U.S. patent application number 14/446260 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-13 for method and apparatus for monitoring and responding to land use activities.
This patent application is currently assigned to TERRADEX, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Peter BIFFAR, Robert WENZLAU. Invention is credited to Peter BIFFAR, Robert WENZLAU.
Application Number | 20140337240 14/446260 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35786694 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140337240 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WENZLAU; Robert ; et
al. |
November 13, 2014 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING AND RESPONDING TO LAND USE
ACTIVITIES
Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring the
use of land. More specifically, the invention monitors the use of
land at a specified site, as well as at adjacent sites. The
invention answers the question of how to manage risks resulting
from external activities and how to intervene proactively.
Inventors: |
WENZLAU; Robert; (Palo Alto,
CA) ; BIFFAR; Peter; (Los Altos Hills, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WENZLAU; Robert
BIFFAR; Peter |
Palo Alto
Los Altos Hills |
CA
CA |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
TERRADEX, INC.
Palo Alto
CA
|
Family ID: |
35786694 |
Appl. No.: |
14/446260 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12963450 |
Dec 8, 2010 |
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14446260 |
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12778576 |
May 12, 2010 |
7873524 |
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12963450 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/317 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/163 20130101;
G06Q 10/063 20130101; G06Q 30/018 20130101; G06Q 50/16 20130101;
G06Q 10/10 20130101; G06Q 50/165 20130101; G06Q 10/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/317 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00; G06Q 50/16 20060101 G06Q050/16 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for monitoring land use, comprising: at least one
processor executing instructions for identifying a site to be
monitored, wherein boundaries of said site do not necessarily align
with boundaries of a legal description of a property; said
processor monitoring ongoing land use activities in connection with
said site in view of at least one land use restriction which limits
how said site can be used; said processor accessing alert criteria
to identify when an alert should be generated in response to
detection by said processor, during said monitoring of land use
activities within said site, of at least one land use activity that
violates said at least one land use restriction at said site; and
said processor generating an alert when a land use activity is
detected that matches said alert criteria.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said land use restriction is
self-imposed by a responsible party, and is not required by any
regulatory or government agency.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a site comprises any of: an
area along an infrastructure; a time varying geographic area; and a
route.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
providing validation, alert follow-up, and reporting.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data in connection with said
land use activity comprises any of: real estate data which
comprises any of sales, zoning, current use, tenant, and rent
rates; water well related data; building permit data or application
data; EPA data; requests for excavation, as well as excavation
permits; land use related data; chemical spill data; school,
education data; political representation data; traffic data;
socio-demographic data which comprises any of income, age, race,
and education; commercial data which comprises any of type of
business, sales, and industry; crime rates; sex offender data; any
of noise, air, and climate data; any of health data, death rates
and causes; and real time data provided by sensors, wherein said
sensors comprises any device that is capable of capturing a real
time physical activity.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
generating said activity data from other data and/or other activity
data sets and logic rules.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said logic
processor providing alert response management by: checking said
alert against a database; coordinating an alert response; closing
an alert; and documenting said alert.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alert criteria comprise
any of: a short statement; and an alert path describing who needs
to be informed and in what order, based on which event and when
said event occurred.
9. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: said processor
filtering overlaps in said monitoring report against alert
criteria; and said processor creating an alert only if there is a
match.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein filtering comprises any of
geographic filtering, land activity filtering, and validation.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
monitoring and validating the operation of one or more engineering
controls.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
assembling data in connection with said land use activity into a
shape file, wherein said shape expands across a geographic
area.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: said processor
translating data in connection with said land use activity into
said shape file, and comparing geographic areas represented by said
land use activity data and said shape file with each other to
determine and search for any area overlaps; and said processor
preparing and sending an alert when there is an overlap.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, said site further comprising site
description data that comprise any of: location of said site,
wherein said location is described in any of longitude/latitude
parameters, parcel number, street address, grid based mapping
location, and/or altitude or elevation; a detailed description of
elements of interest; a graphical description; contact names and
addresses; a description of said land use restriction; and pictures
or other visual elements.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said land use restrictions
describe land use restriction and alert procedures which comprise
any of: elements and frequency of monitoring the land use; and
rules for alerting one or multiple parties regarding any violations
or conflicts with said land use restrictions.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: one or more
physical measuring instruments for collecting data in connection
with said land use activity.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
determining any of: a shape area comprising a three-dimensional
shape comprising any of longitude, latitude and altitude; a shape
area comprising a two-dimensional shape, where one dimension is
altitude; a virtual shape; and a shape area comprising time as a
fourth dimension.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: said processor
comparing multiple shapes against each other to search for
overlaps.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said shape is dynamic and
changes according to logical rules, which comprise any of a change
in size and a change in location.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein any of a person and object
comprises a shape owning a geographic location over time.
