WO2020240085A1

WO2020240085A1 - Tracing method, system and a system element

Info

Publication number: WO2020240085A1
Application number: PCT/FI2020/050350
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aleksei SHCHERBININ; Oskari KAUSIALA; Hans Jyrg JOST; Jani Hakala; Jyri MIKKILÄ; Verner HEMMILÄ
Original assignee: Karsa Oy
Priority date: 2019-05-24
Filing date: 2020-05-25
Publication date: 2020-12-03
Also published as: FI20195434A1; FI129029B

Abstract

This disclosure describes a tracing method, a system thereof as well as a system element of such as a node (102), (104), (114). The nodes (102), (104), (114) as system elements can be used in mapping of a region as based on location (501), (502) and measured concentration of an observable chemical being associated to each other for determination of the source of the chemical. A node may use meteorological (504), information network originating data and environmental data about the conditions prevailing in the measurements of the chemicals to be traced and the source of the chemical being identified.

Description

TRACING METHOD, SYSTEM AND A SYSTEM ELEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001 ] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for chemical detection of illicit substances and, more particularly by a mobile devices assisted system

BACKGROUND

[0002] Do not find a mere bomb, but the bomb maker; it applies to other various illicit substances accordingly, as if there is a permanent solution sought to an illicit substances related problem. Illicit substances (IS) are considered such because of the hazardous properties of such substances. Into such class of ISs belong such substances as explosives, and toxics as exemplified as super-poisons, nerve gases, narcotics, drugs, explosion risk owing properties that are not considered as such, and radioactive substances, for example, but with no intention to limit the list only to the mentioned. The illicit nature can be considered via the hazard to any intelligent life forms, which may be sufficiently clear without any further disclosure of these kinds of substances.

[0003] However, illicit substances, ISs, as such as handled properly according to the international agreements to follow safety regulations in supervised conditions are not problems. However, smuggling for example, use related to sinister purposes and terrorism as well as careless dealing with such subjects, especially in secrecy, makes a considerable problem, in worldwide.

[0004] For illegal use, such substances are often hided, when stored and/or transported, even among large crowds, ignorantly about the risk such substances may cause if released, in purpose and/or accidentally. Some of these substances may have so low vapor pressure in the normal conditions that they cannot be traced immediately by before known means, but a very long analysis period is needed, especially for Extremely Low Vapor pressure having Organic Compounds, ELVOCs, of which some are suitable for illicit purposes.

[0005] Even worse, the substances may be manufactured from certain constituents of them even in crowded neighborhoods in people rich areas. Although the precursors as such, as considered alone, may be not harmful, the inhabitants being unaware of the potential risks they are exposed to because of the illicit substances themselves, and/or such constituents that may be as poisonous or dangerous as the end products as such. [0006] The use, abuse, transportation and manufacturing of illicit substances and/or their constituents encompass an Urban Chemical Threat, UCT. Identification and location of such has been not addressed to, in a holistic manner continuously to monitor in the cities or similar in habituated areas, as far as considered in public at the priority date of the outstanding patent application for using mobile techniques. However, air quality measurements are performed as such, but the scope is very different. It is very challenging if not practically completely impossible to that kind of instruments to monitor in a complex urban environment ambient air for trace level concentrations of illicit substances as they may appear in the cities. Even in the metropolitan areas, used monitoring techniques as such have so high detection limits that the trace levels leave without notice, or, are too slow for the purposes.

[0007] Thus, it is an aspect of the invention to bring up such a system that can detect these illicit substances or alike rapidly, reliably, and accurately for reporting the findings accordingly for further action, to locate and map the sources for direct illicit substances and/or their manufacturing sites. The UCTIL (Urban Chemical Threat, Identification and Location) -concept according to the embodied invention provides a tracing system based on mobile platforms to provide a sensor network that can continuously monitor ambient air for multiple target compounds, as observable substances, with high sensitivity and specify, with a robust devices as system elements, suitable for mobile use in the measurements and sampling.

[0008] Such aspect if achieved by a method and the related system that are claimed in an independent claim directed there to. The system is based on claimed system elements, to be operated according to a claimed method. The system is disclosed to operate according to an embodied such a method according to the characterizing part of respective independent claims directed to thereof.

[0009] Method according to the invention to detect Traces of Illicit Substances, TOIS, is characterized by that what is said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to said method.

[0010] Although mobile measurements as such has been performed for locating radioactive sources as such, there has not been sufficiently sensitive hardware to detect reliably a trace level substance in a city landscape scale, for location determination of a non-active substance as such. [001 1] Method to detect Traces of Illicit Substances, TOIS, according to the invention is characterized by that what is said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to said method.

[0012] A node of a tracing system of such an aforementioned system to detect Traces of Illicit Substances, TOIS, according to the invention is characterized by that what is said in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to said node of a tracing system.

[0013] The invention concerns also software module, on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations of a node of a tracing system according to an embodied method.

[0014] The software module is used in accordance of the aspects, to use such in the detection of the chemicals and/or to map the abundance / concentration on a point of the mapped location, but also so that the software module that is used in the automated control of the system element operations as a system.

[0015] Exchange of data in wireless communications can be used in the system according to the method to communicate information between the system nodes and/or via the system center of the system.

[0016] At the core of the embodiments of the node to be used in accordance of the method of tracing the observable substances, there is in a node as a node element a chemical ionization (Cl) atmospheric pressure interface (API) time of flight (TOF) high resolution mass spectrometry that allows parts per quadrillion (ppq) detection limits for many substances. Observable substances can comprise threat materials and/or the threat precursors. Combined with meteorological measurements, together with modelling of location specific meteorological states and airflow patterns (urban canyons etc.), the location of the source can be identified, and law enforcement can follow up as needed. The tracing system as embodied can be made operable 24/7 periods, especially when self-driving vans or public transport vehicles are embodied into the use of the embodied tracing system.

[0017] Other embodiments and their examples are indicated in the dependent claims.

[0018] A tracing method of observable substances according to the invention comprises: determining a node location, determining by the node a concentration of an observable substance at the location, associating the node location to the determined concentration of an observable substance, determining a next node location for determining concentration of an observable substance at said next location.

[0019] In an embodiment of the tracing method, an ensemble of locations are pre-planned to form a route as based on an updated meteorological data.

[0020] In an embodiment of the tracing method, the method comprises an updating of at least one of the following: meteorological model, plume model, threshold values, observable substance list and a database of environmental conditions.

[0021] In an embodiment of the tracing method, observable substances are traced for their chemical mapping and/or plume detection of such.

[0022] The tracing method according to an embodiment comprises detecting a trace emission to find a source of an illicit substance and/or a constituent of such as an observable substance, the method comprising at least one of the following:

preselecting a route for a mobile node, comprising an ensemble of node elements for the detection of the trace emissions,

measuring a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one substance at the pre planned route position on said of preselected route for observance of such a substance that is on the list of observable substances,

associate the measurement location to the measured concentration of the at least one trace emission of the at least one substance,

comparing a measured concentration of the at least one substance to a substance specific back ground threshold concentration,

when detecting an exceeding concentration for said at least one observable substance in the trace emission, compared to a predefined background threshold concentration, saving the concentration value and the associated coordinates into memory of the database as a point representing a plume location of said trace emission comprising said at least one observable substance, updating the weather information from the tracing system center,

updating the preselected route to an updated route as based on the updated (607) weather information,

repeating the measurement of a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one observable substance at an updated route position,

defining at least one more point representing the plume as based on the updated weather information,

repeating the measurement towards the increasing concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one substance at a route position on an updated route.

