Rapid development surveillance vehicle and method

A rapid deployment surveillance system for rapidly deploying a detection device from a vehicle for surveillance of an area comprising:

• an extendable telescoping mast having a plurality of telescoping sections;
• an erection-retraction assembly for rapidly erecting and retracting said telescoping mast which includes:
• a track mechanism extending longitudinally of said vehicle,
• a support mechanism for assisting in the support of said mast affixed to said track mechanism adjacent open end thereof,
• a carriage mechanism carried by said track mechanism for translational and rotational motion guided by said track mechanism,
• said telescoping mast having a base section affixed to said carriage mechanism,
• a support arm pivotally connected to said support mechanism and to said carriage mechanism, and
• ram means for moving said carriage mechanism longitudinally along said track mechanism in a manner that said carriage mechanism rotates to raise said telescoping mast from a horizontal position to an erect vertical position while undergoing translational and rotational motion,
• an extension system for extending said telescoping mast to an elevated vertical position at which a wide range of surveillance of said area may be had;
• and
• a monitor adapted for connection to said detection device for displaying a detected event at the location of said monitor remote from said detection device.

A rapid deployment surveillance vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle having an interior space defined by a cab;
• an extendable mast carried within said vehicle cab adapted for supporting a detection device adjacent a free end of said mast for detecting a desired event;
• a monitor carried remotely from said detection device for displaying an image of said detected event;
• a rapid erection-retraction assembly carried within said vehicle for rapidly erecting and retracting said extendable mast which includes:
• a track mechanism extending longitudinally of said vehicle,
• a fixed support mechanism affixed to said track mechanism adjacent one end thereof,
• a movable carriage mechanism carried by said track mechanism adjacent a remote end thereof,
• a support arm pivotally connected to said support mechanism and carriage mechanism,
• said extendable mast being affixed to said carriage mechanism, and
• ram means for moving said carriage mechanism along said track mechanism in a manner that translational and rotational motion is imparted to said carriage mechanism to raise said mast from a horizontal concealed position within said vehicle cab to a vertical erect position in which said extendable mast extends through a roof opening in a roof of said vehicle cab,
• an extension system for extending said extendable mast when fully erect;
• a vehicle leveling system for leveling said vehicle in a manner that said extendable mast is extended in a generally true vertical configuration, said leveling system including;
• jack means carried adjacent corners of said vehicle for engaging the ground and raising said vehicle corners,
• drive means for driving said jack means to raise said vehicle,
• level sensor means for sensing the condition of said vehicle with respect to level and generating a level signal representative of the level condition of said vehicle,
• control means for controlling said drive means in response to said level sensor means for leveling said corners and said vehicle,
• platform means for mounting said detection device on said extended mast;
• and
• said leveling system maintaining the level condition of said vehicle during surveillance in a manner that said extended mast is within a prescribed range of true vertical so that the detection device is stably mounted by said mast in said elevated position providing a stable enhanced image on the display of said monitor.

A rapid deployment surveillance vehicle for rapidly deploying a detection device for surveilling a wide area for the detection of illegal immigration activities and the like comprising:

• a vehicle having a generally unmodified outside appearance of a regular off-the-road passenger vehicle with an interior space defined by a vehicle cab which is modified for placement of a rapid erection and retraction assembly which rapidly deploys said detection device;
• an extendable mast adapted for supporting said detection device at a remote end of said extendable mast;
• said rapid erection and retraction assembly including means for moving said extendable mast from a stowed concealed position within said cab for said vehicle to a vertical erect position extending vertically above said cab of said vehicle;
• said mast being carried by said rapid erection and retraction assembly and completely stowed and concealed entirely within the said vehicle cab in said stowed position;
• said vehicle having the appearance of said regular off-the-road vehicle with said mast and detection device in said stowed concealed position;
• a roof opening formed in a roof in said vehicle cab through which said erect extendable mast is vertically elevated to a surveillance position;
• a monitor disposed at a remote location from said detection device within said vehicle cab;
• means for moving said detection device in a number of degrees of freedom to effectively scan the entire area under surveillance;
• said extendable mast being extendable to said elevated surveillance position well above the roof line of said vehicle cab to provide surveillance of an extended area;
• said fast erection and retraction system including a carriage means by which said extendable mast is moved from said stowed retracted position in an arcuate motion through said roof opening of said cab to said erect vertical position and
• a main door for closing a first portion of said roof opening, means for opening said main door while said mast is moved to said erect position through said door opening and for closing said main door, and said roof opening including a second portion through which said mast extends in said erect position with said main door closed.