21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein shapes can be merged and/or
split apart.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alert comprises any of
an electronic or printed format; and wherein any of: one or
multiple parties are alerted; logic rules are provided to outline
an escalation path for the alert mechanism; and an alert is driven
or initiated based on a specified time sequence of events.
23. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an alert logic
module for verifying an alert by any of: checking against other
data sources to check plausibility or seriousness; and requesting
additional information needed for evaluation from one or more
systems.
24. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an action module
for receiving an alert and creating corrective actions based on
said alert, wherein said corrective action comprises any activity
which is not an alert or an evaluation of an alert.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, said corrective action comprising
any of: an automated letter of complaint; a warning to a party
having caused an alert to stop certain activities or introduce
activities; and a legal disclosure letter to a purchaser of a
property next to said site to make sure that the new owner is aware
of certain land use restrictions.
26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
managing land use restrictions with respect to use of air space
above a physical property.
27. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
alerting specified parties along specified escalation paths.
28. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: said processor
providing validation, alert follow-up, and reporting.
29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data therein are any of
automatically generated and provided by third parties.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/963,450, filed Dec. 8, 2010, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/778,576, filed
May 12, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,873,524, which claims priority to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/897,545, filed Jul. 23, 2004,
now U.S. Pat. No. 7,747,450, which claims priority to U.S.
provisional patent application No. 60/489,998, filed on Jul. 24,
2003, the entirety of each which is incorporated herein by this
reference thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The invention relates to land use. More particularly, the
invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring and
responding to land use activities.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Any land based property, e.g. land, a building, an
apartment, a commercial structure, which may include such resources
as a water well, is not only an asset but also potentially a
liability. The liability attendant with such a property is
typically attributable to any pollution in the ground, any noise or
air pollution related to the property, or any potentially dangerous
use of the property. Therefore, the owner (or sometimes the user,
such as tenant) of a property needs to protect his asset and manage
such liability to optimize the net sales value or use value of the
property (see FIG. 1, which is a graphic representation of the
asset and liability aspects of real property).
[0006] The difficulty of managing land based assets and liabilities
is that they exist in a dynamic environment with constant changes
and outside influences (see FIG. 2, which is a graphic
representation of the potential economic risks and losses
associated with real property).
Events External to Site
[0007] Today more than ever, it is important to monitor events
occurring in the vicinity of a site. These external events or
activities can be of many different kinds, such as set forth in
FIG. 2, but they are not limited to such activities. For example, a
change in zoning law can increase or decrease the land based
property by either expanding or limiting the future use of the
property. A change in traffic can also increase or decrease the
property's value. In the case of a residential area the impact of a
traffic pattern change is negative; in a retail environment certain
kinds of traffic increase can be very positive for the use value
and therefore value of the property.
[0008] In the event of underground pollution there is a serious
liability related to the property. Often, even after a polluted
site has been cleaned up, there remains some amount of residual
contamination left in the ground because today's technology and/or
exorbitant costs do not allow a complete clean-up. Furthermore,
often the pollution is not limited to the site, but extends
underground to neighboring areas.
[0009] Pollution is not limited to underground pollution. It could
be, for example, air pollution or noise, which travels outside of
the boundaries of a property. In the above cases, a property owner
is often not only liable for the pollution attributable to the site
owned, but also for it's outside reach, even though the owner has
no control over such area. If today someone uses the land
inappropriately the likely damages caused by the property owner
increase. For example, there are an estimated 250,000 to 400,000
active and former gas stations in the U.S., where no more than
125,000 of those are actually active current gas stations. Gas
stations are notorious underground polluters.
