.

21. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications link technologies.

22. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications protocols.

23. The network of claim 14, further comprising:

multiple communications technology attributes each with one selected from the group consisting of multiple communications media, multiple communications paths, multiple communications channels, multiple communications technologies, multiple communications link technologies, and multiple communications protocols.

24. The network of claim 14, wherein the computerized sensor and computer that are communicatively connected for communicating messages containing sensor data are communicatively connected by means of multiple networks some of which do not share any communications paths with one-another.

25. The network of claim 14, wherein the computer is one selected from the group consisting of a linked concentrator, a sensor server, a network node, a router, an alarm server, a monitor-and-control subsystem, a network operations center, and a tactical operations center.

26. The network of claim 14, wherein communications from the computerized sensor to the computer begin at times known in advance by the computer.

27. A method of providing security comprising the steps of:

a. providing;

i. multiple digital-communications media; and

ii. an interlinked chain of concrete barrier modules, wherein each module comprises a hole through that module, and wherein each module comprises a steel beam that extends movably through the respective hole of that module;

wherein the steel beam of at least one of the modules is rotatably coupled to a respective steel beam of each of two adjacent modules that are located next to the at least one of the modules;

wherein at least one of the multiple digital-communications media is routed along a path extending through at least the respective holes of the at least one of the modules and the two adjacent modules;

wherein the at least one of the multiple digital-communications media connects a computerized sensor to a computer installed within one of the holes and messages containing sensor data are communicated from the computerized sensor to the computer over one or more provisioned channels, paths, and/or communications technologies of the multiple digital-communications media selected automatically and randomly by the computerized sensor;

wherein the computerized sensor initiates the communication of messages at randomly selected times known in advance by both the computer and the computerized sensor; and

b. generating a breach alarm when communication of messages along the path becomes disabled.