[0023] According to an embodiment, into the traces of the illicit substances can be counted substances that are constituents in the manufacturing of such illicit substances. Such chemicals can be listed on a list. The list can be updated to a mobile node from the center of the system, system center.

[0024] In an embodiment of the tracing method, the updating of the route is based on the wind direction in the weather information, for determination of a plume direction.

[0025] In an embodiment of the tracing method, the updating of the preselected route as based on the wind direction in accordance of weather information, for determination of a plume direction, which update is made so that the route as updated crosses the plume upstream the plume, as determined by a direction of the wind where the wind blows.

[0026] A node of the tracing system according to the invention comprises at least one of the following node elements:

Ionization device,

Mass spectrometer,

Communication unit,

Microprocessor;

Authentication device,

Memory for use of the microprocessor, A satellite location service node element, such as a GPS device,

Pre-concentration device to concentrate sampled substances, before their entry to the ionization device,

Chassis, to provide an infrastructure for the operations of the previously mentioned node elements, comprising a vehicle, such as a car.

[0027] The node according to an embodiment of the invention is a mobile node with a chassis to provide such a vehicle that is a self-driven vehicle.

[0028] The node according to an embodiment of the invention has as a node element memory that comprises a permanent memory and/or a cloud service memory.

[0029] The node according to an embodiment of the invention comprises as a node element a mass-spectrometer that comprises an atmospheric pressure interface time of flight high resolution mass spectrometer.

[0030] The node according to an embodiment of the invention is further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals.

[0031] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations of a node of a tracing system according to an embodiment of the method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 depicts an example of a scenario for an embodiment to map and localize a source of illicit substances, illustrating an example of environment of a location determination, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure,

[0033] FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative diagram for a node of a system as a system element to be used in the location determination in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure,

[0034] FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative diagram for an example of an embodied system in a star topology, [0035] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodied method in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, and

[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates further embodiments of a method in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, and

[0037] FIG. 6 illustrates, further embodiments, of a software on a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations of the embodied tracing system and/or in its system elements in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Example embodiments described herein provide certain systems, methods, and devices as nodes, system elements, for location determination according to the embodied tracing method. In the communications between the nodes, especially when mobile nodes are involved, communication between the nodes and the system center, is including, but not limited to, the IEEE 802.1 1 family of standards. Other communications systems can be used, such LTE network, GSM, Internet and/or Wi Fi, to be used in the communication of the nodes and the center, in suitable part.

[0039] The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims.

[0040] Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, methods, and devices for enhanced location based source mapping of chemicals.

[0041] For improvements of a location accuracy for a node, (a solid node or and/or a mobile node), where there is a shadow of a satellite based location determination, or otherwise satellite location services were not available, for a node, being in the duty, performing measurements, a Wi Fi device may perform a timing measurement procedure, known as fine timing measurement (FTM), in order to allow the Wi-Fi device to obtain its range to another device, such as an access point or an FTM responder, also to provide information about the geographical position via the available accuracy bound to the Wi-Fi network. The FTM procedure is an IEEE 802.1 1 protocol introduced to support location determination based on range measurement to multiple known responding devices and execution of location determination techniques, for example, triangulation, trilateration, etc. Domestic household Wi-Fi in the operative area could be used for the location determination support, where applicable by open networks or otherwise the Wi-Fi permitting the location service routine.

[0042] An embodied node can comprise such a device, to be assisted and/or using a GPS-system for a node, especially for a mobile node, for locating the node with the device so that the concentrations of an illicit substances measured by the node can associated to the geographic location of the node, especially to a mobile node. The mobile node location can be determined during communication to the system Centre during the measurement of the illicit substances. The communication can be time-stamped in embodiments.

[0043] According to an embodiment, the wireless network location determination as such can be used in parallel to the satellite location systems for providing the geographic location. Such satellite based location systems may use GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BEIDOU, QZSS, GAGAN, IRNSS, etc., to be mentioned as examples of location service protocols to provide a geographic location, as been used alone as such or in an applicable combination for satellite location services, without intention to limit only to a selection of such protocols for the geographic location. In the context of this disclosure satellite location service is referring to a geographic location determination on Earth (on land, on water, and/or in atmosphere above land or water, water being considered as a glacier, see, lake, river or alike of such) by an ensemble of satellites.

[0044] According to an embodiment the wireless communication networks, other than the satellite based location systems, can be used to assist the location determination of a mobile and/or solid node. Therefore, the wireless (and or wired) location as based on the network structure (i.e. base stations, repeaters etc., and their identity and location in the net and/or geographic position, for example, or a chain of such on the routing of a communicated information) can be used to authenticate the location of the nodes, so that tampering attempts can be revealed. Time stamps could be used where applicable in the communication. [0045] In addition, redundant network elements can be used for the authentication of the location. It is possible that there can be shadow areas in the cities, because of very tall buildings, but also multi path propagation of the signals via the reflections from the buildings can have an influence to the frame timings of the network signals. Therefore, the location of the node that is measuring is important to know, as the location of the node is associated to the measured concentration of a substance being on the list of the observable substances. Such a list can comprise illicit substances as such, but also the constituents of them as their precursors, such being associated to a certain illicit substance to be manufactured. The system may use also artificial intelligence in the nodes, but also in the center of the system, to deduce what substances have been detected in certain geographic location, and more importantly, do the observations have a pattern that relates the observable substances to the measured concentration, and if, would the observation support illicit substance manufacturing revelation, or normal industrial or agricultural activities.

[0046] In one embodiment, an enhanced location based source mapping of chemicals can use Global Positioning System (GPS) or another satellite location determination system for providing the location data to the measured concentrations at the nodes, especially for the mobile nodes. In addition, Wi-Fi, GSM-network, Internet, and other, wireless communication protocols may be used for the location data determination, and/or augmenting the location for improved accuracy as well as for communicating data in the system between the tracing system center, and/or the nodes of the tracing system. [0047] The above descriptions are for purposes of illustration and are not meant to be limiting.

Numerous other examples, configurations, processes, etc., may exist, some of which are described in further detail below. Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures/

[0048] FIG. 1 depicts an example of a scenario for an embodiment to map and localize a source 101 of illicit substances, illustrating an example of environment of a location determination, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic to illustrate an example of an embodiment. The mobile node 102 is on a predetermined route 103, moving to the direction indicated by the line representing the route 103 and the arrow for illustration of a momentary movement direction on the route. The mobile node has been illustrated in the example as a vehicle 102, but according to an embodiment the mobile node can be embodied as a bus, a fire truck, an ambulance, a tram, a train, a self-driving car, air vessel, pilot driven, self-driven drone and/or a remotely controlled such, or a ship. The ship can also be embodied as a remotely controlled, as a self-driven or as a self-controlled ship.

[0050] In Fig 1 there is indicated a solid node 104 and another solid node 1 14 of the tracing system, which may be a similar as the mobile node, except it is not intended to be moved or be driven as such during the concentration measurements and detection of illicit substances or other substances from the observable substances’ list. However, the solid node can be a built to a certain location solidly of such a type being representing a permanent mount to the location, or a mobile node being temporarily positioned to operate as a solid node for a longer term, but intended to move away from the location, when the measurements maybe not actual any more at the particulate location.

[0051] A solid node can be mounted to a location of a city land mark or a similar, to a location of a public building, station, hospital, weather stations, base stations, Wi-Fi-station, Radio station, airport terminal, and/or to a shipping terminal. It can be inside a building and/or on roof, in suitable part. The solid node can be thus also as a mobile node being brought to such a location for a temporary operation at the site. However, when the infrastructure of a mobile node is based on a hosting vehicle, it may limit the mounting facilities to place such to internal parts or roofs of buildings.