[0010] There is an additional important element of complexity, i.e.
the pollution is often underground and is not limited to the
boundary of land ownership. The plume of such pollution often
reaches into neighboring properties and public roadways. Most of
current and former gas stations, for example, have such underground
pollution extending outside of the property boundaries, the plume
(area) of which in most cases extends to outside of the property.
For example, consider a day care center being built on a property
in the vicinity of a current or former gas station, where the plume
extends under that property. Years later it becomes evident that
the gases released from the plume have caused a health damage to
the people using the day care center. Without question, the gas
station owner is liable for the damage, which now extends to
millions of dollars in legal costs, damages, and possible
penalties. In this example, the wrong land use in the vicinity of
the property has caused huge damage in liability costs to the
property owner. This damage could have been easily averted if the
property owner had been made aware during the planning stage that a
day care center is being planned at the site. In that event the
property owner could have taken a range of actions, such as
alerting the city planning department and asking them to revoke the
building permit, providing an incentive to the owner of the
property for the planned day care center to find a different site,
or finding a safer use for the property, such as a commercial
building with appropriate engineering barriers, or a parking
garage, etc.
Events Internal to Site
[0011] It is also important to monitor activities occurring at the
site. This is important for reasons such as unauthorized access and
protection against fire and other emergencies. However, there is a
new element and that is to monitor the land use at the site.
[0012] The land use can be restricted in a number of ways, such as:
[0013] Local and regional zoning restrictions; [0014] Deed
restrictions, i.e. restrictions which are documented in the deed of
land; and [0015] Institutional controls (for a definition, see
below).
[0016] This is often necessary because not all the pollution can be
removed. Such limits, for example, specify that the land can be
used for certain types of commercial use, but not for residential
development, or that none of the ground can be removed or dug
into.
[0017] Many institutional controls have been implemented over the
past 3-5 years. However, to date there is no method to monitor the
enforcement of such controls.
PRIOR ART
[0018] Today, there are many tools that may be used to manage
events internal to the site, i.e. any activities not related to
external influences. These tools include fire or smoke detectors,
heat and motion sensors, video cameras, groundwater and other
sampling methods, and similar tools. For example, a fire or
security alarm system alarm monitors the internal events and
determines, for example, "Is there any smoke or fire?" or "Is there
an intruder physically at the site trying to enter the building or
property or certain areas within the property?" The person
monitoring the cameras or data collection with respect to these
alarm systems may or may not be located at the site.
[0019] These methods have in common that they detect a physical
change or element, such as chemicals in the air or physical objects
moving in the vicinity. These methods do not address the issue of
how the land is being used, nor how the adjacent land is being
used. Furthermore, while today's tools may detect the presence of
something, they cannot detect future or intended events. Finally,
none of today's methods of monitoring are linked to a fixed
geographic area or space.
[0020] Groundwater and soil sampling is the method currently used
by environmental regulators. Monitoring wells from which samples
are taken quarterly are installed at and around a polluted site.
The results provide information of whether the contamination has
changed at that well. The regulator deducts from a series of
sampling results if there are any positive or negative changes. The
nature of quarterly sampling has many shortcomings, including:
[0021] The sample is always post event or reactive. For example,
the sample picks up that the contamination has moved underground.
The sample can never be proactive, ie. detect that an event is
about to happen, such as construction de-watering which can cause
changes in ground water patterns, which in turn shift or move the
contamination plume. Therefore, knowing about planned construction
and construction method could proactively avoid an underground
movement of the pollution; [0022] The sample provides no
information of the vents above ground. Sampling can never detect a
change in land use, such as the opening of a school, nor could it
detect trenching work, such as building a new sewer line through
the contamination, possibly exposing workers to unsafe
conditions.
[0023] Geographic information, e.g. street address,
longitude/latitude data, displayed on maps is also widely used. The
most common use is of online maps, such as driving directions.
