MARINE ELECTRONICS WITH LOAD CELL INTERFACE

• US 20120000713A1
• Filed: 07/05/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keith Taboada
• Original Assignee: Keith Taboada
• Inventors: TABOADA, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US12/830,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000713A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/60 combined with fishing equipment, e.g. with fishing rods
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means

Abstract

An on-vessel weight system and method for operating the same is provided. The on-vessel weight system is configured for determining a weight of a fish on board a recreational fishing vessel, but also may be adapted to be used off the fishing vessel. In one embodiment, an on-vessel weight system includes marine electronic instrument and a load cell having a communication feature operable to provide a signal indicative of a weight measured by the load cell to the marine electronic instrument.

Claims

1. An on-vessel weight system comprising:

a marine electronic instrument; and

a load cell having a communication feature operable to provide a signal indicative of a weight measured by the load cell to the marine electronic instrument.

2. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 1, wherein the marine electronic instrument is at least one of a depth sounder, fish finder, loran, global positioning system (GPS), chart plotter or radar.

3. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 2, wherein the communication feature of the load cell is operable to communicate wirelessly with the marine electronic instrument.

4. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 2, wherein the communication feature of the load cell is operable to communicate wirelessly with the marine electronic instrument by at least one of a radio frequency communication protocol, a microwave communication protocol, an infrared (IR) communication protocol, standard IEEE 802.11 protocol, or a Bluetooth protocol.

5. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 2, wherein the load cell further comprises:

a body having at least one mounting feature and a load attaching feature, the at least one mounting feature suitable for suspending the body from an object.

6. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 5, wherein the load cell further comprises:

a power source; and

a switch operably coupling the power source to the communication feature.

7. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 5, wherein the power source of the load cell further comprises:

at least one of a battery or solar cell.

8. An on-vessel weight system for use in a recreational fishing vessel, comprising:

a marine electronic instrument selected from the group consisting of a depth sounder, fish finder, loran, global positioning system (GPS), chart plotter, radar and combinations thereof, the marine electronic instrument having communication feature and mountable to the recreational fishing vessel; and

a portable load cell comprising;

a body having at least one mounting feature and a load attaching feature, the at least one mounting feature suitable for suspending the body from an object;

a communication feature operable to provide a signal indicative of a weight suspended from the load cell to the marine electronic instrument;

a power source; and

a switch coupled to the body operably coupling the power source to the communication feature.

9. The on-vessel weigh system of claim 8, wherein the communication feature of the load cell is operable to communicate wirelessly with the marine electronic instrument.

10. A method for recording weight of a fish, comprising:

on a marine electronic instrument, storing to memory weigh information in response to receiving a signal indicative of a weight of a fish suspended from a load cell, wherein the marine electronic instrument is or is in communication with at least one of a depth sounder, fish finder, loran, global positioning system (GPS), chart plotter or radar.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying the weigh information on the display of the marine electronic instrument.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

storing in the marine electronic instrument additional information associated with the weigh information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein storing additional information associated with the weigh information further comprises:

automatically associating information obtained from the marine electronic information instrument or a second marine electronic information instrument in communication with the marine electronic information instrument in communication with the load cell.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein associating additional information further comprises:

associating information obtained manually keyed into the marine electronic information instrument.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein associating additional information further comprises:

associating calibration information.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting the weigh information to an electronic device other than the load cell.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

transmitting information associated with the weigh information to the electronic device other than the load cell.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

storing an image in the memory; and

associating the image with the weight information.