[0052] The GPS in the Fig 1 is illustrative example of a location determination of the mobile node as based on the satellite location service signals. Other satellite based location service protocols can be used in suitable part. There are two wireless stations 100 illustrated in Fig 1. Items 100 are illustrative of a wireless communication network as such for wireless communications to be used in communication from and/or to the mobile node 102, but also from and/or to the solid nodes 104, 114.

[0053] According to an example in Fig 1, in the exemplary scenario, a solid node 104 has found an elevated concentration of an observable substance at its location GPS0(X,Y,Z). The plume 105 is assumed to be as indicated by the dashed line, coming from a source 101 , the direction being evaluated as based on the wind conditions in the city of the example. It may be important that there is also the release height taken into account as the altitude, as if the solid node 104 were on a hill, and/or on a roof of a skyscraper ( could be even in magnitude of 1 km, although in most cases less, for a mere building) for example. [0054] The wind direction may be changing with the height from the source to the observing node and thus a kind of a geostrophic wind model may be needed in the meteorological model to be applied when determining the wind direction. The model can take into account also the buildings and the streets formed canyons, as well as the terrain landscaping, when evaluating the wind conditions in the region, where the mobile nodes are planned to be moving in the search of the plume 105. The wind direction and speed (w) has been marked on the Fig 1 by an arrow Wind(0,O,w). The notation as such is shown in a spherical coordinate system. The meteorological model in the system can also provide the temperature (T), pressure (P) and relative humidity (RH), as examples on the environmental conditions on a modelled cite, that may influence to the wind direction, and/or its alternation between a node using the data and the source of the plume to be identified.

[0055] So, a potential plume 105 of observable substance of a list of such has been detected by the solid node 104 illustrated in the Fig 1. The small graphic schemes illustrate each a time series (t) of a concentration (c) of an arbitrary observable substance at a geographic location GPS0(x,y,z) corresponding the point P0 at the solid node location. As the node 104, 114 is solid, the observation point P0 is constantly at the same location, but the time domain peak in the time series is indicated to represent the point P0. Other locations in the example are GPSl(x,y,z), GPS2(x,y,z) and GPS3(x,y,z), the number or position being not limiting their number, respective location, route, or the satellite location service type or protocol as such only to those apparent from the shown example.

[0056] The mobile node 102 is patrolling in the area, and was communicated about the observation made by the solid node 104, that there was a substance detected that is mentioned on the list of the observable substances, but the abundance in the sample exceeded the threshold values during a certain observation time constraint. As based on the meteorological model, the environmental conditions, as well as the wind direction, the mobile node 102 turns it route (at the word“Route” 103 in Fig 1) so that the route could cross the wind direction, and also assumed to cross the assumed plume 105, as did in the scenario, at the points PI and P2 with the corresponding locations, in time domain.

As the monitoring of the concentration is continuous (according to an embodiment variant as made, alternatively with intervals between the concentration measurements scaled to the mobile node velocity and duration of a single measurement that produces one data point, according to a plume characterization criterion and the mobile node speed), the mobile node 102 observer would detect the observable substance concentration peaking between the points PI and P2 that represent the plume edges. The plume edges can be defined by the exceeding of the thresholds for a concentration of observable substance. So, the concentration at the peak representing location GPSl(x,y,z) is higher than at the P0 with the peaking location GPS0(x,y,z).

[0057] Because of terrain (water present areas may restrict on land-operating vehicle hosting a mobile node operative area, as well as land may restrict on water operating vehicle hosting a mobile node operative area) the mobile node is repeating the measurement when got back to the direction towards the plume on the route. The node 102 crosses the plume at the points P3 and P4 and the peak representing location GPS2(x,y,z) the concentration of the observable substance is observed to get even higher than at the earlier peak representing location GPS 1 (x,y,z).

[0058] The mobile node 102 makes a further plume crossings at the points P5 and P6, with a further results of even further elevated concentration at the peak representing location GPS3(x,y,z). As there has been no elevated concentration of the observable substance detected at the solid node 114 location P7, above the threshold applied in the measurements, the system knows then that the source location is between the locations P7 and GPS3(x,y,z). At the near area of the source, the meandering route scheme could be used further, if the street or terrain topology does not allow direct movement towards the source 101. According to the distances and the plume model of the system, in the meteorological conditions, the source location is estimated as based on the calculations made with the concentrations as input parameters for the plume 105.

[0059] If the source 101 would be revealed to be a potential illicit substance factory or alike, there might be also other observable substances from the list of such being detected by the same and/or other mobile nodes, already before in time, and/or during the approaching of the mobile node 102. It is also possible to use the observed chemicals, using information from the list of observable substance to predict what kind of illicit substances are being fabricated at the source 101. Therefore, it is possible also to inform the responsible officials, police and/or anti-terrorism groups about the threat type before their visit to check the activities at the source 101.

[0060] As a high-resolution mass spectrometer being used in the detection of the observable substances, for their presence in the mass spectra, several compounds can be detected as based on their molecular masses simultaneously at a measurement point. Thus, at quite early stage of the route, there would be an idea about the selection of the substances what to expect. Therefore, the selection can be used to predict what substances should be found, and in case of several plumes crossing each other, they could be separated from each other, and an ensemble of other mobile nodes could be sentenced to reveal the sources of such plumes.

[0061] The wind direction may be varying because of the buildings and streets in urban area, and/or because of a vertical profile of the winds, above the terrain and the formation of such, and therefore there might be also several plumes in the same region, which do not necessarily overlap completely.

[0062] Fig 2 illustrates a node 102, 104, 1 14 according to an embodiment of the invention as being disclosed as a system element 102, 104, 114. A solid node 104, 1 14 as well as a mobile node

102, as such are embodied in an example of Fig 2. The illustrative schematic diagram is shown in Fig 2 for a node of the tracing system, for a node of the system to be used in the location determination of the observable substances in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplified node can be a module according to an embodiment, to be used with other embodiments.

[0063] A node of the embodied tracing system, is comprising at least one of the following node elements: a ionization device 203, mass spectrometer 204, communication unit 206, microprocessor (mR) 207; an authentication device 205 (with a suitable software part) to be used for authenticate the communication between the nodes and/or the center of the tracing system, memory 208 for use of the microprocessor (mR), GPS, the acronym GPS being indicative of a transmitter of a satellite positioning system signal (at the“Sputnik”- character to denote a satellite) as well as to denote such a satellite as such, and/or a satellite positioning system signal receiver 209 able to receive such a satellite positioning system signal at the node location for a satellite location service, the node being carrying such a node element, pre-concentration device 202, as an option for very low volatile substances to enrich their abundance in the sample at the measurement location, to concentrate sampled substances, before their entry to the ionization device 203, chassis 201 to provide an infrastructure for the operations of the previously mentioned node elements 201-209, comprising a hosting vehicle, such as a car or a boat for an applicable node for example. [0064] To integrate an embodied node as a module with the instruments into a vehicle, it can have connections for the power, for example. In the mounting the weight is acknowledged and taken into consideration, especially for vibration damping, and inlet flow requirements necessary to run the sampling device of a mobile node. [0065] In the mobile nodes, sensor can be installed on a custom-built shock-dampening mount that can withstand large shocks, as well as high frequency engine vibrations that could degrade the instrument over time.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the hosting vehicle part of the mobile node can be a self- driven vehicle. The tracing system mobile nodes can be made autonomous, i.e. keeping it operational for extended periods of time without the need of an intervention by an expert. According to a further embodiment variant, the mobile node can be embodied as a bus, a fire truck, an ambulance, a tram, a train, a self-driving vehicle, air vessel, pilot driven, self-driven and/or a remotely controlled, ship or boat. The ship or boat can also be embodied as a remotely controlled or a self-controlled. Thus, shipping routes, aviation routes, as well as trams and railways can be used for mobile observations according to embodiments to detect the illicit substances, when they are hosting a node as embodied as a node module for the observations. The rescue team vehicles (fire trucks, ambulances etc.) as well as police patrolling units can be provided with a node module, so there may be data collected from the normal operations of such entities. If no detection of observable substances were not found as such, the mapping made by these entities can turn also valuable, as there are mapped the background levels on their routes. As the hosting of a node module is made in a modular implementation, the host could be changed to another hosting vehicle. The information being collected can be then used in the tracing system embodied to compare measurement results of the observable substances concentrations to the background levels, and thus to help judging is there a plume or not. The detected threshold exceeding observations can be communicated from a mobile node to the tracing system server of the tracing system at the center in an embodiment (Fig 3).

