Robotic fire protection system

• US 6,364,026 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safety and Environmental Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Irving Doshay
• Inventors: Doshay, Irving
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Christopher S.
• Application Number:
  US09/271,626
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 169/46, 169/47, 169/52, 169/53, 169/54, 169/56, 169/30, 169/36, 244/189, 244/190, 244/136
• US Class Current: 169/47
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0271 Detection of area conflagration fires fire alarms for forest fires G08B17/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/005 for forest fires, e.g. detecting fires spread over a large or outdoors area fire fighting forest fires A62C3/02

Abstract

A fire fighting system comprising a set of unmanned, aircraft, fire detection subsystems; a set of launch-on-need, unmanned aircraft, fire suppression subsystems; and a manned, central, robotic vehicle flight control and monitoring station. When deployed, the robotic survey vehicles continuously patrol the wildland so that fires can be detected when they first start. The robotic extinguisher vehicles, which contain fire suppressant or extinguisher are deployed on rocket assist or other automated take-off launchers at critical locations throughout the wildland. The pilot at the central monitoring station controls the flight path of the survey vehicles and continuously receives video and fire scan information from them. Upon detection of a fire signal, its position is determined via use of a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system and permission is sought from the applicable security agency to launch an extinguisher vehicle. When permission is granted, the pilot at the central monitoring station provides the fire co-ordinates to the nearest, available extinguisher vehicle and initiates its launch. This vehicle flies to the location, performing rough homing with its onboard infrared (IR) sensor and final targeting via video camera and assistance from the GPS data, drops its fire suppressant on the fire, circles the fire to assess drop results and heads to a pre-established landing strip. At the landing strip, the extinguisher vehicle is checked out, re-loaded with another extinguisher payload and another launch assist device and again deployed in the wildland.

Claims

1. A robotic fire protection system comprising:

a a manned control and monitoring station;

b a robotic survey vehicle which is designed to;

(i) continually patrol an area which it is desired to protect from fire damage;

(ii) continuously survey said area while patrolling;

(iii) obtain accurate position information from the GPS system;

(iv) provide video and IR status information to said control and monitoring station about the fire status of said area; and

(v) be remotely controlled from said control and monitoring station;

c a robotic fire suppression vehicle which is designed to;

(i) be maintained in a state of readiness at a strategic location within said area;

(ii) carry a quantity of fire suppressant;

(iii) rapidly reach a fire utilizing IR detection for rough guidance;

(iv) provide video and IR feedback to said control and monitoring station to allow accurate guidance to said fire and provide information about the status of said fire;

(v) obtain accurate position information from the GPS system;

(vi) be remotely launched and controlled from said control and monitoring station; and

(vii) administer said fire suppressant to said fire upon command.

2. A robotic fire protection system as claimed in claim 1 in which said robotic survey vehicle and said robotic fire suppression vehicle are an unmanned air vehicles.

3. A robotic fire protection system comprising:

a a robotic survey vehicle which is adapted for and is continually patrolling and surveying an area which it is desired to protect from fire damage;

b a robotic fire suppression vehicle adapted for administering fire suppressing agents upon command, which is deployed at a strategic location within said area; and

c a manned, control and monitoring station which is designed for remote control of said robotic survey vehicle and said robotic fire suppression vehicle;

said vehicles adapted for communication with and control by said control and monitoring station.

4. A robotic fire protection system as claimed in claim 3 in which said robotic survey vehicle comprises:

a first unmanned air vehicle, and a video camera, a fire (IR) scanner, a GPS communication subsystem and a communication subsystem adapted for communication with said control and monitoring station, all located on board said first unmanned air vehicle.

5. A robotic fire protection system as claimed in claim 4 in which said robotic fire suppression vehicle comprises:

a second unmanned air vehicle, and a video camera, a fire homing (IR) subsystem, a GPS communication subsystem, a container, a quantity of fire suppressant in said container, a means for dispensing said fire suppressant, a rocket takeoff assist mechanism and a communication subsystem adapted for communication with said control and monitoring station, all located on board said second unmanned air vehicle.

6. A robotic fire protection system as claimed in claim 5 in which said container is designed to be dropped upon a fire and to open and disperse said fire suppressant on impact.

7. A robotic fire protection system as claimed in claim 6 in which said means for dispersing said fire suppressant is a mechanism which holds said container during flight and releases said container upon command.

8. A method for robotic fire protection comprising the steps of:

a providing a control and monitoring station;

b providing a robotic survey vehicle which is designed to;

(i) continually patrol an area which it is desired to protect from fire damage;

(ii) continuously survey said area while patrolling;

(iii) obtain accurate position information from the GPS system;

(iv) provide video and IR status information to said control and monitoring station about the fire status of said area; and

(v) be remotely controlled from said control and monitoring station;

c providing a robotic fire suppression vehicle which is designed to;

(i) be maintained in a state of readiness at a strategic location within said area;

(ii) carry a quantity of fire suppressant;

(iii) rapidly take off and fly to a fire utilizing IR detection for rough guidance;

(iv) provide video and IR feedback to said control and monitoring station to allow accurate guidance to said fire and provide information about the status of said fire;

(v) obtain accurate position information from the GPS system;

(vi) be remotely launched and controlled from said control and monitoring station; and

(vii) administer said fire suppressant to said fire upon command;

d from said control and monitoring station;

(i) commanding said robotic survey vehicle to patrol said area;

(ii) receiving, analyzing and, if necessary, recording said status information from said robotic survey vehicle;

(iii) commanding said robotic survey vehicle to land, as required, for refueling;

(iv) upon detection of a fire;

(1) determining the exact location of said fire utilizing, among other information, said accurate position information;

(2) requesting clearance to administer said suppressant from a cognizant security agency;

(3) commanding said robotic fire suppression vehicle to take off and fly to said exact location of said fire;

(4) analyzing said video and IR feedback from said robotic fire suppression vehicle;

(5) if appropriate, commanding said robotic fire suppression vehicle to administer said suppressant; and

(6) commanding said robotic fire suppression vehicle to fly to a predesignated landing zone;

(v) checking and resupplying said robotic fire suppression vehicle; and

(vi) making periodic reports to said cognizant security agency and a Forestry Service.