Patent Application
20240246641
The present invention relates to drift buoys, and more particularly, to methods, apparatuses, and systems for a compact, low-cost drift buoy for use in a variety of applications.
Drift buoys are floating devices that can serve a number of purposes. Drift buoys, as the name suggests, do not employ motive force and instead are carried by ocean currents and winds through the world's oceans. Conventional drift buoys are substantially small floating scientific devices that provide information to entities such as meteorological entities, government entities, and commercial entities that rely on ocean currents for their commercial practice. These drift buoys are reusable buoys that employ high tech equipment and are relatively costly, such that retrieval and reuse is necessary.
Drift buoys employed for meteorological purposes are typically used to establish water current patterns and temperatures to better inform weather and climate prediction and modeling. These buoys have a generally singular function for data collection and can be reused to understand the oceans and currents therein.
Provided herein are methods, apparatuses, and systems for a compact, low-cost drift buoy for use in a variety of applications. Embodiments provided herein include a drift buoy including a body defining a payload cavity; a float; and a controller, where the controller is configured to cause the drift buoy to release a payload when one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied. According to some embodiments, the controller is configured to establish a location of the drift buoy. According to certain embodiments, the one or more predetermined conditions include a location condition, where in response to the location of the drift buoy being within a target location, the controller causes the drift buoy to release the payload from the payload cavity.
According to some embodiments, the one or more predetermined conditions include a location condition, where in response to the location of the drift buoy drifting further from a target location over a predetermined time, the controller causes the drift buoy to release the payload from the payload cavity. The controller of an example embodiment includes a communication interface, where the communication interface transmits a location where the payload is released from the payload cavity to a service provider. According to certain embodiments, the one or more predetermined conditions include a location condition, where in response to the location of the drift buoy indicating two or more locations moving away from a target location, the controller causes the drift buoy to release the payload from the payload cavity. The controller of an example embodiment includes a communication interface, where the communication interface transmits a location where the payload is released from the payload cavity to a service provider.
According to some embodiments, the drift buoy includes a parachute, where the parachute facilitates a controlled landing of the drift buoy in water when dropped from an aircraft. The parachute of an example embodiment is made from a biodegradable material. The drift buoy of an example embodiment further includes one or more sensors and a communication interface, where the communication interface transmits readings from the one or more sensors. The one or more sensors include, in an example embodiment, at least one of a temperature sensor, a light sensor, an image sensor, or a depth sensor. The float of an example embodiment is made of a biodegradable material that loses buoyancy after a predetermined period of time.
The float of an example embodiment defines a cavity closed to atmosphere with a plug, where the cavity is opened to the atmosphere in response to removal of the plug on command by the controller. The plug of an example embodiment is formed of a wax material with a resistive element disposed therein, where the command by the controller includes application of current to the resistive element to melt the wax material. According to some embodiments, the payload cavity of the body is sealed with a plug, where the plug is formed of a wax material with a resistive element disposed therein, and where a command by the controller includes application of a current to the resistive element to melt the wax material and cause release of the payload. The body of a drift buoy of an example embodiment defines an elongate, cylindrical shape, and the float defines a cylindrical shape encircling a portion of the body. According to some embodiments, the buoyancy of the drift buoy is altered to cause scuttling of the drift buoy in response to a command from the controller. The command from the controller to cause scuttling of the drift buoy is initiated, in some embodiments, in response to a determined location of the drift buoy.
Embodiments provided herein include a system for a drift buoy including: a drift buoy having a controller and a communication interface, the drift buoy defining a payload cavity holding a payload, where the payload is released in response to a command from the controller; a service provider, where the service provider is in communication with the drift buoy via the communication interface; and a user interface, where the user interface provides information associated with the drift buoy received by the service provider including a location where the payload is released. The user interface of an example embodiment includes a map, where the map depicts a path of the drift buoy over time. The drift buoy of an example embodiment further includes one or more sensors, where the one or more sensors include at least one of a temperature sensor, a light sensor, an image sensor, or a depth sensor. The user interface of an example embodiment presents information from the one or more sensors.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Example embodiments of the present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a drift buoy and various uses for a drift buoy. For example, one embodiment described herein includes a memorial buoy for use in scattering ashes at sea. Another embodiment is an educational drift buoy for use gathering data at sea. Still another embodiment includes a buoy that can be moored at a specific location for data collection for individuals in manners not provided by conventional buoys. Various embodiments of drift buoys as disclosed herein are of smaller scale than conventional marker buoys and can be made to be relatively low-cost such that drift buoys for personal, educational, recreational, and scientific purposes are obtainable.