[0067] According to an embodiment, the node in Fig 2 can use as the memory 208 a volatile memory for the performances of the microprocessor 207 and the programs and/or instructions for maintaining the functionality of the node in the measurement duty. According to an embodiment variant, the memory can comprise a permanent memory and/or a cloud service memory for the data collection, temporary files, coordinates and/or the associated measurement results, and operate as a storage also for the algorithms used in/for the system elements.

[0068] The memory 208 can comprise storage device that may include a machine readable medium on which is stored one or more sets of data structures or instructions (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. The instructions may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory, within the static memory, or within the hardware processor mR during execution thereof by the node element 207. In an example, one or any combination of the hardware processor mR, the main memory, the static memory, or the storage device may constitute machine-readable media. The memory 208 can be at least in some part reside in a cloud service.

[0069] According to an embodiment the node element (e.g., computer system module) 207 may include a hardware processor mR (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), the memory 208 can comprise a main memory and a static memory, some or all of which may communicate with each other via an interlink (e.g., bus). The computing node element 207 may further include a power management device, a graphics display device, an alphanumeric input device (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) a connection to the node element 209 for a navigation device. In an example, the graphics display device, alphanumeric input device, and UI navigation device may be a touch screen display.

[0070] According to an embodiment variant, the node element 207 may additionally include a storage device (i.e., drive unit), a signal generation device for alarms, an enhanced location service negotiation device with the communication module 206, a network interface device/transceiver 206 coupled to antenna(s), and one or more sensor connections, such as a global positioning system (GPS) connection to node element 209, a compass, an accelerometer, or other sensor. The node element 207 may include an output controller, such as a serial (e.g., universal serial bus (USB), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection to communicate with or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, a card reader, etc.)).

[0071] The node being a solid node or a mobile node the mass-spectrometer 204 comprises an atmospheric pressure interface time of flight high-resolution mass spectrometer (API-TOF-HR-MS). However, other types of mass spectrometers may be used as alternatives, if there are positions, in which a lower resolution would be estimated to be sufficient. A factory area might be suitable position for such a low resolution node (mobile and/or solid location), to monitor a continuous source of an observable substance on the list of such, to provide back ground information for the meteorological models, plume and wind models, for comparison to the measurement results in further locations.

[0072] The pre-concentration can be used, as an alternative in such embodiments that are planned to be used for detection of very low concentrations, especially if particulate matter is about to be used in the detection. A pre-concentration device as a node element can be implemented as a virtual impactor as such as disclosed in a patent publication WO2018050961

[0073] The node element GPS 209 is illustrative of satellite location service as such, but is not limited only to the GPS protocol utilization. Alternatively or in addition, the location service by satellite can be made by such protocols as GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BEIDOU, QZSS, GAGAN, IRNSS, etc., for example in suitable part. In addition to the satellite location determination, also wireless protocol based network location can be used for support of location determination and/or authentication of the node. The Authentication node element 205 can comprise a hardware built setting for forming a bit code representing the node ID. The node ID could be used as a signature (and/or a part of such) in the communication of the node transmissions and/or acknowledgement messages. However, the authentication node element 205 can comprise a software algorithm to provide authentication code according to a network protocol in use as such. According to an embodiment, the authentication node element comprises a hardware authentication means, such as a set of switches representing a bit pattern, being set to correspond the authentication code. According to an embodiment, the bit pattern can be set electronically, in suitable part, if not made set on all by manually operated switches.

[0074] However, several measures of authenticity can be used, to make sure no tampering being involved. The location difference between the node locations according to the satellite-service-and as made by communication-network based location determinations of a node can be used as an authentication indication measure to deduce would it be the node in communication that it maintains to be.

[0075] The communication node element 206 in Fig 2 can comprise the means for the wireless communication especially for a mobile node according to the disclosure. Fig 2 illustrates by the two wireless stations 100 as demonstrating schematically communications network to be used in the communication between a node element 206 and the system center and/or between other node elements of the system in other nodes, in the communications there between. The dashed rectangular line around the items 100 is illustrative of wireless communication networks as such, without any intention to restrict the topology, communications protocol, communication distance, frame structure and/or the operation scheme to the shown example only. The communication network may comprise network elements that are inherent, i.e. for example Wi-Fi or alike, or extraneous, i.e. for example, packet switched or circuit switched cellular networks.

[0076] Any of the nodesl02, 104, 1 14 and the center of the tracing system may be configured to communicate with each other, via one or more communications networks 100, wirelessly or wired. However, wired parts may be used where applicable, especially with solid notes, if applicable for the hosting conditions.

[0077] The nodes may also communicate peer-to-peer or directly with each other. Any of the communications networks with the parts thereof 100 may include, but not limited to, any one of a combination of different types of suitable communications networks such as, for example, broadcasting networks, cable networks, public networks (e.g., the Internet), private networks, wireless networks, cellular networks, or any other suitable private and/or public networks. Further, any of the communications networks 100 may have any suitable communication range associated therewith and may include, for example, global networks (e.g., the Internet), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), or personal area networks (PANs).

[0078] In addition, any of the communications networks 100 may include any type of medium over which network traffic may be carried including, but not limited to, coaxial cable where applicable to the nodes, especially for solid nodes, twisted-pair wire, optical fiber, a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) medium, microwave terrestrial transceivers, radio frequency communication mediums, white space communication mediums, ultra-high frequency communication mediums, satellite communication mediums, or any combination thereof, according to the applicability of the node being a mobile and/or a solid node.

[0079] A node 102, 104, 1 14 may include one or more communications antennas. This is illustrated in the Figure 2 by the antenna symbol from the communications node element 206. The networks indicative radio mast symbols 100 can be using also any suitable type of antennas. The one or more communications antennas may be any suitable type of antennas corresponding to the communications protocols used by the node in question. Some non-limiting examples of suitable communications antennas include Wi-Fi antennas, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1 1 family of standards compatible antennas, directional antennas, non-directional antennas, dipole antennas, folded dipole antennas, patch antennas, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, omnidirectional antennas, quasi-omnidirectional antennas, or the like. The one or more communications antennas may be communicatively coupled to a radio component to transmit and/or receive signals, such as communications signals to and/or from nodes and/or communications with the system center.

[0080] A node 102, 104, 1 14 may be configured to perform directional transmission and/or directional reception, in suitable part, in conjunction with wirelessly communicating in a wireless network. A node may be configured to perform such directional transmission and/or reception using a set of multiple antenna arrays (e.g., DMG antenna arrays or the like). Each of the multiple antenna arrays may be used for transmission and/or reception in a particular respective direction or range of directions. A node may be configured to perform any given directional transmission towards one or more defined transmit sectors. A node may be configured to perform any given directional reception from one or more defined receive sectors.