Earlier versions showed a property location marked with a marker,
which is typically positioned at the center of the geographic
property. More advanced versions show the actual or estimated shape
of the property location. More sophisticated tools include, for
example, a store locator. Other methods include overlays, where a
certain characteristic, such as micro-climate, is imaged as a shape
on top of a map.
[0024] Land use at a site is today regulated by the local/municipal
and government permitting process, as well as local, state and
federal agencies. To some extent it is monitored after the permit
has been issued by building and other inspectors.
[0025] There are no known and effective methods of tracking
institutional controls. The EPA states in a draft paper " . . .
proper implementation, monitoring, and enforcement is essential to
the effectiveness of the IC . . . Draft Guide" (Institutional
Controls: A Guide to Implementing, Monitoring, and Enforcing
Institutional Controls, February 2003). This paper identifies the
need for monitoring, but does not mention any method or procedure
for accomplishing such monitoring.
[0026] Currently bills concerning land reuse and revitalization are
in the legislative process in California (California Land Reuse and
Revitalization Act of 2004), other states, and on a Federal level.
These bills establish the legal framework to facilitate the
redevelopment of about 600,000 brownfields in the U.S. These bills
typically include an appropriate care requirement which provides
that the new user of the brownfield must be in compliance with land
use controls established with respect to the use of the site. There
is currently no method in operation to satisfy this
requirement.
[0027] It would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus
for monitoring and responding to land use activities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring
the use of land. More specifically, the invention monitors the use
of land at a specified site, as well as at adjacent sites. The
system continuously receives new land use data. The system
identifies land use events at the specified site and filters these
monitoring hits against alert criteria. The system then generates
alerts to specified parties. Based on these alerts, proactive steps
of intervention can be undertaken. The invention answers the
question of how to manage risks resulting from external activities
and how to intervene proactively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 is a graphic representation of the asset and
liability aspects of real property;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a graphic representation of the potential economic
risks and losses associated with real property;
[0031] FIG. 3 is a graphic representation of a method and apparatus
for monitoring the use of land according to the invention;
[0032] FIG. 4 is a block schematic diagram showing four basic steps
employed in a method according to the invention;
[0033] FIG. 5 is a block schematic diagram showing a targeting step
according to the invention;
[0034] FIG. 6 is a block schematic diagram showing monitoring,
filtering, and validation of land use data according to the
invention;
[0035] FIG. 7 is a block schematic diagram showing events detected
according to the invention;
[0036] FIG. 8 is a block schematic diagram showing alerts
procedures, customized to requirements according to the
invention;
[0037] FIG. 9 is a block schematic diagram showing an act step, in
particular support: alert response management, according to the
invention;
[0038] FIG. 10 is a block schematic diagram showing an example of a
Tracy, Calif. sewer project according to the invention; and
[0039] FIG. 11 is a block schematic diagram showing an example of a
Saratoga, Calif. redevelopment and related activities according to
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring
the use of land. More specifically, the invention monitors the use
of land at a specified site, as well as at adjacent sites. The
system continuously receives new land use data. The system
identifies land use events at the specified site and filters these
monitoring hits against alert criteria. The system then generates
alerts to specified parties. Based on these alerts, proactive steps
of intervention can be undertaken. The invention answers the
question of how to manage risks relating to the use of land
resulting from external activities and how to intervene
proactively. This is illustrated graphically in FIG. 3.
Definition of Terms Used
[0041] The following definitions shall apply in connection with the
discussion herein:
Site:
[0042] A specific geographic area of any size, typically as small
as a residential parcel of land, or as large as an airport or even
a national park. The definition of a site is also used in an
expanded manner, such as the area along an infrastructure, such as
a pipeline or a street. Such a site can include the area taken up
by the infrastructure plus an area of a certain width to either
side of the infrastructure. The boundaries of a site do not need to
align with the boundaries of the legal description of a property,
such as boundaries of a parcel. Sites may have three dimensions,
which include width, length, and height or depth, as well as four
dimensions, e.g. time varying aspects of the site may be
considered.
Land Use:
[0043] Land use comprises any way of using the land of a site which
can be, for example, a residential home, day care, commercial use,
agricultural use, mining of resources of any kind, use of water
(water well), use as airport, or any other activity performed on,
under, or above the land.
