Techniques for release of material into an environment

Abstract

Systems and methods for releasing a material into an environment. The material may be encapsulated in a receptacle or otherwise packaged for movement into the environment. The receptacle with the material inside is introduced into the environment. A triggering causes release of the material from the receptacle into the environment.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for releasing a material into an environment, comprising:
 a capsule, said capsule having an exterior shell and an interior,   an active material contained in said interior of said capsule, and   a triggering mechanism for acting on the exterior shell of the capsule and releasing said active material from said interior of said capsule into the environment.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  wherein said triggering mechanism for acting on the exterior shell of the capsule and releasing said active material from said interior of said capsule into the environment is a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on the exterior shell of the capsule and releasing said active material from said interior of said capsule into the environment. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 2  wherein said latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst is a latent catalyst that is triggered by heat. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 2  wherein said latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst is a latent catalyst that is triggered by electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 2  wherein said latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst is a latent catalyst that is triggered by acid. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  further comprising a catalyst contained in said interior of said capsule that acts on said active material to activate said active material. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  wherein said triggering mechanism for acting on the exterior shell of the capsule and releasing said active material from said interior of said capsule into the environment is a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on the exterior shell of the capsule releasing said active material from said interior of said capsule into the environment; and further comprising a catalyst contained in said interior of said capsule that acts on said active material to activate said active material. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  wherein said active material contained in said interior of said capsule is a tracer for obtaining information about geological formations. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  wherein said active material contained in said interior of said capsule is medication for treating an organ or tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 1  wherein said active material contained in said interior of said capsule is a first reactive material and a second reactive material that reacts with said first reactive material for providing a flash grenade. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for releasing a material into an environment, comprising:
 means for providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell,   means for introducing said capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell into the environment, and   means for triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for releasing a material into an environment of  claim 11  wherein said means for triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment utilizes a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on said shell of said capsule and release said material from inside said capsule into the environment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for releasing a material into an environment of  claim 11  further comprising means for providing a catalyst contained in said capsule inside said shell that acts on said material contained in said capsule inside said shell to activate said material contained in said shell. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for releasing a material into an environment of  claim 11  wherein said means for triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment utilizes a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on said shell of said capsule and release said material from inside said capsule into the environment; and further comprising means for providing a catalyst contained in said capsule inside said shell that acts on said material contained in said capsule inside said shell to activate said material contained in said shell. 
     
     
         15 . A method of releasing a material into an environment, comprising the steps of:
 providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell,   introducing said capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell into the environment, and   triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment.   
     
     
         16 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell that is degraded by heat, and
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises applying heat to said shell degrading said shell. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell that is degraded by electromagnetic radiation, and
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises applying electromagnetic radiation to said shell degrading said shell. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell that is degraded by acid, and
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises applying acid to said shell degrading said shell. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment utilizes a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on said shell of said capsule and release said material from inside said capsule into the environment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  further comprising the step of providing a catalyst contained in said capsule inside said shell that acts on said material contained in said capsule inside said shell to activate said material contained in said shell. 
     
     
         21 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment utilizes a latent catalyst that is triggered to become an active catalyst and act on said shell of said capsule and release said material from inside said capsule into the environment; and further comprising the step of providing a catalyst contained in said capsule inside said shell that acts on said material contained in said capsule inside said shell to activate said material contained in said shell. 
     
     
         22 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell and a tracer material contained in said capsule inside said shell,
 wherein said step of introducing said capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell into the environment comprises introducing said capsule having a shell and said tracer material contained in said capsule inside said shell into a geological formation, and 
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises triggering the release of said tracer material from said capsule into said geological formation. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell and medication material contained in said capsule inside said shell,
 wherein said step of introducing said capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell into the environment comprises introducing said capsule having a shell and said medication material contained in said capsule inside said shell into an organ or tissue, and 
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises triggering the release of said medication material from said capsule into said organ or tissue. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of releasing a material into an environment of  claim 15  wherein said step of providing a capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell comprises providing a capsule having a shell and is a first reactive material and a second reactive material that reacts with said first reactive material contained in said capsule inside said shell,
 wherein said step of introducing said capsule having a shell and the material contained in said capsule inside said shell into the environment comprises introducing said capsule having a shell and said first reactive material and said second reactive material that reacts with said first reactive material contained in said capsule inside said shell into a target location, and 
 wherein said step of triggering the release of the material from said capsule into the environment comprises triggering the release of said first reactive material and said second reactive material that reacts with said first reactive material from said capsule to provide a flash grenade.