The drift buoy of example embodiments can include a communication mechanism, as will be described further below. The drift buoy 100 of
The drift buoy 100 described herein may require a specific orientation in the water to properly function, such as if the drift buoy has an antenna 120 that needs to remain above water for communication. To maintain a proper orientation, the drift buoy 100 can use a float 105 that is positioned such that a weight of the generally cylindrical body 110 remains below the float, and the body acts as a keel to maintain orientation. Optionally, the body of the drift buoy may be weighted such that a portion of the body remains below the surface of the water as the drift buoy floats.
The controller of the example embodiment can be embodied by a number of different computing/processing systems which are specifically configured to perform the operations described herein.
The controller 200 of an example embodiment is equipped with any number of sensors 220, inertial navigation system (INS), accelerometer, image sensor, LiDAR (Light Distancing and Ranging) sensor, radar, pressure transducer, and/or gyroscope. Position tracking or locating of the controller of the drift buoy can be accomplished using satellite localization. While global positioning systems (GPS) and cellular technologies used for terrestrial navigation may be useful near land (e.g., coastal waters, inland lakes, intercoastal waterways, etc.), embodiments described herein can employ a satellite service with coverage of seas, such as the Iridium™ satellite communications network. These sensors are optionally used to sense information regarding the movement, positioning, or orientation of the drift buoy for use in localization and/or to facilitate deployment of a payload or scuttling, as described herein according to example embodiments. The controller 200 of example embodiments is configured to control the localization functions of the drift buoy, and may control payload deployment, scuttling functionality, buoyancy alterations, or the like.
The controller 200 of an example embodiment includes, is associated with, or is otherwise in communication with a communication interface 240, processor 210, sensor(s) 220, actuators 250, and/or a memory 230. In some embodiments, the processor (and/or co-processors or any other processing circuitry assisting or otherwise associated with the processor) is in communication with the memory device via a bus for passing information among components of the controller. The memory device of an example embodiment is non-transitory and includes, for example, one or more volatile and/or non-volatile memories. In other words, for example, the memory device is an electronic storage device (for example, a computer readable storage medium) including gates configured to store data (for example, bits) that are retrievable by a machine (for example, a computing device like the processor). The memory device of an example embodiment is configured to store information, data, content, applications, instructions, or the like for enabling the controller to carry out various functions in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the memory device is configured to buffer input data for processing by the processor. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device is configured to store instructions for execution by the processor.
The processor 210 of example embodiments is be embodied in a number of different ways. For example, the processor of an embodiment is one or more of various hardware processing means such as a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor, or other processing circuitry including circuits such as an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, a microcontroller unit, or the like.
The controller 200 of example embodiments includes a communication interface 240 that includes any means such as a device or circuitry embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software configured to receive and/or transmit data to/from other electronic devices, such as communicating between a drift buoy associated with the controller 200 and a service provider or operator of the buoy. The communication of an example embodiment is performed over any available communication protocol, such as near field communication for certain functionality, cellular communication, sonar, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), or the like. Embodiments optionally include a satellite communication protocol using short data burst packets, such as using the Iridium satellite communications network.
The communications interface optionally supports wired communication for communicating with sensors, actuators, or the antenna of a drift buoy, for example. The memory 230 of an example embodiment is configured for storage of navigational information such as a geographical area to map, geofenced areas, target destinations, etc. Optionally, the memory 230 of an example embodiment stores computer program code for execution by the processor 210 to perform any of the aforementioned processes.
