Patent Publication Number: US-7898408-B2

Title: Voice-aided unattended surveillance sensor deployment system and associated methods

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of sensors, and, more particularly, to remote and unattended ground sensor systems and related methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Remote, unattended intrusion detection and surveillance capabilities are suited to the security of installations (commercial, government and/or military) and perimeters, as well as for the protection of borders and other assets (e.g. associated with homeland defense). For example, Harris Corporation of Melbourne, Fla., and Assignee of the present application, produces an advanced sensor system product line that offers such features: the Harris Falcon Watch® Remote Intrusion Detection and Surveillance system. 
     The Falcon Watch® system includes the RF-5405 Intelligent Gateway, a communications node that receives alarms from multiple sensors and fuses the data into actionable reports for relay to command centers. The Falcon Watch® system utilizes seismic detectors, which detect and classify ground vibration caused by vehicles or pedestrians; magnetic detectors, which detect the movement of metal objects such as weapons or vehicles, and passive infrared (PIR) sensors, which detect the movement of thermal signatures such as vehicles or pedestrians. Input is processed at the point of detection and then the resulting alarms are transmitted by radio to a monitoring point. 
     Multiple radio relay nodes can be used to extend the system to protect larger-scale perimeters. The Falcon Watch system is modular and configurable to address a broad range of threat or topographical environments. The system is specifically designed to withstand the rigors of harsh environments while operating in remote locations for extended periods without battery replacement. The Falcon Watch® system detects the movement of vehicles and people while filtering out non-threatening, naturally occurring events. It transmits alarms to the Harris Falcon® II RF-5800V-HH Advanced VHF Tactical Handheld Radio or the Falcon° II RF-5800M-HH Advanced Multiband Tactical Handheld Radio in addition to the central monitoring point. 
     This allows the user to receive real-time sensor alerts directly without carrying additional monitoring hardware. The sensor alarms can also be displayed at the central monitoring point by the Harris RF-6910 Situational Awareness System to provide a complete operational picture at a command center. The Falcon Watch® Sensor system is available in various configurations. The Force Protection configuration is ideal for tactical, on-the-move missions, and for temporary set-ups and deployments. It is small, lightweight, easy to use, and features extended operational life as a result of its advanced low-power techniques. Tactical radio integration results in less equipment that the operator is required to carry and provides immediate notification of area intrusions. The Perimeter Surveillance configuration of the Falcon Watch® Sensor system is designed for applications requiring more complex detection and surveillance such as fixed installations and power-generation facilities. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0111884 to Cloutier et al. (and assigned to Harris Corporation) is directed to an unattended sensor for use in a surveillance system. The sensor includes a detector, a signal processor, a radio transceiver, a power source, and a controller which configures the sensor in either a sensor mode or a relay mode. The monitoring device may be a handheld radio device equipped with a transceiver for sending and receiving data and able to receive event messages from sensor nodes residing in the network. In addition, the radio device may include a signal processor adapted to receive the event messages and provide indicia of the event to the radio operator, e.g. an audible indicator or visual indicator on a display. 
     Specialized equipment with a large, bright displays (such as a laptop computer or PDA) interfaced with a central gateway node to display status indications and event messages from sensor nodes, may result in added weight and bulk. Such a design may also compromise covertness and/or be impractical for one person to deploy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a surveillance system, devices and associated methods that reduce the labor needed, increase simplicity and maintain covertness during system deployment. 
     This and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a surveillance system including a remote monitoring station, at least one mobile radio (e.g. a handheld radio), and one or more deployable sensors each for unattended surveillance to wirelessly transmit a detection signal in response to a detected activity. A deployable gateway surveillance node collects information from the sensors and includes a controller and at least one wireless transceiver cooperating therewith to receive detection signals, transmit a notification to the remote monitoring station based upon a received detection signal, and determine and transmit a voice-message status report, based upon the received detection signal, to the at least one mobile radio identifying the deployable gateway surveillance node and corresponding deployable sensor for the received detection signal. 
     Thus, the present approach includes a voice-message transmission capability for use during deployment of the surveillance gateway and associated sensors. Received detection signals during deployment cause the surveillance gateway to transmit the voice-message reports to communication equipment such as a handheld radio. The reports include such information as identification of the corresponding sensor and surveillance gateway, status of the sensor and/or health of the surveillance gateway. The transmission of voice reports in this manner may remain active during the deployment period, after which time the system may automatically switch to a primary mode of event data transmission. Accordingly, the system may be deployed with a single operator and without the need for specialized equipment. 
     The voice-message status report may further include information regarding a status of a communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node and the remote monitoring station, a received detection signal strength and/or detected activity information. The controller and the receiver in the deployable gateway surveillance node may also cooperate to establish a positioning information communication link with a positioning/navigation system, such as a GPS satellite. The voice-message status report may include information regarding a status of the positioning information communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node and the positioning/navigation system. 
