Patent Application
20200346725
Rescue operations face a number of difficult challenges, but the first and primary challenge for rescuers is being able to locate the individual so that a rescue plan can be devised and employed as soon as possible. Without knowing where the individual is, resources cannot be directed appropriately to help the individual out of the life-threatening situation they have found themselves in. Delays in rescue can lead to dehydration, starvation, exposure, extreme sunburn, and in the worst-case-scenarios death. This makes rapid location a high priority for rescue efforts. Current means of locating individuals may include educated guesses based on knowledge of where the individual was last seen and knowledge of currents, weather patterns, and other conditions, or descriptions from the individual by cell phone, radio, or GPS location. These methods are all unreliable due to the guesswork involved, the signal and power requirements for communication with the individual, and similar limitations.
Individuals hoping to be rescued may attempt to get the attention of would-be rescuers or passing individuals in the area to aid their own rescue. Hand signals may be used, but are extremely limited to close distance observers and well-lit conditions. Individuals may have things like flares, flashlights, reflective materials, or beacons to aid in the rescue efforts. Flares have a limited duration and if the rescuer does not see the flare in time, it becomes useless, and may not be as visible during the day. Flashlights are limited in their strength, especially during the day, and need to be directed in a specific direction to be useful for the rescuers. Any of these singular individual items fail to provide efficient and effective means for an individual to alert rescuers of their location no matter the time of day, duration of rescue efforts, direction employed, or other limiting means.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a rescue device may be provided. The rescue device may have a housing, at least one reflective mirror dispose don the housing, and at least one dye chamber disposed within the housing. The dye chamber may be filled with dye. The rescue device may have a retractable antenna disposed on the housing, wherein the retractable antenna may be capable of transmitting a rescue beacon. The rescue device may have at least one light and the rescue device may be buoyant.
Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, in which:
Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description discussion of several terms used herein follows.
As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration.” The embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, the terms “embodiments of the invention”, “embodiments” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
Further, many embodiments are described in terms of sequences of actions to be performed by, for example, elements of a computing device. It will be recognized that various actions described herein can be performed by specific circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)), by program instructions being executed by one or more processors, or by a combination of both. Additionally, these sequence of actions described herein can be considered to be embodied entirely within any form of computer readable storage medium having stored therein a corresponding set of computer instructions that upon execution would cause an associated processor to perform the functionality described herein. Thus, the various aspects of the invention may be embodied in a number of different forms, all of which have been contemplated to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, for each of the embodiments described herein, the corresponding form of any such embodiments may be described herein as, for example, “logic configured to” perform the described action.
According to an exemplary embodiment, and referring to the figures generally, various exemplary implementations of a Method and Apparatus for Rescue may be disclosed.
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The dye may contain a surfactant to keep the dye at the surface of the surrounding water. The dye may stay at the surface without a surfactant if it is oil-based or otherwise less dense than water. The dye may be environmentally safe. The dye may be highly visible. The dye may have a reflective sheen like that of an oil spill. The dye may be green. The dye may instead be visible outside the visible light spectrum, allowing for potential rescuers to use other tools and aids to look for the dye in greater contrast. The dye may release heat to allow for heat detecting night vision optics. The dye may be activated to release heat in a manner similar to hand warmers. The dye may glow in the dark to allow easier visibility at night. The dye glow may be activated by ultraviolet rays. The dye may glow near a light, like a blacklight. The dye may be identifiable based on the individual to allow rescuers to know who released it if the dye is no longer near the individual. In some exemplary embodiments, the color of the dye may indicate the individual's current circumstance. For example, if they are running low on food or water, the dye they release may be green, while if they are seriously injured and need immediate medical attention, the dye may be red. The dye may make a reflective foam. The reflective foam may be colored. The dye may cause bubbles to form. The bubbles may be colorful and or reflective. Any color selection for the dye may cause a distinct visual based on an intended body of water.
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According to further embodiments of a rescue device 200, as shown in
Device 200 may have at least one signal mirror 210. According to further embodiments, device 200 may have a plurality of signal mirrors 210. Signal mirrors 210 may, individually or in combination, reflect and scatter light in multiple directions. Furthermore, signal mirrors 210 may be scratch and/or shatter resistant. Signal mirrors 210 may be placed on head 206 and/or body 204.
Device 200 may further include at least one or a plurality of dye chambers 220. Dye chambers 220 may house a highly visible dye 222. Chambers 220 may have at least one opening 224, which may allow contents of chambers 220 to interact with an ambient environment or atmosphere, which may include air or water. According to an exemplary embodiment, ambient water may interact with dye 222, when device 200 is floating, submerged, or partially submerged in ambient water. Dye 222 may dispense upon contact with water. For example, dye 222 may be a wax formula dye that dispenses upon contact with water. In one embodiment, dye 222 may be in a solid or semi-solid state within chambers 220 and may dissolve and dispense upon contact with water. When dye 222 is dispensed or mixed with water, it may create a visible dye trail, as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. In other embodiments, dye 222 may be in a solid, semi-solid, or liquid state within chambers 220 and may flow through the at least one opening 224 with or without the introduction of ambient water through opening 224. Dye 222 may be a high visibility color. According to some embodiments, opening 224 may have a cap or seal, which may optionally be water-tight, that can be opened or closed automatically or manually. According to other embodiments, the at least one opening 224 may always allow communication with an ambient environment.
