Claims
- 1. An activation device for a signal emitter for use in a locator system, said activation device comprising:
a pressure sensor for monitoring a pressure at a location within a self-contained breathing apparatus; and a switching means responsive to said pressure sensor to activate the signal emitter when said pressure rises above a predetermined value at the monitored location.
- 2. An activation device as recited in claim 1 wherein the self-contained breathing apparatus includes an air tank having an air tank valve and wherein the monitoring location is downstream from the air tank valve.
- 3. An activation device as recited in claim 1 wherein the self-contained breathing apparatus includes an air tank having an air tank valve, a regulator and an air line for delivering air from the air tank valve to the regulator and wherein said pressure sensor is configured to monitor pressure on the air line.
- 4. An activation device as recited in claim 1 wherein the self-contained breathing apparatus includes an air tank having an air tank valve and wherein said switching means is configured to activate the signal emitter when the air tank valve is opened.
- 5. An activation device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a reset button to deactivate the signal emitter when said reset button is depressed and the pressure at the monitored location is less than the predetermined value.
- 6. A system for providing air to a user and activating a signal emitter for use in locating the user, said system comprising:
an air tank having an air tank valve; a regulator for regulating air pressure from said air tank; an air line for delivering air from said air tank valve to said regulator; a facemask for delivering air to the user from said regulator; a pressure sensor coupled with said air line to monitor a pressure within said air line; and a switching means responsive to said pressure sensor to activate the signal emitter when said pressure rises above a predetermined value at the monitored location.
- 7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein said switching means is configured to activate the signal emitter when said air tank valve is opened.
- 8. A system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a reset button to deactivate the signal emitter when said reset button is depressed and the pressure at the monitored location is less than the predetermined value.
- 9. A wireless locator system comprising:
a low frequency signal emitter; a pressure sensor for monitoring a pressure at a location; a switching means responsive to said pressure switch to activate said signal emitter when said pressure rises above a predetermined value at the monitored location; at least three mutually dispersed base station sites for receiving said low frequency signal from said signal emitter at each base station site; at least one phase sensing circuit for determining phase information for each received signal; and a central processing site connected in communication with each said base station site, said central processing site having a processor for using said phase information to determine the position of said signal emitter relative to each said base station site.
- 10. A locator system as recited in claim 9 further comprising a reset button to deactivate the signal emitter when said reset button is depressed and the pressure at the monitored location is less than the predetermined value.
- 11. A locator system as recited in claim 9 wherein said pressure sensor is coupled to an air tank valve and said switching means is configured to activate said signal emitter when the air tank valve is opened.
- 12. A locator system as recited in claim 9 wherein said pressure sensor is configured to monitor pressure at a location within a self-contained breathing apparatus.
- 13. A locator system as recited in claim 12 wherein the self-contained breathing apparatus includes an air tank having an air tank valve, a regulator and an air line for delivering air from the air tank valve to the regulator and wherein said pressure sensor is configured to monitor pressure on the air line.
- 14. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein a said phase sensing circuit is located at each said base station site, and wherein each said base station site further comprises a reference signal synchronized with said signal emitter and in communication with said phase sensing circuit, and wherein said phase information is an actual phase delay.
- 15. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one phase sensing circuit is a phase sensing circuit located at said central processing site, and wherein said central processing site further comprises a reference signal synchronized with said signal emitter and in communication with said phase sensing circuit, and wherein each said base station site has a transmitter for relaying said received signal to said central processing site, and wherein said phase information is an actual phase delay.
- 16. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one phase sensing circuit is a phase sensing circuit located at each said base station site, and wherein each said base station site further comprises a reference signal for synchronizing said base stations, and wherein said phase information is a phase measurement and a measurement time.
- 17. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein said processor uses said phase information to calculate at least one relative phase delay to determine the location of said signal emitter relative to each said base station site.
- 18. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one phase sensing circuit is a phase sensing circuit located at said central processing site, and wherein each said base station site has a transmitter for relaying said received signal to said central processing site, and wherein said phase information is a relative phase delay.
- 19. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein said three mutually dispersed base station sites lie substantially in a common plane, and further comprising a fourth base station site, said fourth base station site lying substantially outside of said common plane.
- 20. A locator system as recited in claim 11 wherein each said base station site further comprises:
a means for self-surveying; and a means for communicating the position of each base station to said central processing site.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/691,751 filed Oct. 18, 2000, which is currently pending. The contents of application Ser. No. 09/691,751 are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09691751 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10371629 |
Feb 2003 |
US |