[0081] A node 102, 104, 1 14 may be configured to communicate (206) with external devices of the tracing system as such. Where available, suitable network and the connection, a node may communicate for digging information about devices that may be associated to use and/or manufacturing of illicit substances, for example via electricity consumption of net elements in a network of such devices.

[0082] This can be made during the route of a mobile node by using also the Internet of things (IoT). For example, in communications with such IoT devices that may include, but are not limited to, refrigerators, toasters, ovens, microwaves, freezers, dishwashers, dishes, hand tools, clothes washers, clothes dryers, furnaces, air conditioners, thermostats, televisions, light fixtures, vacuum cleaners, sprinklers, electricity meters, gas meters, etc., so long as the devices are equipped with an addressable communications interface for communicating with the IoT network, the mobile node may be using the net structure to reveal devices suitable for illicit fabrications and/or the responsible owner via database accesses. The owner may be detected, and the electricity consumption related information of the owner and the controlled devices may be used in the tracing of the illicit substances source. IoT devices may also include cell phones, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. Accordingly, the IoT network may be comprised of a combination of“legacy” Internet-accessible devices (e.g., laptop or desktop computers, cell phones, etc.) in addition to devices that do not typically have Internet-connectivity (e.g., dishwashers, etc.).

[0083] The nodes may communicate with such devices that may also include mesh stations in, for example, a mesh network, in accordance with one or more IEEE 802.11 standards and/or 3GPP standards, when using the communication node element for the tracing of the illicit substances manufacturing sites. Especially furnaces and/or refrigerators may be of interest as some explosives and/or bio-hazard materials need lower temperatures, and heat sources may be associated for example to distillery.

[0084] A node may include any suitable radio and/or transceiver for transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency(RF) signals in the bandwidth and/or channels corresponding to the communications protocols utilized in the system, but also by external device(s) (external to the tracing system) in suitable part, to communicate with each other. The radio components may include hardware and/or software to modulate and/or demodulate communications signals according to pre-established transmission protocols. The radio components may further have hardware and/or software instructions to communicate via one or more Wi-Fi and/or Wi-Fi direct protocols, as standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1 1 standards. In certain example embodiments, the radio component, in cooperation with the communications antennas, may be configured to communicate via 2.4 GHz channels (e.g. 802.1 lb, 802.1 lg, 802.1 In, 802.1 lax), 5 GHz channels (e.g. 802.11h, 802.1 lac, 802.1 lax), or 60 GHZ channels (e.g. 802.1 lad). In some embodiments, non-Wi-Fi protocols may be used for communications between devices, such as Bluetooth, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) (e.g. IEEE 802.11af, IEEE 802.22), white band frequency (e.g., white spaces), or other packetized radio communications. The radio component may include any known receiver and baseband suitable for communicating via the communications protocols. The radio component may further include a low noise amplifier (LNA), additional signal amplifiers.

[0085] Although the communication node element 206 is illustrated as a single block, it may have several separate functional elements, two or more of the functional elements that may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may include one or more microprocessors, DSPs, field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), radio- frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements of the communication node element 206 may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[0086] The ionization device 203 as a node element 203 in the example of Fig 2 can be embodied as a multiple ionization device (a MID-device) that is embodied in a patent publication WO2018050962. The embodied MID-device allows for fast switching between reagent ions with high precision and ionization efficiency, to be combined with the operations of the mass spectrometer 204 in the node. An embodiment variant with a Dual Chemical Ionization Inlets (DCII) have two ion sources. Volatile reagents from a saturator into the ionization region can be fed, where the reagents are ionized by soft x-ray according to an embodiment variant. In an example embodiment, soft x-rays have been selected for practical reasons: it is virtually maintenance free, less regulated than radioactive sources as in other embodiment variants, and it can be switched off. The reagent ions are transported into the sample flow by means of an electric field against a counter flow, such that no neutral reagents are mixed with the sample. The reagent ions collide with neutral molecules of the sample flow to form adducts that still carry the charge of the reagent ion.

[0087] The mass spectrometer 204 as a node element 204 in Fig 2 can be embodied as an Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometers (APCI-TOF-HR-MS) with high resolution (HR) features incorporated, on mobile platforms to form a sensor network that can continuously monitor sampled ambient air for multiple target compounds with high sensitivity and specificity. In terms of current APCI-TOFMS technology and mass spectrometry in general, different ionization schemes with positive or negative polarity detectors are used in parallel to measure particular groups of chemicals, requiring multiple instruments to cover the range of all potentially interesting chemicals.

[0088] The advantages of the APCI-TOFMS sensors include: 1) Sensitivity: The nodes embodied are capable of measuring in the low-ppt range in one second. This is about 3 orders of magnitude more sensitive than what low-cost sensors of previous known systems can detect; 2) Specificity: High resolution of MS combined with selective ionization schemes allows for highly specific detection of the target compounds and therefore low false positive rates; 3) Wide range: The advantage of the TOF compared to other MS technologies is that it can measure a whole mass spectrum at once. This allows for simultaneous detection of multiple target species; 4) Speed: TOFMS based sensors can measure at >1 Hz rate. This allows deployment of the sensor on a mobile platform, making it possible to cover a relatively large area in small amount of time.

[0089] As the infrastructure for example such as facilitating for a mobile node basic operations, provided with a sensor package, can be used. Such an infrastructure can be used also for chemical backgrounds acquires, which is important to account. A full suite of sensors and meteorological instrumentation can be included to the infrastructure. A node element may include chemical ionization mass spectrometers employing the following chemical reagent ions: Br ; NO3 ; O2 ; Na⁺; NH4⁺ ; H3CL. Anemometers can be used for wind speed and direction determination in local conditions. The vehicle can comprise also tunable diode infrared laser instruments (detecting CO, CO2 , and other trace gases) to help identifying sources of combustion or other contaminants; and particle counting instrumentation to help identifying their sources. The infrastructure may also have a high-quality GPS receiver to provide mobile measurement coordinates.

[0090] Sample air is transported from outside the vehicles to the sensor for analysis, in such embodiments where the sensors are not outside the vehicle. Low volatility gases are often lost to inlet surfaces if not transported quickly and efficiently through instrumental inlets. Suitable vehicle can have a large-diameter duct through the inside ceiling of the vehicle. In an example of an embodiment, such an inlet can be capable of moving > 100 liters per minute of air, at laminar flow so that low- and semi-volatile gases will not be lost to the inlet walls. 30 LPM can then be drawn from this large-flow inlet to the MID inlet instruments on the moving lab vehicle.

[0091] The results of the measurements can show spatial gradient maps of chemical signals across the area for all involved sensors deployed on the mobile laboratory as a node of the tracing system. The tracing system may have means to produce maps about the plumes at the terrain with indication of the chemical abundances in the locations where measurements performed.

[0092] Statistical analysis on the data set will help to identify the typical concentration range for a variety of common atmospheric chemicals in the region of the urban area. These signals will include isobaric interferences for the compounds of interest in the BAA. Determination of typical ranges of the source tracking and identification software can be made; according to an embodiment, artificial intelligence can be used in the tracking. In an embodiment, a mass spectrometers acquire thousands of signals, so if the list of compounds of interest is expanded later on, these background measurements will still be of use.

