REAL-TIME, TWO DIMENSIONAL (2-D) TRACKING OF FIRST RESPONDERS WITH IDENTIFICATION INSIDE PREMISES

• US 20150077282A1
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Farrokh Mohamadi
• Original Assignee: Farrokh Mohamadi
• Inventors: Mohamadi, Farrokh
• Granted Patent: US 9,383,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/415 Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target

Abstract

A combination of active reader tags and ultra wideband (UWB) radar systems provide real-time monitoring of first responders, with identification of each team member using active tags, and detection of victims or other subjects using motion or breathing detection, in a field of operations such as a building affected by fire or hazardous material or search and rescue mission area. Initially, a cluster of miniaturized radars (sensors) act in a static mode of operation, gathering static radar information used to depict a constructed layout of the premises. The cluster of radars then operate in a dynamic mode that detects motion or breathing of multiple subjects inside the field of operations. With dual mode operation the system can read the active tags identification, and by triangulation, display the position of each first responder with its identification and positions of subjects on a composite image of the constructed layout.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of wearable communicator units, each wearable communicator unit including;

an active tag for identifying and precisely locating the wearable communicator unit; and

a display; and

a plurality of 2-D sensor units that;

operate first in a static mode that gathers information to depict a layout of a field of operations;

then operate in a dynamic mode that searches for motion of a subject and reads an active tag of each wearable communicator unit for locating a precise position of each wearable communicator unit; and

wherein

each wearable communicator unit displays the layout depiction, and subject and communicator location information on a display of the wearable communicator unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units further comprises:

an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system for detecting obstructions and for detecting the subject.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units further comprises:

an active tag reader for reading any of the active tags of the plurality of wearable communicator units.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein locating a precise position of each wearable communicator unit is performed using triangulation from the known positions of the plurality of 2-D sensor units.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units further comprises:

an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system for detecting movement and breathing of the subject.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of 2-D sensor units further comprises:

a locator processing unit, wherein each wearable communicator unit includes a display of grid location relative to a grid computed by the locator processing unit.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit included in each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units for providing location information for each 2-D sensor unit; and

the GPS unit included in each of the plurality of wearable communicator units for providing location information for each wearable communicator unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of the layout depiction, and subject and communicator location information includes:

graphical information identifying the locations of communicator units;

graphical information identifying the locations of subjects; and

a two dimensional display of the locations of communicator units and subjects mapped on the layout information in real-time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units further comprises:

an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system; and

the UWB radar imaging system includes a wafer scale beam forming antenna array wherein the maximum dimension of the antenna array is less than 5 inches.

10. A method comprising:

providing a wearable communicator unit to each of a plurality of team members;

providing an active tag in proximity to each communicator unit for each team member;

positioning a plurality of 2-D sensor units about a field of operations;

operating the plurality of 2-D sensor units first in a static mode that gathers information to depict a layout of the field of operations;

operating the plurality of 2-D sensor units in a dynamic mode that searches for motion of a subject and reads an active tag of each wearable communicator unit for locating a precise position of each wearable communicator unit; and

displaying, by each wearable communicator unit, the layout depiction, and subject and communicator location information on a display of the wearable communicator unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system for detecting obstructions and for detecting the subject in each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing each of the plurality of wearable communicator units with an active tag reader for reading any of the active tags of the plurality of wearable communicator units.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

locating a precise position of each wearable communicator unit by performing triangulation from the positions of the plurality of 2-D sensor units.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system for detecting movement and breathing of the subject in each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing at least one of the plurality of 2-D sensor units with a locator processing unit; and

displaying by each wearable communicator unit a grid location of each active tag relative to a grid computed by the locator processing unit.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

acquiring location information for each 2-D sensor unit from a global positioning system (GPS) unit included in each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units; and

providing a GPS unit included in each of the plurality of wearable communicator units for providing location information for each wearable communicator unit.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

including in the display of layout depiction, and subject and communicator location information;

graphical information identifying the locations of communicator units;

graphical information identifying the locations of subjects; and

a two dimensional display of the locations of communicator units and subjects mapped on the layout information in real-time.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system in each of the plurality of 2-D sensor units; and

forming a UWB radar beam, by the UWB radar imaging system, using a wafer scale beam forming antenna array wherein the maximum dimension of the antenna array is less than 5 inches.