Wildfire resource tracking apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 9,473,918 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROGO, LLC
• Original Assignee: ROGO, LLC
• Inventors: Goossen, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US14/518,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

The invention comprises an integrated and distributed wildfire fighting system used in gathering information related to firefighting resources, developing a strategic plan, and/or communicating directions to and/or between resources. Communicators linked to positions of natural resources, personnel, and/or equipment are used to communicate identification, position, capability, and/or status of individual resources to a main controller via satellite and/or aircraft. The communicators additionally facilitate communication between personnel, teams of personnel, levels in a firefighting hierarchy, and/or with automated equipment. Further, drop ball communicators are used to transmit localized information, such as weather, a fire-retardant drop request, and/or a call for emergency aid to nearby resources, an aircraft, and/or to a main controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in wildfire suppression, comprising:

a main controller linked to a transceiver configured to communicate with a low earth orbit satellite, said main controller comprising a database; and

a set of communicators configured to communicate with the low earth orbit satellite, individual elements of said set of communicators linked to individual firefighting resources, said firefighting resources comprising at least;

(1) firefighting personnel and (2) firefighting heavy equipment, said set of communicators comprising;

a first position communicator comprising;

a base unit configured to be positioned at a location; and

a vector unit configured to be positioned in a firefighter selected direction at least ten feet from said base unit, said base unit and said vector unit combining to provide location information and direction information for a requested fire retardant drop,

wherein at least one of said base unit and said vector unit houses a first transmitter of a set of transmitters,

each of said set of communicators comprising a corresponding transmitter of said set of transmitters, each of said set of communicators configured to send to said main controller via the low earth orbit satellite at least;

(1) identifying information of the linked individual firefighting resource and (2) a global positioning system coordinate of the linked individual firefighting resource.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, a first communicator, of said set of communicators, associated with a first resource of said firefighting resources further comprising:

an activation switch, upon activation of said activation switch, said first communicator configured to communicate to said main controller;

(1) a physical pick-up request to said main controller;

(2) an identity of the first resource, and (3) a GPS position of the first resource.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said activation switch further comprising:

an emergency activation switch, an emergency beacon light of said apparatus activated upon activation of said emergency activation switch.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, said first communicator further comprising:

an urgency selector, said urgency selector comprising a selector indicating the urgency of the pick-up request.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, said first communicator further comprising:

a transceiver, said transceiver configured to;

(1) receive instructions from said main controller and (2) display instructions on a screen for viewing by a firefighter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said instructions further comprising:

a graphical representation of local terrain about the firefighter;

a graphical representation of the firefighter on the graphical representation of the local terrain; and

a graphical representation of an extraction point on the local terrain.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, said set of transmitters further comprising:

a set of transceivers, each of said set of transceivers linked to a corresponding tablet of a set of tablet computers configured to receive and display instructions from said main controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising at least one of:

a belt base unit configured to hold said tablet proximate a waist of a fireman; and

a wrist unit configured to hold said tablet about a wrist of a firefighter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, said set of communicators comprising:

a first communicator linked to an earth mover of said heavy equipment, said communicator configured to provide status of said earth mover, said status comprising at least one of;

a fuel level of said earth mover;

deployment of a blade of said earth mover to a down position, said status used by said main controller to track construction of a firebreak trail.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, said first position communicator further comprising:

an input system electrically linked to said first position communicator for a firefighter to enter at least one of;

a vector direction of a fire retardant drop; and

a vector length of a chemical heat retardant drop.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, said first position communicator further comprising:

an environmental sensor configured to generate a signal, said environmental sensor comprising at least one of;

a temperature sensor;

a wind speed sensor;

a wind direction sensor; and

a hygrometer,

said first position communicator configured to transmit the signal to the main controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, said first position communicator further comprising at least one of:

a graphical representation instructing deployment of said vector unit relative to said base unit;

a visual statement indicating instruction for deployment of said vector unit relative to said base unit;

an arrow shape; and

a tether comprising a first end connected to a base unit of said first position communicator and a second end connected to said vector unit of said first position communicator, said tether comprising scale markings indicating length of the requested fire retardant drop.

13. A method for use in wildfire suppression, comprising the steps of:

linking a transceiver of a main controller with a low earth orbit satellite, said main controller comprising a database;

configuring a set of communicators to communicate with the low earth orbit satellite, individual elements of said set of communicators linked to individual firefighting resources, said firefighting resources comprising at least;

(1) firefighting personnel and (2) firefighting heavy equipment, said set of communicators comprising;

a first position communicator comprising;

a base unit configured to be positioned at a location; and

a vector unit configured to be positioned in a firefighter selected direction at least ten feet from said base unit, said base unit and said vector unit combining to provide location information and direction information for a requested fire retardant drop,

wherein at least one of said base unit and said vector unit houses a first transmitter of a set of transmitters; and

configuring each of said set of communicators with a corresponding transmitter of said set of transmitters, each of said set of communicators configured to send to said main controller via the low earth orbit satellite at least;

(1) identifying information of the linked individual firefighting resource and (2) a global positioning system coordinate of the linked individual firefighting resource.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

a first firefighter leader of said firefighting resources communicating with a second firefighter leader of said firefighting resources using said main controller and said low earth orbit satellite.

15. The method of claim 14, said step of communicating further comprising the step of:

graphically relaying a completed firefighting action relative to a terrain local to both the first firefighter leader and the second firefighter leader.

16. The method of claim 14, said step of communicating further comprising the step of:

graphically communicating a planned firefighting action relative to a graphically displayed terrain using a tablet carried by the second firefighter leader.

17. The method of claim 14, said step of communicating further comprising the steps of:

a first firefighter of the firefighting resources selecting an icon on a graphically represented local terrain about the first firefighter and the second firefighter, the icon representing a second firefighter of the firefighting resources;

said main controller establishing a communication link between the first firefighter and the second firefighter;

said second firefighter viewing on a tablet a graphical representation of the local terrain and a graphical representation of the first firefighter on the terrain.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said main controller tracking said firefighting resources using;

(1) the identifying information of the linked individual firefighting resource and (2) the global positioning system coordinate of the linked individual firefighting resource.

19. The method of claim 18, said linked individual firefighting resource comprising at least one of:

a fire engine;

a water tanker vehicle; and

a bulldozer.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

receiving communications from said firefighting resources via said set of communicators via at least one of;

(1) on demand communication, (2) periodic communication, and (3) continual communication; and

using said main controller to track said firefighting resources.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

using said main controller to deploy at least one hundred firefighters and at least five support vehicles.