Systems and Methods for Mobile Electrofishing Monitoring

• US 20130073239A1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith-Root, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smith-Root, Inc.
• Inventors: Edmondson, Joseph Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 9,677,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 79/02 by electrocution
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/24 using electric or magnetic effects, e.g. electric shocks, magnetic fields or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 1/006 Arresting, diverting or chasing away fish in water-courses or water intake ducts, seas or lakes, e.g. fish barrages, deterrent devices E02B8/085 takes precedence; Devices for cleaning fish barriers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A mobile electric field monitor with a floatable housing, an electric field probe, and a computer processor to measure the electric field generated by an electrofisher while the electrofisher is being used in a body of water, this mobile electric field monitor is coupled to computing system to generate a three dimensional map of electric field.

Claims

1. A mobile electric field monitor comprising:

a floatable housing, said floatable housing being positionally controllable on a body of water;

an electric field probe mechanically connected to the floatable housing and perpindicularly adjustable from the floatable housing into the body of water,

a computer processor electrically connected to the electric field probe, the computer processor further capable of making a multiplicity of time and position stamped measurements, said measurements representing a three dimensional electrical field plot in the body of water;

such that the electric field probe measures the electric field generated by an electrofisher while floating on a body of water.

2. The mobile electric field monitor as in claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the computer processor further comprises a time stamp associated with the reading of the electric field.

3. The mobile electric field monitor as in claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the computer processor further comprises a location stamp associated with the reading of the electric field.

4. The mobile electric field monitor as in claim 1 further comprising:

a power source, the power source capable of moving the mobile electric field monitor;

and a rudder, the rudder capable of steering the mobile electric field monitor;

such that the mobile electric field monitor may be relocated within a body of water.

5. The mobile efield monitor as in claim 4 wherein said power source and said rudder allows the electric field monitor via an internally programming system that designates certain waypoints over a body of water.

6. The mobile efield monitor as in claim 1 further comprising a system for generating a geographic map, said geographic map

7. A mobile electrofisher electric field monitoring system comprising:

a multiplicity of mobile electrofisher monitors, said mobile eletrofisher monitors operably able to;

monitor an electric field,

connect to a base station, and

transmit a multiplicity of electric field measurements from the mobile electrofisher monitor to the base station.

8. The process of using multiple electric field monitors located proximate to an electrofishing boat, the process comprising the steps of:

placing one or more mobile electric field monitors proximate to an electrofishing boat;

wherein each mobile electric field monitor is capable of making a multiplicity of electric field measurements and floatable on a body of water;

storing the multiplicity of electric field measurements,

measuring a geographic location coincident with each electric field measurements;

transmitting the electric field measurements and to a computer system operable to store the electric field measurements and the geographic location;

executing the stored computing system such that the electric field measurements are mapped coincident with geographic location to provide a map of the electric field proximate to an electrofishing boat.

9. The process of using multiple electric field monitors as in claim 8 located proximate to an electrofishing boat, the process further comprising the steps of:

adjusting the location of the electric field monitor perpindicularly relative to the body of water.

10. The process of using multiple electric field monitors as in claim 8 located proximate to an electrofishing boat, the process further comprising the steps of:

moving the location of the electric field monitor relative to the electrofishing boat.