No federal government funds were used in researching or developing this invention.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The invention is a recreational diving buoy and safety system.
Various diving safety systems, including buoy-dependent systems, are well known in the SCUBA diving community. In particular, surface marker buoys are required equipment for warning boaters of divers down and also to help in retrieval location. Such buoys often carry a “diver down” red and white flag with marker lights for high visibility. Additional safety equipment may also be placed on such buoys to aid divers after surfacing, such as whistles or air horns, a line and reel, or even a small inflatable float.
Dive lines running from the surface to the bottom are also known safety features to aid submerged divers in maintaining their orientation and allowing them to resurface at or near the exact point of entry. These lines also assist divers in maintaining safe descent and ascent rates. Today, such lines typically run from a dive boat. While mooring buoys are well known for anchoring boats, the concept of a mobile or deployable mooring buoy for use in diving has typically been relegated to a common spherical or similar buoy style, attached to a rope with a shot weight or similar form of anchorage. Another common style buoy is known as a sausage, consisting of a long cylindrical inflatable sometimes with the words “Diver Below” printed on the material.
Similarly, while available diving buoys are known to employ certain electronic devices such as LED lights for visibility, there is currently no buoy available to serve as an actual communications hub for diver(s) and personnel afloat or ashore, either in the event of an emergency or otherwise.
What is needed is a single buoy that can simultaneously serve as a mobile location marker, dive line reel and, optionally, a buoy-based or separate communications hub for divers wishing to signal third parties above water and/or to communicate among divers.
The invention comprises a safety device and system for use in recreational diving and diving instruction, allowing a submerged diver to signal a person(s) on the surface or shore, or, in certain embodiments, other divers. Several iterations are disclosed, including the transmission of acoustic signals, wireless signals in the RF spectrum, and wired signals from the diver to the surface.
In a basic embodiment, the system comprises a flotation buoy that also acts as a diving line spool or reel, paying out an underwater tending line and optional underwater communication line as the diver descends. The underwater communication line could either be attached externally to the tending line or run through the center core of the tending line, be separated but secured to the tending line as in
Conductors include power and ground, as well as bi-directional communications. Communications through wires will be a serial protocol, where logic levels, data rates and signal-encoding are optimized for long-wire transmission. A low-power microcontroller circuit at each end of the communications link will transmit and receive the communications signal over link 2. The microcontroller in node 2 will interface between the wired serial communication to node 3 and the RF communication to node 1. The microcontroller at node 3 will interface between the wired serial communication to node 2, and inputs from the diver.
Arranged within the buoy is a hollow into which a slip ring may be placed. The insert could also be a hollow compartment made of plastic, fiberglass, metal, or some other suitable material with a watertight seal to contain electronic communication components. Regardless of material, the insert is waterproof and contains electrical communication components for allowing the diver to communicate bi-directionally with third parties above water and vice versa. Such components may optionally include a radio or other communication signal transmission device capable of broadcasting a distress or other signal in the air from the buoy after being triggered by the diver below. Such transmission devices may utilize a private channel and be paired with a receiver on a boat or on shore or be set to broadcast over a public frequency in accordance with local laws and regulations. In an alternate embodiment, the electrical communication components may comprise a wired connection with a person ashore, or onboard a boat or nearby surface platform, allowing for a private, wired transmission.
Specifications for the flotation buoy will vary based on expected conditions, depth of the water, amount of line required and size of the electronic communications equipment. Length of the entire buoy is expected to run between 50 and 150 cm, with a preferred range of 70-90 cm and an ideal length of approximately 82 cm. Width of each cap is expected to run between 10 and 20% of the entire length of the buoy, with an ideal width of approximately 13 cm. Length of the stem is expected to run between 60 and 80% of the entire length of the buoy, with an ideal length of approximately 56 cm. The end caps of the flotation buoy could be in other shapes besides a teardrop, such as a rectangle, oval, triangle, or another shape that provides the functionality to limit undesired unspooling of the tending line (and/or communications line in certain embodiments).