Institutional Control:
[0044] This is a new class of land use restriction. If a site has
been polluted by a responsible party (the polluter), the
responsible party, the local government, other agencies, and other
parties such as a developer can reach an agreement, which specifies
the degree to which the land needs to be cleaned up, as well as
land use controls, called institutional controls. These
institutional controls limit how the land can be used. This is
often necessary because not all the pollution can be removed. Such
limits for example specify that the land can be used for certain
types of commercial use, but that it is not fit for residential
development, or that none of the ground can be removed or dug into.
The institutional control can also require certain engineering
controls to be in place, which are physical building and
engineering requirements and which can include, for example,
physical monitoring equipment, requirements that the surfaces need
to be built upon in a certain manner, or that water or vapor, for
example, can or cannot penetrate or escape.
[0045] There are at least two types of institutional control, to
whit: [0046] Soft Institutional Controls: These controls are
self-imposed by a responsible party, and typically are not required
by any regulatory or government agency [0047] Hard Institutional
Controls: These are institutional controls that are imposed by a
third party who is not the owner, user, and/or polluter of the
site.
DISCUSSION
[0048] The presently preferred embodiment of the invention
comprises a database containing the Site description data of the
site to be monitored: [0049] This description can be as simple as
the location of the site, whereas the location can be described in
any manner, from longitude/latitude parameters, parcel number,
street address, grid based mapping location, and/or altitude,
elevation, or depth. [0050] Additional information can include:
[0051] A detailed description of elements of interest, such as the
pollution; [0052] A graphical description, e.g. an outline of the
location of the pollution; [0053] Contact names and addresses;
[0054] A description of the institutional controls. [0055] In
addition the description can include one or multiple zones, where a
different monitoring and alert procedure can be provided for each
zone. [0056] The description may also include pictures or other
visual elements. [0057] The zones or other above information can be
visualized, e.g. drawn on a two- or multi-dimensional map.
[0058] The invention further comprises a database which includes
the IC Rules data (Institutional Control Rules). These IC rules
describe the restriction and alert procedures such as, but not
limited to: [0059] Different restrictions specified for each zone,
established above; [0060] The elements and frequency of monitoring
the land use; and [0061] The rules for alerting one or multiple
parties regarding any violations or conflicts.
[0062] The system includes a database containing land use activity
data. This data can either be generated by the system or provided
by third parties. This data comprises any kind of data which can be
related to a geographic location of the site, and varies between
different locations. For example, the school zone, Congressional
district, micro-climate in the area of the site, vicinity of other
sites, such as a store, any crime statistics in neighborhood.
[0063] These data include, but are not limited to, such data as:
[0064] Any kind of real estate data, e.g. sales, zoning, current
use, tenant, rent rates; [0065] Water well related data; [0066]
Building permit data or application data; [0067] EPA data; [0068]
Requests for excavation, as well as excavation permits; [0069] Any
other land use related data; [0070] Chemical spill data; [0071]
School, education data; [0072] Political representation data;
[0073] Traffic data; [0074] Socio demographic data, e.g. income,
age, race, education; [0075] Commercial data, e.g. type of
business, sales, industry; [0076] Crime rates, sex offender data;
[0077] Noise, air, climate data; [0078] Health data, death rates
and causes; and [0079] Real time data provided by sensors, e.g.
motion sensors, release of gas sensors, video camera. Sensors
herein are defined as any device capturing real time physical
activities or events.
[0080] Furthermore, in an extension, the activity data may not
already exist as data, but may need in an additional step to be
generated using other data and/or other activity data sets and
logic rules.
[0081] In a further extension, the data may need to be collected
using physical measuring instruments or other tools.
[0082] The system includes a logic module, which monitors the land
use according to the IC rules using the activity data. The logic
module assembles the data of the site in question into a shape
file, which expands across a specific geographic area. The system
then translates the activity data into a shape file with its
specific geographic area, e.g. two-dimensional area of longitude
and latitude, it may occupy at a short or long moment of time. The
system then compares the two geographic areas to each other to
determine and search for any area overlaps. If there is an overlap,
the system logic module prepares and sends an alert.