     The controller and the wireless transceiver of the deployable gateway surveillance node may transmit the voice-message status report to the mobile radio during a system deployment mode and for a predetermined time period after the deployable gateway surveillance node receives the detection signal during the system deployment mode. The deployable sensor may include at least one detector and associated wireless transmitter to generate and transmit the detection signal in response to the detected activity. The detector may include a passive infrared (PIR) detector, a seismic detector, a magnetic detector and/or an acoustic detector, for example. A plurality of deployable sensors may be used for unattended surveillance. Also, at least one deployable relay node may be provided to relay detection signals to the deployable gateway surveillance node. 
     A method aspect is directed to deploying a surveillance system including a remote monitoring station, at least one mobile radio, at least one deployable sensor and a deployable gateway surveillance node having a controller and at least one wireless transceiver cooperating therewith. The method includes positioning the deployable gateway surveillance node, and positioning the at least one deployable sensor for unattended surveillance to wirelessly transmit a detection signal in response to a detected activity. The method further includes transmitting a notification from the deployable gateway surveillance node to the remote monitoring station based upon a received detection signal, and determining and transmitting a voice-message status report, based upon the received detection signal, from the deployable gateway surveillance node to the at least one mobile radio identifying the deployable gateway surveillance node and corresponding deployable sensor for the received detection signal. 
     The voice-message status report further includes information regarding a status of a communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node and the remote monitoring station, a received detection signal strength and/or detected activity information. The method may also include establishing a positioning information communication link from the deployable gateway surveillance node to a positioning/navigation system (e.g. GPS). As such, the voice-message status report may include information regarding a status of the positioning information communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node and the positioning/navigation system. 
     Determining and transmitting the voice-message status report may comprise transmitting the voice-message status report to the at least one mobile radio during a system deployment mode for a predetermined time period. Wirelessly transmitting the detection signal may include generating the detection signal in response to the detected activity with a passive infrared (PIR) detector, a seismic detector, a magnetic detector and/or an acoustic detector, for example. Also, a plurality of deployable sensors may be positioned for unattended surveillance. And the method may include positioning at least one deployable relay node to relay detection signals to the deployable gateway surveillance node. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a surveillance system in accordance with the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a surveillance system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating details of an embodiment of the deployable gateway surveillance node in the system of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a conventional surveillance system  10  and associated method of deployment will be described. The system  10  includes a gateway surveillance node  12 , various unattended sensors  14 ,  16 , relay nodes  18  and a monitoring station  20 . The gateway node  12  may establish a communication link with the monitoring station  20  via a communication satellite  22 , and may also establish a communication link with a global positioning system (GPS) satellite  24 , as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     The sensors  14 ,  16  communicate detection signals to the gateway node  12  directly or via the relay node  18 . When positioning the sensors  14 ,  16  it may be desirable to verify operation of the system  10  including the various communication links. So the persons involved in deploying the system  10  may typically use an interface  26 , e.g. a laptop or other specialized device (e.g. a PDA) running a system management application, associated with the gateway node  12 , and respective handheld radios  28 ,  29 . The operator of the interface  26  may communicate, via the radio  28 , the various information gathered by the interface regarding the status of the various sensors  14 ,  16  being deployed. The operator in the field may adjust the positioning of the sensors  14 ,  16  based upon the information received via radio  29 . The operator at gateway node  12  may verify the communication between gateway node  12  and the GPS satellite  24  and communication satellite  22  using interface  26 . 
     As discussed above, in such a conventional approach, the use of the interface  26  may result in added weight and bulk of the equipment needed for system deployment. Furthermore, covertness may be compromised (e.g. via the display illumination and by the activities of additional personnel) and the system may be impractical for one person to deploy. Such displays can also be difficult to see in bright sunlight. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a surveillance system, devices and associated methods in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will now be described. The present approach may reduce the deployment labor needed and increase covertness with the use of a voice-message status report during system deployment. 
     The surveillance system  40  may include a remote monitoring station  50 , at least one mobile radio  59  (e.g. a handheld radio or manpack radio), and one or more deployable sensors  44 ,  46  each for surveillance (e.g. unattended surveillance) and to transmit (e.g. wirelessly) a detection signal in response to a detected activity. The remote monitoring station  50  may be an operations command center, for example, having various computer and communications networks and equipment as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     A sensor  44 ,  46  may include one or more detectors such as a magnetic detector, a passive infrared detector (PIR), a seismic detector, an acoustic detector or a digital imager, for example. A magnetic detector detects magnetic field changes, a PIR detector detects incident thermal changes caused by a person or vehicle, and a seismic detector detects vibrations. Other types of detectors may be used. The sensor  44 ,  46  can be configured with different types of detectors depending on the surveillance requirements. Upon deployment of the sensor  44 ,  46 , the various detectors may be activated. An associated wireless transmitter or transceiver may be included in the sensor  44 ,  46 . A relay node  48  may be provided to relay detection signals to the deployable gateway surveillance node  42 . Furthermore, a sensor  44 ,  46  may also be integrated with the gateway node  42 . 
