Buoy for Automated Data Collection and Transmittal

• US 20110076904A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Government
• Original Assignee: United States Government
• Inventors: Elder, Bruce C., Polashenski, Christopher M., Richter-Menge, Jacqueline, Perovich, Donald K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,315,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 441/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/06 Operation in ice-infested waters
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 5/24 made predominantly of plastics surf boards B63B32/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 13/00 Surveying specially adapted to open water, e.g. sea, lake, river or canal liquid level metering G01F
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/30 Assessment of water resources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/10 Measures concerning design or construction of watercraft hulls

Abstract

A buoy for automated collection and transmittal of data. Select embodiments allow calculation of mass balance using data collected from an ice floe. The buoy is adapted to be inserted into the water through an opening in ice so that the buoy floats with the ice floe, the top of the buoy protruding above the surface of the ice floe. The buoy walls are constructed of white PVC. One section of the buoy incorporates closed cell foam for maintaining buoyancy and a bottom section houses a counterweight for maintaining proper orientation of the buoy in the water, the buoy requiring no support from its surrounds while minimally impacting response of the surrounding ice to it. Multiple sensors are incorporated for gathering data and a satellite transmitter transmits the data to a remote user.

Claims

1. A buoy for automated collection and transmittal of data, comprising:

a housing incorporating multiple sections,

wherein said sections are readily separated for ease of storage and transport;

buoyant material incorporated in at least one said section;

a righting device in at least one said section;

wherein said righting device maintains proper orientation of said buoy while requiring no external support of said buoy;

at least one sensor for gathering data,

at least one data logger in operable communication with said at least one sensor, said data logger for collecting said data,

at least one transmitter in operable communication with said data logger, said transmitter for transmitting said collected data, and

at least one antenna in operable communication with said transmitter, said antenna for receiving said data from said transmitter and broadcasting said data to at least one remote user,

wherein said buoy minimally interacts with surrounding structure.

2. The buoy of claim 1 each of said sections comprising tubular walls of white PVC.

3. The buoy of claim 1 said housing further comprising a top, a middle and a bottom section, said top section connected to said middle section with first connectors and said middle section connected to said bottom section with second connectors.

4. The buoy of claim 3 in which said first and second connectors are quick disconnect connectors.

5. The buoy of claim 3 in which said at least one sensor includes at least one air temperature sensor, at least one snow depth sensor and at least one barometric pressure sensor in said top section, and at least one an underwater pressure sensor and at least one underwater acoustic rangefinder in said bottom section.

6. The buoy of claim 3 in which said middle section incorporates a conduit for wires to pass between said top and bottom sections and further incorporates closed cell foam as said buoyant material.

7. The buoy of claim 3 in which said bottom section incorporates said at least one transmitter, said at least one data logger and further incorporates at least one battery pack, wherein said righting device is a counterweight located in the bottom of said bottom section.

8. The buoy of claim 7 in which said at least one battery pack is at least one lithium ion battery pack.

9. The buoy of claim 7 in which said at least one transmitter is at least one satellite transmitter.

10. The buoy of claim 1 in which said at least one transmitter is at least one transceiver.

11. The buoy of claim 1 in which said at least one sensor includes at least one string of thyristors mounted on the outside of said buoy.

19. The buoy of claim 1 in which said at least one sensor further includes at least one string of thyristors mounted on the outside of said buoy.

12. A buoy for automated collection and transmittal of data for calculating mass balance for an ice floe, comprising:

a housing incorporating multiple tubular sections of white PVC,

wherein said housing is adapted to be inserted into the water through a hole drilled in the ice floe so that the housing floats with the ice floe, the top of the housing protruding above the ice floe, and

wherein said sections are readily separated via quick disconnect connectors for ease of storage and transport;

buoyant material incorporated in at least one said section;

a righting device in at least one said section;

wherein said righting device maintains proper orientation of said buoy while requiring no external support;

at least one sensor for gathering said data for calculating mass balance, and

at least one data logger in operable communication with said at least one sensor, said data logger for collecting said data,

at least one transmitter in operable communication with said data logger, said transmitter for transmitting said collected data, and

at least one antenna in operable communication with said transmitter, said antenna for receiving said data from said transmitter and broadcasting said data to a remote location,

wherein said buoy minimally interacts with surrounding ice.

13. The buoy of claim 12 said housing further comprising a top, a middle and a bottom section, said top section connected to said middle section with first connectors and said middle section connected to said bottom section with second connectors.

14. The buoy of claim 13 in which said at least one sensor includes at least one air temperature sensor, at least one snow depth sensor and at least one barometric pressure sensor in said top section, and at least one an underwater pressure sensor and at least one underwater acoustic rangefinder in said bottom section.

15. The buoy of claim 13 in which said middle section incorporates a conduit for wires to pass between said top and bottom sections and further incorporates closed cell foam as said buoyant material.

16. The buoy of claim 13 in which said bottom section incorporates said at least one transmitter, said at least one data logger and further incorporates at least one battery pack, wherein said righting device is a counterweight located in the bottom of said bottom section.

17. The buoy of claim 13 in which said at least one battery pack is at least one lithium ion battery pack.

18. The buoy of claim 13 in which said at least one transmitter is at least one satellite transmitter.

20. A method for automated collection and transmittal of data for calculating mass balance for an ice floe, comprising:

providing a buoy comprising;

a housing incorporating multiple sections,

wherein said sections are readily separated for ease of storage and transport;

buoyant material incorporated in at least one said section;

a righting device in at least one said section;

wherein said righting device maintains proper orientation of said buoy while requiring no external support of said buoy;

at least one sensor for gathering data,

at least one data logger in operable communication with said at least one sensor, said data logger for collecting said data,

at least one transmitter in operable communication with said data logger, said transmitter for transmitting said collected data, and

at least one antenna in operable communication with said transmitter, said antenna for receiving said data from said transmitter and broadcasting said data to at least one remote user,

wherein said buoy minimally interacts with surrounding structure;

inserting said buoy into the water through an opening in said ice floe so that said buoy floats with said ice floe, the top of said buoy protruding above said ice floe; and

acquiring data from said sensors;

collecting said acquired data on said data logger; and

transmitting said collected data via said transmitter and antenna to said at least one remote user.