As described, the flotation buoy will serve both as a reel for diving and/or underwater communications line, as well as a communications hub for divers wishing to signal or speak to third parties above water at a distance. The relatively small size and weight of the buoy will make it easy to move, deploy and retrieve with each dive and the reel function will obviate the need to attach, detach and coil line in the water or on a boat deck. In other embodiments, the communications hub may exist on a separate floation as in
Ideally, the buoy will be tethered to a second floating device, embodied as a surface marker buoy for purposes of aiding third parties in quickly locating the dive site. As with the flotation buoy, the floating container will again utilize known buoyancy design. Ideally, it will contain one or more types of location determination aids, such as a dive flag elevated on a pole over the water, a strobe, an audio alarm or siren, and a GPS location device. In some cases, an electronically activated flare or smoke signal could be utilized to aid in surface diver location. If the surface marker buoy includes a GPS device, the tether between the two buoys may include a communication line whereby the GPS location information from the surface marker buoy may be broadcast via the radio or other communication components located within the flotation buoy. Optionally, a waterproof antenna will extend from the communication components, through the body of the buoy and into the open air.
In the wired version of the system, the diver will be provided with one or more “panic button” devices that, when triggered, will send a wired distress signal to the flotation buoy. In the wireless version of the system, the diver will be provided with a similar “panic button” device that, when triggered, will send a wireless signal to the flotation buoy. Ideally, panic buttons may be placed in easy-to-reach locations such as at the diver's shoulder, belt, upper arm, front waist, and/or adjacent to the diver's oxygen regulator or flow meter. In one iteration, the panic button may be more than one button, color coded and each indicating a different level of criticality. For example, a yellow button could indicate that the diver requires help within 20 minutes, whereas a red button could indicate that help is required immediately. Alternate signals could also be provided specifying certain types of equipment or safety issues. On the diver's side these signals may be selected from a list of pre-programmed messages, indicating a number possible common communication needs, such as operational status messages.
In one embodiment of a diver's interface to such a system, the selection of preset signals could be done from a large, easily manipulated rotary encoder knob with momentary button on a wrist-mounted computer, or a D-ring attached handheld console, with a small view screen for selection of messages, and reading of received messages. With an interface such as this, it could be possible to send custom text message text using a knob-based character selection interface, and/or allow a user to upload custom pre-programmed messages for common communications needs.
In another embodiment of a diver's interface, the selection of preset signals could be done from a keyboard system, or text could be produced underwater with the keyboard for a custom message created during a dive, followed by transmission. Other embodiments could include manufacturer-provided preset messages, touch screen interfaces that include either keyboards or preset messages, or some other combination of buttons, rotary encoder knobs, switches, or touch screens for messages to be produced before or during a dive.
When the diver is using a full face dive mask or similar equipment including a microphone, the wired panic button will be paired with an audio link allowing the diver to transmit voice messages. When available, such voice messages may be further relayed to listening parties' receivers by the electrical communication components of the flotation buoy.
In another alternate embodiment, the foam (or other material) insert (or separate floation buoy) will contain an interface to a fully submerged acoustic modem paired with another acoustic modem on the diver's body. If multiple divers are utilizing the modem then each diver could have a transceiver (and/or panic buttons or similar interfaces). Known subsea acoustic modems are able to transmit positional and algorithmic data, as well as voice data. Such modems are available with a variety of transmission speeds, depth and distance ratings.
Once an embodiment which involves acoustic modems exists it will be possible to provide communications amongst divers, as well as to the surface station. Diver messages may need to be routed through the central modem, which will be moored to the buoy, before being routed to additional modems used by other divers. Each modem, be it on a diver or the buoy, would be given an address, and messages may be directed to a specific address, or to all (such as in an emergency team-recall scenario). Each modem is capable of recognizing the address in a message header, and only messages for the modem's local address will be deciphered.
The underwater line will ideally terminate in an anchor that will be placed at the sea floor. For areas where anchorage is not possible, a plastic or fabric drogue may be employed as a sea anchor to provide a level of stability and prevent quick movement of the buoy and line. In other versions of an anchor, a bag could be used to fill with sediment, rocks, or other heavy items from the seabed.
