Mary V Hewitt

US Patent:

8384540, Feb 26, 2013

Filed:

Jun 28, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/824641

Inventors:

Hector M. Reyes - Richardson TX, US
Donald P. Graham - Allen TX, US
Mary J. Hewitt - Santa Barbara CA, US
Michael Crist - Anna TX, US

Assignee:

Raytheon Company - Waltham MA

International Classification:

G08B 1/00

US Classification:

340532, 3405721, 34053913, 209 32

Abstract:

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for scanning refuse (garbage, trash) from a large geographic area to detect the presence of hazardous materials in the refuse. Hazardous material may comprise CBRNE agents, components of terrorist devices, environmental pollutants and toxins and illegal drugs and may include trace particulates of such agents as well as by-products thereof. Systems and methods, according to some embodiments, may further comprise geo-locating to a small geographic area the origin of hazardous material. Accordingly, in some embodiments the disclosure provides systems and methods to geo-locate facilities or addresses where hazardous materials are generated, thereby geo-locating facilities that make terrorist devices, sources of environmental pollutants and/or sources of illegal drugs. According to some embodiments, systems and methods of the disclosure enable focusing efforts of law enforcement authorities to identify terrorists, drug activities and/or environmental offenders to small geographic areas (e. g. a street address).