     The deployable gateway surveillance node  42  includes a controller  60  and at least one wireless transceiver  62  cooperating therewith to transmit a notification  64  to the remote monitoring station  50  based upon a received detection signal from a sensor  44 ,  46  in a line-of-sight operation. Alternatively, the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  may communicate with the remote monitoring station  50  utilizing transceiver  65  via antenna  67  and communications satellite  52 . 
     The controller  60  and wireless line-of-sight transceiver  62  cooperate to determine and transmit a voice-message status report  66 , based upon the received detection signal, to the at least one mobile radio  59 . Such a voice-message status report  66  at least includes information identifying the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and corresponding deployable sensor  44 ,  46  for the received detection signal. The voice-message status report  66  may further include information regarding a status of a communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and the remote monitoring station  50 , a received detection signal strength and/or detected activity information. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the voice-message status report  66  is transmitted to the handheld radio  59  and identifies a particular sensor and provides information regarding the type of detection, e.g. “PIR/Magnetic.” The particular gateway node is also identified and information regarding the health and/or status thereof is included. It is emphasized that no special equipment is needed for deployment as the handheld radio  59 , for example, may be typically already carried by the operator in the field. 
     The controller  60  and receiver  70  in the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  may also cooperate to establish a positioning information communication link, via antenna  73 , with a positioning/navigation system, such as a GPS satellite  54 . As such, the voice-message status report  66  may include information regarding a status of the positioning information communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and the positioning/navigation system. 
     The controller  60  and the wireless transceiver  62  of the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  may transmit the voice-message status report  66  to the mobile radio  59  via antenna  63  during a system deployment mode. Also, The voice-message status may be transmitted for a predetermined time period after the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  receives the detection signal, i.e. from a deployed sensor  44 ,  46 , during the system deployment mode that is in effect for a predetermined time period, e.g. 30 minutes. For example, a user, carrying the handheld radio  59 , may deploy the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and subsequently begin positioning the deployable sensors  44 ,  46  and relay nodes  48  if needed. After positioning a particular sensor  44 ,  48 , the user may trip one or more detectors therein which leads to the transmission of a detection signal to deployable gateway surveillance node  42 . 
     After receiving the detection signal, the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  determines and transmits a voice-message status report  66  to the user via the handheld radio  59 , e.g. using an FM voice communications channel. Based upon the information included in the voice-message status report  66 , the user may verify the readiness of the sensor  44 ,  46  and/or deployable gateway surveillance node  42 , or the use may adjust the positioning of the system components to achieve more desirable results. Thus, a single user may deploy the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and related sensors  44 ,  46  and relay nodes  48  with the aid of the voice-message status report  66 . No added equipment is needed other than the handheld radio  59  that may be typically already carried by the operator in the field. 
     A method aspect is directed to deploying a surveillance system  40  including the remote monitoring station  50 , at least one mobile radio  59 , at least one deployable sensor  44 ,  46  and a deployable gateway surveillance node  42  having a controller  60  and at least one wireless transceiver  62  cooperating therewith. The method includes positioning the deployable gateway surveillance node  42 , and positioning the at least one deployable sensor  44 ,  46  for unattended surveillance to wirelessly transmit a detection signal in response to a detected activity. 
     The method further includes transmitting a notification  64  from the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  to the remote monitoring station  50 , e.g. via communications satellite  52 , based upon a received detection signal. A voice-message status report  66  is determined and transmitted, based upon the received detection signal, from the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  to the mobile radio  59  identifying the deployable gateway surveillance node and corresponding deployable sensor  44 ,  46  for the received detection signal. 
     Again, the voice-message status report  66  may include information regarding a status of a communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and the remote monitoring station  50 , a received detection signal strength and/or detected activity information. The method may also include establishing a positioning information communication link from the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  to a positioning/navigation system  54  (e.g. GPS). As such, the voice-message status report  66  may include information regarding a status of the positioning information communication link between the deployable gateway surveillance node  42  and the positioning/navigation system  54 . 
     Determining and transmitting the voice-message status report  66  may comprise transmitting the voice-message status report to the mobile radio  59  during a system deployment mode and for a predetermined time period, as discussed above. Wirelessly transmitting the detection signal may include generating the detection signal in response to the detected activity with a passive infrared (PIR) detector, a seismic detector, a magnetic detector and/or an acoustic detector, for example. Also, a plurality of deployable sensors  44 ,  46  may be positioned for unattended surveillance. And, the method may include positioning at least one deployable relay node  48  to relay detection signals to the deployable gateway surveillance node  42 . 
     Thus, the present approach includes a voice-message transmission capability for use during deployment of the gateway surveillance node  42  and associated sensors  44 ,  46 . Received detection signals during deployment cause the gateway surveillance node  42  to transmit the voice-message reports to communication equipment such as a handheld radio  59 . The reports include such information as identification of the corresponding sensor and surveillance gateway, status of the sensor and/or health of the surveillance gateway. Accordingly, the system may be deployed with a single operator. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.