[0093] FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative diagram for an example of an embodied system in star topology, although there can be also other kind of topologies to provide a similar functionality. At the center of the system there is shown a node called Center. According to an embodiment, the Center can operate as a server for the system, to be situated onto a computer or an ensemble of such as such, or as embodied in a diversified manner into a cloud service. Above the Center, there is a box Solid node 104, 1 14 being indicative of solid nodes as the tracing system elements. According to an embodiment a solid node in accordance of the Fig 2 can be positioned to, for example, but not limited only to, city land marks, bridges, tunnels, metro, tourist attractions, public buildings stations, for trains, busses etc., hospitals, weather stations, base stations, repeaters, Wi-Fi, Radio, masts, stations, airports, shipping terminals, harbors, etc. The drawn boxes with solid line illustrate the nodes as individuals, especially as solid nodes. However, as those just mentioned nodes are of solid type, i.e. mounted for their permanent or long lasting presence at the cite, a mobile node 102 can be used also as a temporary solid node to be present at the location for a shorter time, i.e. for example few months or days.

[0094] According to an embodiment, a mobile node can be mounted to an infrastructure provided by a vehicle for example. Other hosting devices can be for example, but not limited only to the mentioned, a bus, fire truck, ambulance, tram, train, self-driving vehicles, air vessel, ship or boat, etc. According to an embodiment, the operational node is provided with the node elements, as embodied in the examples of Fig 2. However, the infrastructure-providing module for the nodes may be dedicated differently for solid mount and mobile mount, as there would be for example different voltage in the powering systems.

[0095] At the right in Fig 3, there is illustrated examples of networks to be used in the tracing by the nodes as system elements. Electricity related information could be accessed via the networks, IoT devices access, where applicable and allowed. Sewers in cities may have ductworks related ventilation outlets or other similar emission points in the ductworks, at which a node can measure is there the illicit substances or their precursors as observable substances present. Accordingly, the tracing system can detect from the available libraries about the sewers such potential locations where to seek further the source or plume in the meteorological conditions prevailing. A mobile node can also have a map or access to such so that the mobile node can go to a certain sewer outlet/inlet and sample for detection of observable substances. A train on tracks and in the railway stations may comprise a module comprising a node, so it can monitor constantly on a certain route being defined by the rails as a mobile node. Same kind of an approach can be provided by a module being mount to a tram or bus, on a constant route. In addition, garbage trucks that collect the domestic household garbage can have node module onboard to be mounted for the tracing of the observable substances. Fire trucks as well as ambulances may be augmenting the node network for stochastic kind of sampling when moving on the streets. In case of fire, they may also benefit about the knowledge of the emissions, which may contain severely poisonous substances, even if they were not as such on the list of the observable substances. Dedicated vehicles to the tracing system, with a node module can also move on the streets. Sometimes on land, emission would be hard to detect, although quite often winds blow from water area to land, but the information at the harbors may be valuable to detect the plume and put some constraints to the search area for the mobile nodes operating on land. Aviation routes can be used in monitoring as such, it is also possible to position a mobile node into an air ship or a similar vessel for the monitoring at a location for a longer time than as by using a mere airplane, which may be too fast moving chassis or host for the mobile nodes as such.

[0096] At the left in Fig 3, there are illustrated a box Detection, that is illustrating also the software and the related databases and models to describe the region on which the monitoring is intended to be performed. As not limiting examples only to the indicated models, there is illustrated in the box Models a meteorological model, plume formation model, and a routing model. The meteorological model is used to provide information to the nodes when they seek the sources of observable substances. The environmental parameters like temperature, pressure and relative humidity may be closely connected also to the wind and its direction at a certain altitude from sea level, and the wind direction may be changing with the increasing altitude. The problems to be modelled and solved are also incorporated by the buildings and streets forming canyons to distort the flat terrain assumptions based results about the wind direction and/or distribution of a plume spread by a wind. According to an embodiment, the meteorological model has a micrometeorological part being dedicated to the urban city area micrometeorology. The meteorological model can be connected to plume model, which calculates the evolution of a plume from a certain position on the region under consideration, as based on the meteorological conditions, terrain, and/or the buildings. The plume model can also calculate several plume candidates that can be later match to the observed concentrations, so that the routing model can take into account the routing economy for the most probable plume direction for an ensemble of mobile nodes to map the candidate plumes.

[0097] Databases can comprise information about the city region infrastructure, industrial buildings, other buildings, streets, terrain profile, vegetation, electricity lines, sewers, water systems, and the maps related to them to be used in the Detection, for the models to be applied.

[0098] Database can also have information about known sources, as for example, if there were a fertilizer or chlorate plant in the near region, its location and the background concentrations are mapped and thus known. In addition, the database can provide the list of the observable substances and their background variation data according to the meteorological conditions, so to provide a suitable fit of the threshold to the matched meteorological conditions.

[0099] While a database being described, it may be constituted on a machine-readable medium, being embodied as a single medium. The term "machine -readable medium" may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) configured to store the one or more instructions for the tracing system functionalities.

[00100] Various embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer-readable medium may include any tangible non-transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; a flash memory, etc.

[00101] The term“machine -readable medium” may include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the a system element with a microprocessor and that cause the microprocessor to perform any one or more of the techniques of the present disclosure, or that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying data structures used by or associated with such instructions, relating to the operations of a node of the tracing system as a system element. Non limiting machine -readable medium examples may include solid-state memories and optical and magnetic media. In an example, a massed machine-readable medium includes a machine-readable medium with a plurality of particles having resting mass. Specific examples of massed machine- readable media may include non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD- ROM disks.

[00102] The instructions may further be transmitted or received over a communications network via a communications node element 206 to the nodes from the tracing system communication unit, by using a transmission medium via the network interface device/transceiver utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame relay, internet protocol (IP), transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communications networks may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a packet data network (e.g., the Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), plain old telephone (POTS) networks in suitable part for suitable nodes, wireless data networks (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards known as Wi-Fi®, IEEE 802.16 family of standards known as WiMax®), IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, among others.

[00103] The module Updated and Communication is providing the system elements the information about the items indicated in the box Detection, for updates of the changed meteorology, but also information on relevant changes about the Node networks box. The update and communication can be also administrating the communications between the nodes and/or the center. The tracing system has in the system communication means so that the nodes can communicate their observations to the database for the chemical mapping with the geographic coordinates associated to observable substances. The meteorological model can be updated to the nodes for their calculations in suitable part, which may be accommodated to a higher resolution at the center, which in certain embodiments can have also artificial intelligence in use.

[00104] Certain embodiments of the tracing system may be implemented in one or a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Other embodiments may also be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable storage device, which may be read and executed by at least one processor to perform the operations described herein. A computer-readable storage device may include any non-transitory memory mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a computer-readable storage device may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, and other storage devices and media. In some embodiments, the communication node element 206 may include one or more processors and may be configured with instructions stored on a computer-readable storage device memory.

[00105] Examples, as described herein, may include or may operate on logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of performing specified operations when operating, as a node in duty. A node module includes hardware. In an example, the hardware may be specifically configured to carry out a specific operation (e.g., hardwired) as a node or a part thereof. In another example, the hardware may include configurable execution units (e.g., transistors, circuits, etc.) and a computer readable medium containing instructions where the instructions configure the execution units to carry out a specific operation when in operation as a node, node module and/or a node element. The configuring may occur under the direction of the executions units or a loading mechanism. Accordingly, the execution units such as 207 for example (Fig 2), are communicatively coupled to the computer-readable medium when the device is operating as a node or a part thereof. In this example, the execution units may be a member of more than one node module of the tracing system. For example, under operation, the execution units may be configured by a first set of instructions to implement a first node module at one point in time and reconfigured by a second set of instructions to implement a second node module at a second point in time.

