US 2003/0154786 A1 · Device and method for determining and detecting the onset of structural collapse · patentgrep

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Abstract

A significant number of rescue workers are killed or injured each year as they conduct searches within damaged or burning structures, unaware that the structure is in imminent danger of collapse. The present invention provides a system and method for detecting and monitoring structural damages which are irreversible and which lead to inevitable collapse of a building or structure. The system includes at least one accelerometer that is housed in a device that is mounted on an exterior surface outside the burn area, and within the reach of the rescue worker. The device communicates with a remote display that provides visual and/or audible signals to indicate imminent collapse of the structure.

Claims74

Dependent claims

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to convert said acceleration responses to an analog signal and transmit said signal;
and
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from dependent and independent power supplies.

2 more elements

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to transmit said acceleration responses as analog signals;
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from an independent power supply;
said system further including a display apparatus connected to said device through a supply line;
said display apparatus including a remote receiver constructed so as to receive analog signals from said transmitter;
said display apparatus including an analog to digital converter being connected to said remote receiver, said converter constructed so as receive said analog signals and further constructed to convert said analog signals to digital signals;
said display apparatus including a computer, said computer being connected to said converter and constructed so as to receive said digital signals, compare stored threshold data with said digital signal and obtain a resultant value;
said display apparatus further including a second power source constructed so as to supply power to said remote receiver, said analog to digital converter and said computer;
said second power source further constructed so as to obtain power from a power supply.

7 more elements

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to transmit said acceleration responses as analog signals;
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from an independent power supply;
said system including a communication means for transmitting said analog signals to a display apparatus;
said display apparatus including a remote receiver constructed so as to receive said analog signals from said transmitter through said communication means;
said display apparatus including an analog to digital converter being connected to said remote receiver, said converter constructed so as receive said analog signals and further constructed to convert said analog signals to digital signals;
said display apparatus including a computer, said computer being connected to said converter and constructed so as to receive said digital signals, compare stored threshold data with said digital signal and obtain a resultant value;
said display apparatus further including a second power source constructed so as to supply power to said remote receiver, said analog to digital converter and said computer, said second power source further constructed so as to obtain power from a power supply.

6 more elements

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including an analog to digital converter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said converter further constructed so as to convert said acceleration responses to digital signals;
said device including a processor constructed so as to connect to said converter, said processor further constructed so as to process said digital signals;
said device including an identifier, constructed so as to connect to said processor, said identifier further constructed so as to identify data from said device;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to transmit said digital signals;
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from an independent power supply.

4 more elements

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including an analog to digital converter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said converter further constructed so as to convert said acceleration responses to digital signals;
said device including a processor constructed so as to connect to said converter, said processor further constructed so as to process said digital signals;
said device including an identifier, constructed so as to connect to said processor, said identifier further constructed so as to identify data from said device;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to transmit said digital signals;
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from an independent power supply;
said system further including a display apparatus connected to said device through a supply line;
said display apparatus including a remote receiver constructed so as to receive said digital signals from said transmitter;
said display apparatus including a computer, said computer being connected to said receiver constructed so as to receive said digital signals, compare stored threshold data with said digital signal and obtain a resultant value;
said display apparatus further including a second power source constructed so as to supply power to said remote receiver and said computer;
said second power source further constructed so as to obtain power from a power supply.

9 more elements

A system for detecting collapse of structures comprising:

a device including at least one accelerometer, said accelerometer constructed so as to receive acceleration responses from a structure in at least one axial direction;
said device including a filter and amplifier, said filter and amplifier constructed so as to connect to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier further constructed so as to receive said acceleration responses, remove extraneous noise from said acceleration responses and amplify said acceleration responses;
said device including an analog to digital converter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said converter further constructed so as to convert said acceleration responses to digital signals;
said device including a processor constructed so as to connect to said converter, said processor further constructed so as to process said digital signals;
said device including an identifier, constructed so as to connect to said processor, said identifier further constructed as to identify data from said device;
said device including at least one transmitter, said transmitter constructed so as to connect to said filter and amplifier, said transmitter further constructed so as to receive said filtered and amplified acceleration responses, said transmitter further constructed so as to transmit said digital signals;
said device including a first power source connected to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source constructed so as supply power to said accelerometer, said filter and amplifier, said analog to digital converter, said processor, said identifier and said transmitter, said first power source further constructed so as to obtain power from an independent power supply;
said system including a communication means for transmitting said digital signals to a display apparatus;
said display apparatus including a remote receiver constructed so as to receive said digital signals from said transmitter through said communication means;
said display apparatus including a computer, said computer being connected to said receiver constructed so as to receive said digital signals, compare stored threshold data with said digital signal and obtain a resultant value;
said display apparatus further including a second power source constructed so as to supply power to said remote receiver and said computer;
said second power source further constructed so as to obtain power from a power supply.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.