According to an example embodiment of a memorial drift buoy, employed to scatter ashes and/or mementos at sea, a drift buoy can deploy a payload at sea. The payload can be deployed from the drift buoy, or optionally, the payload kept with the drift buoy, and the drift buoy scuttled to sink the payload with the buoy. In such an embodiment, a memorial buoy may be embodied by the drift buoy 100 of
Scattering of ashes at sea can be an important event for an individual or group of people choosing to honor a person or animal. As such, the release of ashes at sea may have a specific desired location or a general area where the release is desired. Such locations may not be readily available to a person to manually scatter ashes, such that a drift buoy may be relied upon to get the ashes to the desired release area. A drift buoy relies heavily on the currents and winds of a sea, such that a path is generally known, but imprecise. As such, a release area may be a general area or a region of the world. This area may be geofenced, such that when the drift buoy is in the geofenced area, the payload may be deployed. For such a task, the drift buoy may require a means of localization. The localization can be performed, for example, through global navigation satellite systems. When within range of land, such as in coastal waters, lakes, streams, etc., conventional navigational systems may be used including Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), Galileo, Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), or the like. However, at sea, many of these conventional localization services are not viable, such that other satellite-based navigation systems may be used. For example, the Iridium™ satellite communication system. The drift buoy, through the controller, can monitor the position of the drift buoy as it travels through currents of the oceans. Optionally, the drift buoy can communicate its location to a service provider or user of the drift buoy, so the drift buoy can be tracked on its journey.
Localization of the drift buoy can be used to determine when to deploy a payload. For example, when the drift buoy enters a specific area, the payload may be deployed. The drift buoy may have a programmed geofenced area within which deployment is acceptable. According to some embodiments, the drift buoy can report entering an area to a user of the drift buoy (e.g., directly or via a service provider), and the user can provide an instruction to deploy the payload. Deploying a payload within a desired region can be rewarding and meaningful to a user of the drift buoy. However, as drift buoys rely on currents and winds to move, the arrival of a drift buoy at a desired location may not be certain. If a drift buoy is taken off-course, alternative plans may be necessary.
As drift buoys are susceptible to currents and winds, reaching the target location 304 is not a given. As shown in
Another strategy for deployment can include tracking localization of a drift buoy as it heads toward a target location. If the target location keeps getting closer, the payload is retained. When the target location starts getting further away (e.g., for a certain period of time), the payload may be deployed as it may be presumed that the drift buoy will not reach the target location.
In some cases, deploying a payload may not be permissible too close to land or within a geographical boundary (e.g., protected areas, countries that do not permit deployment, etc.). Embodiments of a drift buoy with a payload to deploy may store a map including boundaries of regions where deployment is permissible. If a drift buoy is approaching an area where deployment is not permissible, the drift buoy may deploy the payload to avoid violating any regulations. In some cases, the drift buoy may also be scuttled at such time.
Drift buoys of example embodiments described herein can further include an array of sensors with varying degrees of capability as described further below. One such additional sensor can include a sensor capable of determining a depth of water at the location of the drift buoy. The depth of water can be an indication of imminent or impending arrival on shore of land. According to an example embodiment capable of determining depth, a controller of the drift buoy may identify when a depth is getting more and more shallow, and determine a point to deploy the payload and possibly to scuttle the drift buoy rather than becoming beached on land. The controller may monitor depth, and in response to a progression of depth suggesting approaching land, handle the payload deployment and scuttling accordingly. If the depth over a period of successive readings is trending shallower, a determination may be made that land is approaching. If depth varies between shallower and deeper, a determination may be that the drift buoy is passing over a shoal or other underwater feature, such that deployment and scuttling may not be appropriate.
The drift buoy of example embodiments described herein can provide notifications, such as via the communication interface 240. Notifications can be indicative of a position of the drift buoy on its journey. Notifications can further relate to the deployment of the payload and/or scuttling of the drift buoy. These notifications can be rich notifications that provide sensor data from sensors 220 of the drift buoy to a user. For example, weather conditions, depth, wave action, or the like. A user interface can be used to present these notifications to a user. For example, the user interface can present a map, such as that shown in
Deploying a payload can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Deployment mechanisms can be of a variety of types, though deployment mechanisms without moving parts may be desirable from a simplicity and functionality perspective. One such mechanism includes use of a cap, such as cap 122 at the bottom portion 114 of the drift buoy illustrated in
Deployment of a payload can be used by example embodiments described herein, particularly when scattering ashes of a person or animal, or releasing a memorial of some type. The drift buoy itself may continue to float in the current or may optionally be scuttled. Scuttling occurs when the drift buoy is intentionally sunk such that the drift buoy does not become floating debris in the ocean. Scuttling can be performed in a variety of ways, but generally involves altering the buoyancy of the drift buoy. One such mechanism is to reduce or eliminate the functionality of the float 105. For example, the float may be an air-filed float and include one or more plugs 130 as shown in the embodiment of a drift buoy 100 depicted in
While a single plug is illustrated in
Another technique for scuttling a drift buoy of example embodiments can include a mechanism for blowing out a plug from the float, such as using a chemical reaction within the float that causes an expansion of gas within the float. The chemicals can be separated by a destructive barrier that erodes with time, or can be penetrated using an electrical current.