[00106] Fig 5 is illustrative of an embodied method in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, and Fig 4 illustrates further embodiments of a method in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In Fig 4 an embodied tracing method has been shown, as comprising for detecting a trace emission, to find a source of an illicit substance and/or a constituent of such as an observable substance, the method comprising at least one of the following: preselecting (402) a route for a mobile node, comprising an ensemble of node elements for the detection of the trace emissions, measuring (403) a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one substance at the pre-planned route position on said of preselected route for observance of such a substance that is on the list of observable substances, associate (404) the measurement location to the measured concentration of the at least one trace emission of the at least one substance, comparing (405) a measured concentration of the at least one substance to a substance specific back ground threshold concentration, when detecting (406) an exceeding concentration for said at least one observable substance in the trace emission, compared to a predefined background threshold concentration, saving the concentration value and the associated coordinates into memory of the database as a point representing a plume location of said trace emission comprising said at least one observable substance, updating (407) the weather information from the tracing system center, updating the (408) preselected route to an updated route as based on the updated (407) weather information, repeating (409) the measurement of a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one observable substance at an updated route position, defining (410) at least one more point representing the plume as based on the updated weather information, repeating the measurement towards the increasing concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one substance at a route position on an updated route.

[00107] According to an embodiment in Fig 5, the tracing method comprises a determination of location 501 of the node, which is about to determine a concentration 502 of at least one observable substance according to the list of such. According to an embodiment, the location of the node is associated (503) to the concentration measured by the node. According to an embodiment the node, especially a mobile node, may need about the meteorological conditions being updated, which have to be then determined 504 to know for example a wind direction, so that a crossing route 103 (Fig 1) can be planned. The node (102, Figl, Fig 2) in the tracing duty of a plume (105, Fig 1) may be constantly measure a concentration of substances to detect an ensemble of observable substances, and report at the communication concerning updatings 504 to the tracing system the measurement results. If the meteorological conditions are changed, the tracing system can recommend 505 to the node to change the route, and update the information at the node about the prevailing meteorological conditions 506. When an indication of a plume has been found 507, as illustrated in Fig 1 by the PI and P2 and the peak of an observable substance there between, the node can repeat 508 from the method step 501 and onwards, and adapt to the wind conditions, so that further information can be determined, and where applicable supporting information from other nodes are available for a more precise location determination of the source for the plume.

[00108] FIG. 6 illustrates an ensemble of further embodiments of a software 600 on a non- transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations of the embodied tracing system and/or in its system elements in accordance of the embodied tracing method. The software module can comprise a source tracking software to utilize a lightweight data acquisition and processing system based on a known as such Data Exchange through Files which are Transient (DEFT) or similar. The DEFT system as such is following a protocol to: 1) timestamp data from a wide variety of source types (e.g. GPS NMEA strings, anemometer outputs); 2) securely archive the data; and 3) insert data into a transient file. The transient file can be asynchronously polled by other software, preferably without causing collisions that propagate into the primary goal of time stamping and logging. According to an embodiment variant, the software can have a collisions detection and/or handling routine in use. That system has evolved in the last 18 years and is highly modular and robust to be used in combination to the embodiments in suitable part in the communications as such. In an embodiment a fourth functionality was embodied in an embodiment, to synthesize time of flight mass spectrometry data vectors with the GPS position and wind data to generate the data for a display- ready map of the projected emission point(s). [00109] According to an embodiment variant exemplified in Fig 6, the software operation and structure are considered via the modules, location in the network of the tracing system and/or the functionality as related to such to the embodiments. Therefore, if the whole software as such could be executed on a sufficiently powerful computer with capability to provide the meteorology model calculations, on line, to the node during the measurements as a tracing system system element, networking base width maybe not needed as much as in the case of diversified computing, on which at least some part of the meteorological data is transferred via network to the node intended to use the meteorological data in the tracing activities. Thus, the execution boundaries between network processing, preprocessing and sensor firmware could be omitted in suitable part in suitable embodiments. However, network would be still needed in suitable part for information communication about the measured concentrations of an observable substance to other tracing system nodes and/or the authorities about the mapping results based on the association of location and the concentration measurement results of the node in question.

[00110] The software can be used for establishing a location determination 601 with a negotiation session with a first location determination entity of one or more such entities, for the purposes of a node in its source tracking. Such entities can comprise satellite location services 603, such as GPS for example, but also in suitable part entities of the available cellular networks, Wi-Fi etc.; so that a node executing the instructions would be able to determine one or more requirements associated with a location determination of the node; and/or to determine at the location of an observable substance concentration measurement location as the node location as based at least in part, on the one or more requirements and the location negotiation session to associate the measured concentration and the location. The DEFT-module or alike with corresponding functionality, of the software is beneficial of the location information available to the node, as well as of the meteorological data, which can be updated via the network, form a processing entity of the tracing system to the nodes via the network and its entities. The DEFT module 602 can also provide time stamps to the maps and measurement results according to the authentication scheme in use. According to an embodiment variant the DEFT module can operate within a two-direction communications, so the nodes in the system can be provided with the related DEFT-module information between the modules in communication in an embodiment variant.

[0011 1] The chemical information about the observable substances comprising illicit substances and/or their precursors can be preprocessed before the measurements made by the nodes. At the update of precursors, the system elements can also have an information update about the maps about the region, such schemes that could be useful for the measurements and deducing the location, such being maps about sewers, buildings, water lines, tunnels, buildings, streets etc., but also information about industrial and agricultural entities. In addition, electricity network location as well as consumption information may be provided to the nodes, so that large consumption in an area where there should not be such can be checked more carefully.

[00112] The software can comprise also means for peak identification means 604, so that the plumes can be detected on the route, but also for detecting an ensemble of observable substance peaking from the background. At its simplest, the peak detection can be a mere threshold detection, but the software could use more sophisticated peak identification methods to identify the peaks of observable substances from the raw measurement data, and to excise the natural variation based false alarms. According to an embodiment statistical model can be used and/or factor analysis in suitable part in the peak identification.

[00113] The identification of the peaks can be based on calibration data of the peaks 605 as well as on the health status information 606. The mass and the mobility of the ions can be calibrated, so that for some important ions the m/z mass to electrical mobility can be known.

[00114] The peak data points 607 can be defined by the system so that a peak can be acquired by 100 data points/s to define a peak at each, according to an example of embodiments.

[00115] Although recording a raw spectra can be made under the control of the software entity 609 by a 500 000 data points /s, the peak shape detection in the software 608 can also control the resolution functions in suitable part, even in case of single ion signals acquired.

[00116] The software can comprise sensor firmware means for calibration, acquisition and hardware monitoring of a MM-APC1 unit 610. According to a variant of an embodiment, the MM-APC1 unit may comprise a ionization device as such.

ABOUT GENERIC TERMS

[00117] The word“exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The terms“computing device,”“user device,” “communication station,”“station,”“handheld device,”“mobile device,”“wireless device” and“user equipment” (UE) as used herein refers to a wireless communication device such as a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a tablet, a netbook, a wireless terminal, a laptop computer, a femtocell, a high data rate (HDR) subscriber station, an access point, a printer, a point of sale device, an access terminal, or other personal communication system (PCS) device. The device may be either mobile or stationary.

