The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 13, 2011
Filed:
Aug. 03, 2006
William H. Andrews, Jr., Oliver Springs, TN (US);
Cyril V. Thompson, Knoxville, TN (US);
Arpad A. Vass, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Rob R. Smith, Knoxville, TN (US);
William H. Andrews, Jr., Oliver Springs, TN (US);
Cyril V. Thompson, Knoxville, TN (US);
Arpad A. Vass, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Rob R. Smith, Knoxville, TN (US);
UT-Battelle LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for detecting a burial site of human remains are disclosed. An air stream is drawn through an air intake conduit from locations near potential burial sites of human remains. The air stream is monitored by one or more chemical sensors to determine whether the air stream includes one or more indicator compounds selected from halogenated compounds, hydrocarbons, nitrogen-containing compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, acid/ester compounds, oxygen-containing compounds, and naphthalene-containing compounds. When it is determined that an indicator compound is present in the air stream, this indicates that a burial site of human remains is below or nearby. Each sensor may be in electrical communication with an indicator that signals when the sensor has detected the presence of the indicator compound in the air stream. In one form, the indicator compound is a halogenated compound and/or a hydrocarbon, and the presence of the halogenated compound and/or the hydrocarbon in the air stream indicates that a burial site of human remains is below or nearby.