In a further possible embodiment, the communications system hardware may be packaged separately from the specific floatation buoy described herein, and instead packaged with a standard commercially available floatation container or attachment and line. In this case, the communications system (wireless RF communications through-air, wired communications to depth, and acoustic communications through water), could be packaged as a stand-alone device to be integrated with any existing buoy or mooring, to enable communications with a submerged diver from the surface, irrespective of the specific floatation buoy in this document. Similarly, each component could be packaged and sold separately for either system customization, market demand for particular portions of the overall system, or for replacement.
The electrical communication components located in the slip ring of the flotation buoy will primarily consist of a microcontroller and/or digital logic circuit with two interfaces, one for the communications link to the submerged diver, and one for the communications link to the boat or shore station. The communications link to the submerged diver will be a wired serial protocol, terminating either at the hardware carried directly by the diver, or at an acoustic modem. The communications link to the boat/shore station will consist of a digital (for transmission/receipt of digital data) and possibly analog (for transmission/receipt of audio messages or alarms) inputs and outputs to a radio frequency transceiver circuit, which modulates and demodulates digital and analog signals into a carrier signal in the VHF or ISM frequency bands. The electronics package inside the buoy itself serves primarily as a communications relay, or repeater. That is, it simply receives data on one interface and repeats it on another. The power supply for the electronics package inside the buoy may comprise one or more batteries, optionally supplemented with solar panels. The primary interpretation of that information is at the endpoints, the diver and the shore station. Signals received from diver(s) or boat/shore could also initiate a strobe, audible, or other signal to facilitate in localization at the surface.
Node 1 refers to the user interface system utilized on a boat or ashore from a surface operator. Node 2 refers to the transceiver at the water surface, preferably in a slip ring, that assists with the relay of communications between the boat and the diver. Node 3 refers to the device that is submerged—either with a diver, on an anchor chain, or otherwise underwater. The communications link, referred hereafter as link, between node 1 and node 2 is link 1. The link between node 2 and node 3 is link 2.
Node 3 is an electronic device that is attached to a diver, at the bottom of an anchored buoy chain or line, or otherwise submerged based on the embodiment for a particular dive. It is used to allow a submerged diver to communicate to the surface—either to send a distress signal or other communication or message.
Link 1 consists of radio frequency (RF) half-duplex communications between node 1 (boat/ashore) and node 2 (surface/slip ring), generally in either the ISM or VHF radio bands. Preferably, the link would utilitze either the ISM (e.g. 433 or 915 MHz) and/or non-commercial VDSMS VHF (e.g. 156.425-156.625 MHz) radio bands.
Link 2 consists of two embodiments: (1) wired full-duplex communications or (2) acoustic half-duplex communication. This link sends information between node 2 at the surface and the diver (or otherwise submerged node 3).
Also pictured on the surface is node 1 50, embodied as a third party transceiver on a boat 3, shown receiving a wireless transmission from the electronics Node 2 51 (not pictured) inside of the flotation buoy, such transmission shown as a dotted line.
In another embodiment, also not pictured, a hollow inside the flotation buoy could be covered with a foam cover overlaying a plastic underside with screw threads corresponding to a similar threaded plastic interior of the buoy to hold the insert in place and ensure a water-tight fit. In an alternate embodiment shown in
As such, a communication originating at Node 3 underwater may be electronically communicated to Node 2 at the buoy and thence to a surface user at Node 1, likely on board a boat or at the shore.
In each iteration, the RF transceiver 42,46 is a standard communication component containing both a transmitter and receiver for Radio Frequency (RF) signals. Each electronics package 41,43,45 comprises at least a microcontroller with a memory and processor, as well as a digital logic circuit. The surface interface 47 is preferably embodied as an audio speaker and/or video screen, and the diver interface 44 is embodied as an underwater microphone, camera, tablet or smartwatch, or button that can be used for morse code.
Unless indicated otherwise, identical reference numbers in the figures identify identical components with the same function. The terms drive unit and drive are used interchangeably herein.
The references recited herein are incorporated herein in their entirety, particularly as they relate to teaching the level of ordinary skill in this art and for any disclosure necessary for the commoner understanding of the subject matter of the claimed invention. It will be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the above embodiments may be altered or that insubstantial changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is determined by the scope of the following claims and their equitable equivalents.
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/110,859, filed on Nov. 6, 2020.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US21/57371 | 10/29/2021 | WO |