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US 6,144,302 AGranted
Emergency worker protection apparatus and method
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsGlenn Martin Cotty, Jr., Glen Clyden Argabright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A garment or apparatus worn by emergency workers includes an electrically operated source of multiple, mutually diverging laser light beams. The light beams may be modulated to identify the worker and his status. The worker's location in an emergency environment is readily established as the locus of the diverging beams. A smoke-filled environment makes the laser beams more visible to rescuers.
Claims13
A method for protecting emergency personnel, said method comprising the steps of:
- affixing to each emergency worker a source of multiple beams of collimated, visible light, said beams diverging away from said emergency worker in various directions, and a source of energization coupled to said source of multiple beams of light;
- and
- before said emergency worker enters an emergency location, connecting said source of multiple beams of light to said source of energization, for thereby generating said multiple beams of light, whereby in the event that said emergency worker becomes incapacitated, his location can be established as being at the confluence of said diverging beams of light.
A method for protecting emergency personnel, said method comprising the steps of:
- affixing to each emergency worker a source of multiple beams of light, said beams diverging away from said emergency worker in various directions, and a source of energization coupled to said source of multiple beams of light;
- before said emergency worker enters an emergency location, connecting said source of multiple beams of light to said source of energization, by way of an automatic pulse generating arrangement which sequentially energizes and deenergizes said portion of said source of multiple beams in a fashion which modulates at least one of said multiple beams with one code of a preselected set of codes, for sequentially energizing and deenergizing at least a portion of said source of multiple beams, for thereby generating said multiple beams of light and causing at least one of said multiple beams to pulsate, whereby in the event that said emergency worker becomes incapacitated, his location can be established as being at the confluence of said diverging beams of light;
- and
- prior to entering said emergency location, one of programming and selecting said one of said codes to be unique for each one of said emergency workers at said emergency location, to thereby transmit over said at least one of said light beams a coded indication of the identity of said one of said emergency workers.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a donnable article of apparel;
- an electrically actuated source of mutually diverging collimated beams of light mounted on said article of apparel, with said beams directed outwardly;
- a source of electrical energy mounted on said article of apparel;
- and
- electrical connection means coupled to said source of mutually diverging collimated beams and said source of electrical energy, for electrically connecting said source of mutually diverging collimated beams to said source of electrical energy in a manner which results in electrical energization of said source of mutually collimated diverging beams for at least some time.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.