According to some further embodiments, device 200 may have at least one flag, ribbon, or streamers 230. Streamer 230 may move due to wind or motion of device 200, which may attract attention from the side or above. Streamer 230 may be a high visibility color and/or may include a lightweight reflective fabric over at least one side or a portion of streamer 230. Streamer 230 may be affixed to a flagpole or antenna 232, which may optionally be telescopic. Furthermore, antenna 232 may optionally be detachable, such that it can be held and waved by an individual separate from device 200. According to a telescoping embodiment, flagpole/antenna 232 may retract into housing 202. Antenna 232 may serve additional purposes, including acting as an antenna or otherwise facilitating signal transmission or receipt capabilities. Antenna 232 may be extended or retracted to optimize a signal. Device 200 may have one or more transmitter/receiver components 240, which may generate or receive signals according to standard rescue protocols. For example, component 240 may transmit a signal at 121.5 MHz, the General International Air Distress (IAD) frequency or other aircraft or maritime bands reserved for emergency communications or VHF Guard. An exemplary transmission could include at least one of 60 warbles/sweeps, 5 seconds of silence (dead carrier, radio waves with no sound), cycling through programmed pulses, spelling of GUARD in Morse Code, and 1 second of silence. Transmissions may be repeated. Transmitter 240 may optionally transmit at pre-programmed sequences, including Morse Code sequences. These sequences may be used to indicate distress. Component 240 may be a radio transmitter. According to some further exemplary embodiments, antenna 232 may be a coil antenna integral to or disposed within or on housing 202. In yet further exemplary embodiments, there may be a telescoping, retractable antenna and a coil antenna.
According to some exemplary embodiments, device 200 may function as an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), which may include all capabilities of an EPIRB, as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Device 200 may transmit an automatic identification system (AIS) signal, as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Other capabilities may include 406 MHz capabilities, 72 channel Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capabilities, and Medium Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) capabilities. Furthermore, device 200 may transmit a warning alert for cell phones within a certain range of a distress signal. Cell phone within the range may receive a notification of the distress and a call to be on the lookout. The distress signal may also transmit a geographic location.
According to further exemplary embodiments, device 200 may further include a sound-making distress alarm 250. Device 200 may also include a radar reflective material 252, which may cause device 200 to create a noticeable radar signature visible to rescuers.
According to still further exemplary embodiments, device 200 may have a light 260. Light 260 may be disposed in housing 202. According to some exemplary embodiments, device 200 may have a plurality of lights 260 disposed around housing 202. Light 260 may project a solid light or flashes of light. Light 260 may also project a selectable color and/or multiple colors. According to some exemplary embodiments, light 260 may have a strobe feature and the strobe feature may optionally cycle through multiple colors of light. Light 260 may be designed to emit signal flashes in specific wavelengths within the visual spectrum and may emit the flashes at a frequency recommended for search and rescue applications, such as those according to the United States Coast Guard study CG-D-04-15 (Alternatives To Pyrotechnic Distress Signals, Laboratory and Field Studies). Light 260 may have, for example, cyan LEDs with wavelengths from 490 to 51 nanometers, red-orange LEDs with wavelengths from 614 to 624 nanometers, and far-red/IR LEDs with wavelengths from 720 to 750 nanometers and intensity of approximately 561 mW (milli-watts). Light 260 may have a strobe frequency, where a strobe driver cycles between Cyan Blue, Red Orange, and Infrared LEDs, in a powering sequence for 3 pulses each at 4 Hz before switching to the next color. There may be a 250 ms “rest” while switching between LED wavelengths. Light 260 may further have lens optics, which may project the light in a variety of directions. According to an exemplary embodiment, lens optics may project the light laterally across the water, such that observers searching from aircraft, watercraft, and land may see the light. Lens optics may also optionally project the light vertically up from the water. According to some embodiments, light 260 may be disposed at a tip of pole/antenna 232.
Device 200 may further have reflective tape 270 disposed on housing 202. Reflective tape 270 may be, for example, SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) reflective tape, which may present an eye-catching surface when exposed to a light source. According to an exemplary embodiment, components of device 200 may be turned on by a user input, such as a switch, or may be turned on automatically during an emergency, such as by a water actuated switch, as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. As such, device 200 may have a water sensor 290 for actuating at least one of the components of device 200 described herein. For example, water sensor 290 may initiate at least one of light 260, audible alarm 250, transmitter 240, and a dye dispensing window. Device 200 may also include a rope, tether or lanyard attachment, which may facilitate tethering of device 200 to a person or object.
The foregoing description and accompanying figures illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art (for example, features associated with certain configurations of the invention may instead be associated with any other configurations of the invention, as desired).
Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
The present patent application claims benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/840,582 entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESCUE” filed on Apr. 30, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62840582 | Apr 2019 | US |