While the above-described scuttling methods include altering the buoyancy of the float 105, embodiments can alter the buoyancy of the drift buoy 100 to overcome the buoyancy of the float. For example, the drift buoy 100 may have some degree of buoyancy based on the payload cavity having air and/or a payload that is buoyant within the cavity. Upon deployment of the payload, the cavity can fill with water resulting in the drift buoy losing buoyancy and a weight of the drift buoy overcoming the buoyancy of the float 105, thereby scuttling the drift buoy.
The drift buoys of example embodiments described herein are intended not to pollute oceans or to cause harm to ocean life. As such, drift buoys may be scuttled or sank after completing their mission. The drift buoy itself can be designed of a material that will either corrode and degrade/dissolve or become useful for sea life, such as of a material that promotes coral growth. According to some embodiments described herein, a drift buoy may be seeded with sea life to promote growth of coral when scuttled. Optionally, the drift buoy may be constructed of a material that will degrade over time and become nutrients for sea life.
For purposes of scuttling a drift buoy as described herein, the mechanism keeping the drift buoy afloat needs to be compromised. For example, the float 105 of the drift buoy of
According to some embodiments, the buoyancy of a drift buoy may be variable. A drift buoy may employ a technique as described above to reduce buoyancy, while another mechanism may be used to increase buoyancy. For example, compressed air or gas may be stored within the drift buoy, and used to drive out water ballast to increase buoyancy. Optionally, chemicals may be stored within the drift buoy that react to create gas or a foam that can expand and drive ballast from a cavity within the drift buoy. In this way, a drift buoy may have a controlled buoyancy. This may be useful if a drift buoy is intended to float along at a depth below the surface of the water. For example, a drift buoy may float at a depth of 10 feet below the surface of the water. The drift buoy may use a buoyancy increasing technique to resurface in order to communicate, as communications below the water surface may be challenging. Such a variable-buoyancy drift buoy can be employed for scientific purposes and/or to avoid having a drift buoy floating at the water surface vulnerable to boat traffic damage.
Deployment of a drift buoy as described herein may be challenging as a drift buoy may not successfully travel among ocean currents if deployed too close to shore. Embodiments described herein therefore include aspects to facilitate appropriate deployment in locations that will have a high likelihood of successfully traveling within desired currents of an ocean. Deployment from boats traveling offshore can be successful; however, such methods can be costly. An alternative method can include deployment from aircraft. Components within a drift buoy can be of a fragile or delicate nature, such as the controller 200 and any payloads. Further, the float 105, if it includes a plug 130 can be sensitive to impact whereby the plug can dislodge in the event of a significant impact. As such, embodiments described herein can include a drift buoy 400 with a parachute 405 as illustrated in
Deployment from air can be performed to reach ocean currents not readily accessible by boat. Deployment via aircraft can be done by commercial aircraft traveling along a predefined route, where deployment is commanded when the aircraft reaches a particular location along the route. In this way, deployment can benefit from existing air travel routes without incurring significant costs associated with an air journey specifically and exclusively designed to deploy drift buoys as described herein.
While the above-described embodiment of a drift buoy is described with respect to a memorial-type drift buoy which can deploy a payload such as scattering of ashes or a memorial object, other embodiments of a drift buoy can include a science-based data collection/feedback drift buoy. While buoys exist that provide environmental conditions for meteorological purposes, these buoys are generally relatively large and comparatively very expensive. Embodiments described herein provide a drift buoy that is of relatively small size and relatively low cost as compared to existing buoys. This size and cost point render embodiments well-suited for use as low-cost scientific studies and educational purposes.