[00118] As used within this document, the term“communicate” is intended to include transmitting, or receiving, or both transmitting and receiving. This may be particularly useful in embodiments when describing the organization of data that is being transmitted by one device and received by another, but only the functionality of one of those devices is required to an embodied entity. Similarly, the bidirectional exchange of data between two devices (both devices transmit and receive during the exchange) may be described as“communicating,” when only the functionality of one of those devices is being embodied. The term “communicating” as used herein with respect to a wireless communication signal includes transmitting the wireless communication signal and/or receiving the wireless communication signal. For example, a wireless communication unit, which is capable of communicating a wireless communication signal, may include a wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless communication signal to at least one other wireless communication unit, and/or a wireless communication receiver to receive the wireless communication signal from at least one other wireless communication unit.

[00119] A communication unit can be used to communicate with a node or a suitable node element, so that the device being used in the communication can be a wireless communication unit with a dedicated interface to control the operations of the node.

[00120] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the use of the ordinal adjectives“first,” “second,”“third,” etc., to describe a common object, merely indicates that different instances of like objects are being referred to and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[00121] The term“access point” (AP) as used herein may be a fixed station. An access point may also be referred to as an access communications node, a base station, an evolved communications node B (eNodeB), or some other similar terminology known in the art. An access terminal may also be called a mobile station, user equipment (UE), a wireless communication device, or some other similar terminology known in the art. Embodiments disclosed herein generally pertain to wireless networks. Some embodiments may relate to wireless networks that operate in accordance with one of the IEEE 802.1 1 standards for access to an information network. [00122] Nodes, in some embodiments as system elements of the tracing system, may be used in conjunction with various devices and other systems, with a dedicated user interface and/or with a device interface, so the nodes may be used in conjunction with various devices and systems, with a dedicated user interface, for example, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumer device, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communication station, a wireless communication device, a wireless access point (AP), a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device, an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wireless network, a wireless area network, a wireless video area network (WVAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), a wireless PAN (WPAN), and the like.

[00123] Some embodiments of the system elements of the tracing system may be used in conjunction with various devices and systems, with a dedicated user interface and/or with a device interface, so the nodes may be used in conjunction with one way and/or two-way radio communication systems, cellular radio-telephone communication systems, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal communication system (PCS) device, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portable global positioning system (GPS) device, a device which incorporates a GPS receiver or transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFID element or chip, a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transceiver or device, a single input multiple output (SIMO) transceiver or device, a multiple input single output (MISO) transceiver or device, a device having one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, digital video broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi-standard radio devices or systems, a wired or wireless handheld device, e.g., a smartphone, a wireless application protocol (WAP) device, or the like.

[00124] Some embodiments of the system elements of the tracing system may be used in conjunction with one or more types of wireless communication signals and/or systems following one or more wireless communication protocols, for example, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), frequency-division multiplexing (FDM), orthogonal FDM (OFDM), time-division multiplexing (TDM), time-division multiple access (TDMA), extended TDMA (E-TDMA), general packet radio service (GPRS), extended GPRS, code-division multiple access (CDMA), wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier modulation (MDM), discrete multi-tone (DMT), Bluetooth®, global positioning system (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee, ultra-wideband (UWB), global system for mobile communications (GSM), 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, fifth generation (5G) mobile networks, 3GPP, long term evolution (LTE), LTE advanced, enhanced data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Other embodiments may be used in various other devices, systems, and/or networks.

[00125] Certain aspects of the disclosure are described above with reference to block and flow diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses, and/or computer program products according to various implementations. It will be understood that one or more blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and the flow diagrams, respectively, may be implemented by computer-executable program instructions in suitable part. Likewise, some blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams may not necessarily need to be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily need to be performed at all, according to some implementations.

[00126] Embodied computer-executable program instructions may be loaded onto a special- purpose computer or other particular machine, a processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that the instructions that execute on the computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing one or more functions specified in the flow diagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage media or memory that may direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage media produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement one or more functions specified in the flow diagram block or blocks. As an example, certain implementations may provide for a computer program product, comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code or program instructions implemented therein, said computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement one or more functions specified in the flow diagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational elements or steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide elements or steps for implementing the functions specified in the flow diagram block or blocks.

[00127] Accordingly, blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of elements or steps for performing the specified functions and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flow diagrams, may be implemented by special-purpose, hardware -based computer systems that perform the specified functions, elements or steps, or combinations of special- purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[00128] Conditional language, such as, among others,“can,”“could,”“might,” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain implementations could include, while other implementations do not include, certain features, elements, and/or operations. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or operations are in any way required for one or more implementations or that one or more implementations necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or operations are included or are to be performed in any particular implementation. [00129] Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will be apparent having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A tracing method of observable substances comprising:

- determining a node (102), 104), (114) location (501),

determining by the node (102), 104), (114) a concentration of an observable substance at the location (502),

associating (503) the node location to the determined concentration of an observable substance,

- determining a next node location (501) for determining concentration of an observable

substance at said next location.

2. The tracing method of claim 1 , wherein an ensemble of locations are pre-planned to form a route (103) as based on an updated meteorological data (504).

3. The tracing method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises an updating (504) of at least one of the following: meteorological model, plume model, threshold values, observable substance list and a database of environmental conditions.

4. The tracing method of claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein observable substances are traced for their chemical mapping and/or plume detection of such.

5. The tracing method of any one of the previous claims, comprising detecting a trace emission to find a source of an illicit substance and/or a constituent of such as an observable substance, the method comprising at least one of the following:

preselecting (402) a route for a mobile node, comprising an ensemble of node elements for the detection of the trace emissions,

measuring (403) a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one substance at the pre-planned route position on said of preselected route for observance of such a substance that is on the list of observable substances,

associate (404) the measurement location to the measured concentration of the at least one trace emission of the at least one substance,

comparing (405) a measured concentration of the at least one substance to a substance specific back ground threshold concentration,

when detecting (406) an exceeding concentration for said at least one observable substance in the trace emission, compared to a predefined background threshold concentration, saving the concentration value and the associated coordinates into memory of the database as a point representing a plume location of said trace emission comprising said at least one observable substance,

updating (407) the weather information from the tracing system center,

updating the (408) preselected route to an updated route as based on the updated (607) weather information,

repeating (409) the measurement of a concentration of at least one trace emission for at least one observable substance at an updated route position,

defining (410) at least one more point representing the plume as based on the updated weather information,

6. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the updating of the route is based on the wind direction in the weather information, for determination of a plume direction.

7. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the updating of the preselected route as based on the wind direction in accordance of weather information, for determination of a plume direction, which update is made so that the route as updated crosses the plume upstream the plume, as determined by a direction of the wind where the wind blows.

8. A node (102), (104), (114) of the tracing system, comprising at least one of the following node elements (201, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209):

- Ionization device (203),

- Mass spectrometer (204), - Communication unit (206),

- Microprocessor (mR, 207);

- Authentication device (205),

- Memory (208) for use of the microprocessor (mR),

- A satellite location service node element (209), such as a GPS device,

- Chassis (201), to provide an infrastructure for the operations of the previously mentioned node elements, comprising a vehicle, such as a car.

9. The node of claim 8 comprising additionally as a node element a pre-concentration device (202) to concentrate sampled substances, before their entry to the ionization device (203),

10. The node of claim 8 or 9, wherein the node is a mobile node (102) with a chassis (201) to provide such a vehicle that is a self-driven vehicle.

11. The node of claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the node element memory (208) comprises a

permanent memory and/or a cloud service memory.

12. The node according to any one of the claims 8 to 11, wherein the node element mass- spectrometer (204) comprises an atmospheric pressure interface time of flight high- resolution mass spectrometer.

13. The node (102), (104), (114) of a claim 8 to 12, further comprising a transceiver (206)

configured to transmit and receive wireless signals.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations of a node of a tracing system according to anyone of the method claims 1 to 7.