Claims
- 1. A sea rescue apparatus, comprising:
a personal flotation device (PFD); a hydrostatic pressure sensor mounted on said PFD; a global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on said PFD; a radio transmitter mounted on said PFD; and a controller connected to said hydrostatic pressure sensor, said GPS receiver, and said radio transmitter; wherein said controller is programmed to transmit location data via said radio transmitter only when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least a selected magnitude for at least a selected duration.
- 2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the location of said hydrostatic pressure sensor on said PFD is selected to cause said hydrostatic pressure sensor to sink to a selected depth, producing a hydrostatic pressure signal having said selected magnitude, when said PFD is floating in water and supporting a selected minimum weight.
- 3. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said radio transmitter is adapted to communicate via a satellite radio-telephone transmission system.
- 4. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to transmit a distress signal via said radio transmitter when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least a selected magnitude for at least a selected duration.
- 5. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to energize said GPS receiver and said radio transmitter when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least a selected magnitude for at least a selected duration.
- 6. The apparatus recited in claim 5, wherein said controller is further programmed to periodically de-energize said radio transmitter to conserve power.
- 7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to cease transmission when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having less than said selected magnitude.
- 8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to transmit a unique identification code.
- 9. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a user input module mounted on said PFD.
- 10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said user input module further comprises a microphone.
- 11. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said user input module further comprises a keyboard.
- 12. A sea rescue apparatus, comprising:
a personal flotation device (PFD); a hydrostatic pressure sensor mounted on said PFD at a location selected to cause said hydrostatic pressure sensor to sink to a selected depth, producing a hydrostatic pressure signal having a selected magnitude, when said PFD is floating in water and supporting a selected minimum weight; a global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on said PFD; a radio transmitter mounted on said PFD; and a controller connected to said hydrostatic pressure sensor, said GPS receiver, and said radio transmitter; wherein said controller is programmed to energize said GPS receiver and said radio transmitter, and to transmit a distress signal and location data via said radio transmitter, only when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least said selected magnitude for at least a selected duration.
- 13. The apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said radio transmitter is adapted to communicate via a satellite radio-telephone transmission system.
- 14. The apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said controller is further programmed to cease transmission when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having less than said selected magnitude.
- 15. The apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said controller is further programmed to transmit a unique identification code.
- 16. The apparatus recited in claim 12, further comprising a user input module mounted on said PFD.
- 17. A sea rescue apparatus, comprising:
a personal flotation device (PFD); a hydrostatic pressure sensor mounted on said PFD at a location selected to cause said hydrostatic pressure sensor to sink to a selected depth, producing a hydrostatic pressure signal having a selected magnitude, when said PFD is floating in water and supporting a selected minimum weight; a global positioning system (GPS) receiver mounted on said PFD; a radio satellite transmitter mounted on said PFD; and a controller connected to said hydrostatic pressure sensor, said GPS receiver, and said radio transmitter; wherein said controller is programmed to energize said GPS receiver and said radio transmitter, and to transmit a distress signal and location data via said radio transmitter, when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least said selected magnitude for at least a selected duration, and to cease transmission when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having less than said selected magnitude.
- 18. A sea rescue method, comprising:
providing a personal flotation device (PFD) having a hydrostatic pressure sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a radio transmitter, and a controller; submerging said hydrostatic pressure sensor to at least a selected depth, producing a hydrostatic pressure signal having at least a selected magnitude, when said PFD is floating in water and supporting a selected minimum weight; energizing said GPS receiver and said radio transmitter with said controller when said hydrostatic pressure signal reaches said selected magnitude for a selected duration; and transmitting a distress signal and location data via said radio transmitter.
- 19. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising ceasing said transmission when said controller detects a hydrostatic pressure signal having less than said selected magnitude.
- 20. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising transmitting a unique identification code via said radio transmitter.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/165,487, filed on Nov. 15, 1999, and entitled “Automated Fail-Safe Sea Rescue Flotation System”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60165487 |
Nov 1999 |
US |