[0083] Further extensions of the logic module include: [0084] The
shape area can be a three-dimensional shape, e.g. longitude,
latitude and altitude; [0085] The shape can be two-dimensional,
where one dimension is altitude, elevation, or depth; [0086] Shapes
can be virtual, such as for example local demographics, which might
be expressed as income per household and linked to geography via
the description of the ZIP code, outline of school district, street
blocks, or other such identifier, describing characteristics;
[0087] Shapes can be of any size, e.g. they could be on the level
of atoms or cosmic scale; [0088] The shapes can have time as an
additional fourth dimension; [0089] The system can compare multiple
shapes against each other to search for any type of overlaps, e.g.
simple or multiple overlaps; [0090] The shapes can be dynamic, and
change according to logical rules, such as: [0091] Change in size;
and/or [0092] Change in location; [0093] A person or object could
be a shape owning a geographic location for some moments in time;
[0094] Shapes can merge and split apart; [0095] Alerts can be of
any electronic or printed format, such as email, voicemail, fax,
certified mail, etc.; [0096] One or multiple parties can be
alerted; [0097] There can be additional logic rules outlining an
escalation path for the alert mechanism; [0098] An alert can be
driven or initiated based on a specified time sequence of events;
[0099] The alert logic module includes simple or extensive steps to
verify the alert, such as for example: [0100] Check against other
data sources to check plausibility or seriousness; [0101] Request
from one or more systems additional information needed for
evaluation; and/or [0102] To include manual operator input.
[0103] In a further extension, the system may include another logic
module, referred to as an action module. This module receives the
alert and creates corrective action steps based on the alert. A
corrective action is any activity, which is not an alert or an
evaluation of an alert. It can be an automated letter of complaint,
a warning to the party having caused the alert to stop certain
activities or introduce activities. For example, the letter might
demand a polluting company to stop certain emissions. It may be a
legal disclosure letter to the purchaser of the property next to
the site, to make sure that the new owner is aware of certain land
use restrictions.
[0104] In further embodiments: [0105] The data may be distributed
among systems, which may be networked together via the Internet or
other methods; [0106] The logic module and action module may be
physically the same hardware; and [0107] The logic and or action
module tasks may be done by multiple modules and/or systems, which
may be distributed, and may interact over the Internet.
Architecture
[0108] A currently preferred embodiment of the architecture of the
invention is outlined below.
[0109] The system comprises the following: [0110] A database to
store: [0111] Sites and their characteristics; [0112] Logic rules;
[0113] Output data (history); [0114] Administration data, user
password and other such information; [0115] User interfaces for
data input: [0116] Which is a Web based interface and associated
screens; [0117] User controls to upload information; [0118] A
system to system link, such as XML technology; and [0119] A mobile
computer unit; [0120] A processor for applying the logic to the
data, do computing (today typically done by an application server);
[0121] A processor to present the output, (today typically done by
a Web server) and to present the output; [0122] Output interfaces,
such as: [0123] Web based interface to see results; [0124] User
controls to output data, results; [0125] Distribute the results
electronically, e.g. email, computer to computer, computer to fax
or other output devices; [0126] System to system link using the XML
technology; and [0127] A remote, mobile unit.
[0128] This architecture can be on the same physical computer, or
it can be multi-tier and be distributed across a network of
computers, each performing some of the tasks.
Additional Applications of the Invention
[0129] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the user can
interact and use the system over the Internet. However, the user
does not need to do so. All interaction between the system to
provide data, receive alerts, and/or corrective actions can be
delivered via multiple other methods.
[0130] In another embodiment of the invention, the activity data
reside outside of the system, and the system logic comprises a
procedure to query another system, e.g. via a network such as the
Internet, to get the data.
[0131] In another embodiment of the invention, the logic rules are
distributed among multiple systems and computers, such as in the
implementation of the invention in the form of a Web service.
[0132] The invention is especially powerful if a historic sequence
of events is analyzed. The logic module includes rules which allow
the detection of patterns over time. These patterns are used to
predict events before they happen. For example, if the historic
records show that the zoning has changed, and then a neighboring
property is offered for sale, and that the sale has occurred, this
might indicate that a new owner may change the use of the adjacent
property, which might include construction.
