Tapered Unattended Ground Sensor for Rapid Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unattended ground sensors are expensive, large, and complex, making them difficult to deploy and redeploy, especially in covert surveillance applications, and require significant effort for deployment and camouflage due to their size and cost.
Innovation Solution
A simplified design for unattended ground sensors comprising a seismic sensor, a controller, and a transmitter housed in an elongate outer body with a tapered shape for easy insertion into the ground, allowing for rapid deployment and collection, along with a network configuration that enables dense sensor placement and centralized data processing at a base station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sophisticated intelligent ground sensors are used to process and discriminate events locally, then measurement precision and event identification capability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex data processing and event discrimination functions from the individual ground sensors and relocates them to a centralized base station. Each sensor only performs basic seismic wave detection and transmits raw data, while the base station performs sophisticated analysis, event identification, and classification. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining high measurement precision through centralized processing while keeping individual sensors simple and inexpensive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the sensor network by shifting the processing level from distributed (each sensor processing locally) to centralized (base station processing all data). This parameter change allows individual sensors to operate with minimal complexity while the network as a whole achieves sophisticated event identification through aggregated data analysis at the base station.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If ground sensors are made large for long endurance deployment, then duration of action is improved, but ease of operation and deployment difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts disposable or easily replaceable sensor units that are inexpensive and simple to deploy. Rather than designing large, complex sensors for long endurance, the system uses multiple small, simple sensors that can be rapidly deployed and replaced if needed. The longevity is achieved through network redundancy and continuous operation of multiple units rather than through individual sensor durability, resolving the contradiction by making deployment easy while maintaining operational duration through system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the surveillance function into multiple small, independent sensor units rather than using fewer large sensors. Each unit is simple and easy to deploy, but the collective network provides continuous, long-endurance surveillance. This segmentation allows rapid deployment of many small units while achieving the endurance goal through distributed redundancy across the network.
3Ease of operation
If ground sensors are placed on the ground surface for easy deployment, then ease of operation is improved, but covertness worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the sensor units within the ground structure itself, nesting them in holes or cavities rather than placing them on the surface. This allows the sensors to be concealed within the ground while maintaining simple deployment procedures. The nesting approach provides covertness by hiding sensors within the terrain while preserving ease of deployment through straightforward insertion into pre-prepared or easily created ground cavities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses small, compact sensor housings that can be easily concealed within ground features or covered by thin layers of soil, debris, or camouflage materials. These flexible, small-profile shells allow the sensors to be hidden effectively while maintaining simple deployment, resolving the contradiction between ease of placement and need for covertness.
4Reliability
If expensive sophisticated sensors are used, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but loss tolerance and cost-effectiveness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive, simple sensor units that can be affordably replaced if lost or damaged. Rather than investing in expensive, high-reliability individual sensors, the system achieves overall reliability through the collective performance of many low-cost units. This approach improves tolerance to sensor loss by making replacement economically feasible and operationally simple, while maintaining adequate measurement precision through the aggregated data from multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cost and reliability parameters at the individual sensor level versus the network level. Individual sensors are designed to be inexpensive and simple, but the network achieves high reliability through redundancy, data fusion, and centralized processing. This parameter transformation allows the system to tolerate individual sensor losses while maintaining overall surveillance effectiveness through the collective performance of the sensor network.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a cost-effective, compact, and easily deployable network of ground sensors that can tolerate losses and provide enhanced surveillance capabilities with improved covertness and reduced operational complexity, enabling more extensive and cost-efficient monitoring of pedestrian and vehicle movement.
Implementation Method 1
The seismic sensor is operable to detect seismic waves incident on the ground sensor and to generate seismic data therefrom
Implementation Method 2
The transmitter is operable to transmit signals from the ground sensor wirelessly, including signals that are derived from the seismic data. The wireless transmission is likely to use electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to unattended ground sensors for detecting the presence of a pedestrian or vehicle in a monitored area using seismic sensors. Networks of simple and inexpensive sensors are disclosed that may be rapidly deployed. The networks may be formed from a dense array of low cost ground sensors having low sensitivity.