Self-contained sensor package for water security and safety
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsNghia Tran, Michael R. Blackburn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a floating sensor system having a casing that encloses a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a digital processor and a non-volatile memory. The casing also encloses a data bus that connects the microcontroller to an external environment sensor, an RF transceiver, and a battery. The non-volatile memory includes a history file that maintains a record of events sensed by the external environment sensors. The digital processor is configured to establish a pattern of expected external environmental behavior based on the record of events. The digital processor is also configured to emit a signal through the RF transceiver from the system when an unexpected event occurs.
Claims11
A sensor system comprising:
- a casing designed to float on a surface of a body of water;
- a first sensor mounted to the casing, the first sensor configured to generate a first signal representing a characteristic of the water;
- a second sensor mounted to the casing, the second sensor configured to generate a second signal representing a characteristic of an atmosphere above the surface of the water;
- a processor mounted inside the casing, the processor configured to generate and store a pattern that evolves over time of expected external environmental behavior based on the first and second signals, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an alarm signal upon detecting a pattern in the first and second signals that is not found in the pattern of expected external environmental behavior;
- a transceiver configured to transmit the alarm signal;
- an energy source mounted inside the casing, the energy source being operatively coupled to the first and second sensors, the transceiver and the processor;
- and
- a remote station configured to relay the transmitted alarm signal to a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.