An example drift buoy described herein includes a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) focused drift buoy that can be used by teachers, students, and for the benefit of classes of students. A class can deploy their own drift buoy and track its progress as it moves among the ocean currents. Such a drift buoy can provide scientific information to the users for educational and scientific benefit. Further, a service provider that facilitates the communication of the drift buoys of such embodiments can aggregate data from all drift buoys within a network to provide substantial scientific information including sea conditions, trends, and the like.
A STEM focused drift buoy may be outfitted with a variety of sensors to provide information that is of interest to a user. Various levels of sensors including various levels of accuracy and range can be used to suit the specific use case of an individual or group. Sensors such as water temperature sensors, depth sensors, salinity sensors, wave sensors (e.g., using an inertial measurement unit), weather detecting sensors (e.g., wind speed, lightning, precipitation, etc.), photo sensors, or the like can be used to generate data that can be sent from a drift buoy controller 200 to be used by a user, such as via a service provider.
A service provider can provide a user interface, such as a web-based user interface that promotes the capabilities of the drift buoy and provides a graphical indication of the sensor data generated. The user interface can provide an indication of location and path, such as in the maps shown in
As noted above, embodiments described herein include a drift buoy that is of relatively compact size and relatively low cost. These features also enable such buoys to be used in ways buoys have not previously been used. For example, a drift buoy can be employed by a fisherman in a lake, where such a drift buoy may include sensors capable of detecting fish. A fisherman may find such a drift buoy of use to identify fish and schools of fish within a body of water, whether it is a lake, stream, or ocean. These buoys can be drift buoys, but optionally a buoy of example embodiments can be tethered to a location, such as a fisherman's preferred fishing hole, in order to identify when fish are present. Anglers can use this information together with weather and water condition information to identify what conditions are most conducive to finding fish. Further, embodiments may be able to identify fish type through sonar profiles and machine learning of what those profiles signify.
The drift buoys described herein can be used in a variety of ways by a variety of different users. Each drift buoy providing some form of data to a user via the controller 200.
While the user 530 benefits from example embodiments described herein, the service provider 510 can use sensor data and location information from a plurality of drift buoys 500 to facilitate scientific research and to provide information regarding ocean currents, temperatures, salinity, and other measured parameters. A service provider can interact with thousands of drift buoys to generate vast amounts of information relating to the oceans. While a memorial drift buoy may be employed by a user for scattering of a loved one's ashes, the drift buoy can also provide valuable information to the service provider, which in turn can be packaged and provided to scientific researchers to help understand the oceans. This drift buoy data may be anonymized such that no reidentifying information regarding a user of a particular drift buoy is used with the sensor data for scientific research. Such data gathering can provide a benefit to science while not adversely impacting the user's experience with the drift buoy.
The above-described embodiments send information and data from a drift buoy to a service provider and/or user pertaining to the drift buoy itself. However, embodiments can optionally include a mechanism through which a message can be sent from the drift buoy when the drift buoy is encountered by a person. A drift buoy may be encountered by a person for a variety of reasons, such as when a drift buoy is caught in a fishing net. A fisherman may be able to send a notification that the drift buoy was inadvertently caught. If the drift buoy is damaged, a person encountering the drift buoy can send a message to the service provider reporting the issue. This message may be sent, for example, through an interface with the person. A person encountering the drift buoy may connect to the drift buoy via near-field communication protocol, such as using Bluetooth™ and transmit a message via the drift buoy communication system or from the person's own device.
The drift buoys of example embodiments can optionally be outfitted with a manual user interface on the drift buoy itself. One such function of such a user interface can be an emergency call button on the drift buoy. Drift buoys may be encountered by persons in distress on the ocean. A disabled vessel or person floating in the water who encounters a drift buoy of embodiments described herein can use an emergency call button on the drift buoy to initiate a search and rescue operation. As the drift buoy is able to report its location, the emergency call button can send a location and notification of the emergency to a service provider, or optionally, directly to a search and rescue entity such as the U.S. Coast Guard. A network of floating drift buoys in the ocean can therefore provide a humanitarian service to locate people in distress.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the trainings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some 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.