[0133] In a further embodiment of the invention, the system can
also be used to predict certain other events before they occur,
i.e. the logic rules can include the evaluation of additional data,
such as the age of the property sold, the economic trends in the
neighborhood, and other data points. For example, if the property
purchased is over 30 years old, and if in general the area is in a
phase of redevelopment, then there is a relatively high certainty
that the new owner may demolish the existing structure and
rebuild.
[0134] In a further embodiment, the system can be expanded to be
used in the context of a planning process. For example, a city
planner can use the system to proactively learn about IC Controls
and thus use the system for better planning process.
Detailed Description of Invention as Applied to Monitoring of Land
Use
[0135] One example of the application of the invention is in the
area of environmental land use control. Such an application
consists typically of four steps: target, monitor, alert, and act.
FIG. 4 is a block schematic diagram showing the four basic steps
employed in a method according to the invention
1. Target
[0136] FIG. 5 is a block schematic diagram showing a targeting step
according to the invention.
[0137] The site to be monitored is entered into the system. This
can be done manually over the user interface or automatically by
uploading the data.
[0138] The site to be monitored in the system is set up in the
system. The site must be described in geographic terms which can
be, for example, a street address and street intersection, a parcel
number, longitude and latitude, a grid map, such as Thompson
Brother Map, GPS data entry, for example by walking around the site
with a GPS tool, and adding GPS points, or other type of geographic
identification data, which allows the site to be located
geographically.
[0139] The site can be described by one or multiple zones, each
description being a zone. The zone description can be simple, e.g.
circle of 0.1 mile diameter, or a complex shape with exact GPS data
points, as shown in FIG. 5.
[0140] In addition to setting up the zone or zones the user can
specify, for example: [0141] What data sources need to be monitored
against such zone; [0142] The alert criteria for each zone and or
data. The alert criteria can be simple, e.g. a one sentence
statement. The alert criteria can also specify the alert path, who
needs to be informed first, second, and so on, based on which event
and when. These alert criteria can include soft or hard
institutional controls or in essence are the representation of
institutional controls in the system; [0143] Follow up or act, what
action the system or system operator should take to follow up on
the alert.
[0144] This set up is typically done once and updated over time if
need be. The targeting can contain additional information, which
could be extensive environmental reports and data about the
site.
[0145] The data entry can also be achieved by default parameters,
allowing one to enter a great number of sites, or sites where
little information is available at the time of data entry.
2. Monitor
[0146] FIG. 6 is a block schematic diagram showing monitoring,
filtering, and validation of land use data according to the
invention
[0147] This second step is an ongoing activity as the system
receives new data about land-use activities, such as in this
example real estate data or excavation notices, e.g. a utility
company is replacing a sewer pipe, and other data.
[0148] These data of events need a geographic description of where
the event is about to occur, such as excavation notices which are
received typically 24 hours before the event, or has occurred such
as a real estate sale or building permit issue. This description
can be of one or multiple types (same as zoning).
[0149] The system then checks the geography of the event against
the geography of the zone. It does nothing if the event does not
overlap with one or multiple zones.
[0150] If it does overlay, the system notes the overlap in a
monitoring report, a sample of which can look like the background
of FIG. 6.
[0151] The report shows the address or identifier of the site, the
address of the event, and possibly a short description, providing
more detail of the event.
[0152] The report can also be a geographic representation as shown
in FIG. 7. This representation shows the site and the events. It
could be graphic as shown in FIG. 7, it could be shown as a map, or
it could also include an aerial picture.
3. Alert
[0153] FIG. 8 is a block schematic diagram showing alerts
procedures, customized to requirements according to the
invention.
[0154] In this third step the monitoring report, which is basically
a hit report, indicates that there is an event within a zone.
However, the event might not be cause for alarm. The alert does
filter the monitoring hits against the alert criteria. Only if
there is a fit is an alert created.
[0155] For example, if the plume (pollution area) shown in FIG. 7
is twenty feet underground, and the sewer replacement is only eight
feet deep, then there is no cause to send an alert because the
event is not critical. However, if the plume is four feet
underground, there is great safety and health concern for the
excavation worker and an alert needs to be sent to the persons or
systems as specified in the alert criteria in step 1 above.
[0156] This review of the monitoring results against the alert
criteria can be done manually, i.e. a person does the review and
uses the system to create the alert by an interface. It could also
be done by the logic of the system, or in a split fashion, where
the system does some review along basic rules and the human expert
does others. The same approach can be used with the sending of
alerts, which could be done by system, manually, or in a
combination thereof.
[0157] The alert can be sent to the user via email, or output to
other devices, such as a fax system. This is push method, pushing
the alert to the user, responsible party, or whoever needs to
receive the alert. The user can also go to the system and see the
alert there, which is the often less effective pull method.
[0158] FIG. 9, on the left hand column, shows an alert. There is a
map of the site and event, a brief description of the site, and the
event, as well as a summary of actions taken in response to the
alert. This action summary is updated as new actions are done and
recorded in the system. This is just one example of the
representation of the alert.
4. Act
[0159] FIG. 9 is a block schematic diagram showing an act step, in
particular support: alert response management, according to the
invention.
[0160] Steps 1 to 3 discussed above are key to the invention. Step
4 can have multiple forms and is a logic extension.
[0161] For example, the system can contain a case management tool,
which assures that no alert is dropped, thus forcing the system
user and operator to monitor the alert action and make sure
something happens.
[0162] Often for large complex companies it is important to
coordinate the response and actions. The system could provide the
basis for such steps, which would be case management or project
tools.
[0163] FIGS. 10 and 11 show examples of how a system as outlined in
this invention would have detected such activities. In particular,
FIG. 10 is a block schematic diagram showing an example of a Tracy,
Calif. sewer project according to the invention; and FIG. 11 is a
block schematic diagram showing an example of a Saratoga, Calif.
redevelopment and related activities according to the
invention.
Other Applications of the Invention
[0164] The invention is not limited to managing polluted sites as
is outlined herein.
[0165] The invention is not limited to longer term monitoring, such
as watching a site for months or decades. The invention could also
be applied to short term sites of interest, such as for utility
construction. In this example the utility company uses the system
to plan and execute its work. The geographic area targeted in this
example is the area along and around the planned utility trenching
work. Once the work is completed, such as when a new sewer system
is built, the site is taken again out of the system.
[0166] Further, the geographic area zone could be smaller and
changing over time. For example, the area could be the dimensions
of a car or truck, changing its geographic position as and when it
moves. Furthermore, it could include not only the actual, real time
position of the zone, but describe a planned move, such as the
route where the vehicle plans to go. In other words, the zone of
travel is the land use for a short time period. For example,
planning the route of a truck containing hazardous materials can
identify where the land use of the road for the materials might not
be appropriate or very risky with respect to the other land uses of
that road or around the road, and consequently an alternative route
should be selected. For example, it might not be appropriate to
choose a road for a truck containing explosive materials which
travels along the route of an oil pipeline.
[0167] The invention as here described is not limited to the
physical structure of a pollution plume. It could include any above
or underground physical structure. It may include dynamic
pollution, such as air pollution which moves over time.
[0168] Furthermore, as seen in the next example the invention is
not limited to physical structures.
[0169] The invention can be expanded to manage institutional
controls with respect to the use of air space above a physical
property. With the addition of time as a fourth dimension the
invention can be used to manage flights above the site. It is
interesting to note that in this expansion there is no physical
structure, but solely the concept of air space rights.
[0170] The invention can be used for national security tasks, such
as analyzing the historic land use against certain profiles and
provide an alert if there is a match.
[0171] The invention can be used for the due diligence process of
any real estate transaction.
[0172] The invention can be used to manage assets, for example:
[0173] Such as private water wells. The owner uses the system to
learn early of any activities which might diminish the value of his
assets, in other words that are a threat to pollute his water or
his ability to exploit the well; [0174] Store property. For
example, a store owner or store operator might want to know the
change of traffic patterns, of available store space, new store
leases, new openings, local demographic shifts in relationship to
his store location, to optimize his business
[0175] Although the invention is described herein with reference to
the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set
forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be
limited by the Claims included below.
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