Top mounted buoy signaling device

• US 5,016,227 A
• Filed: 08/25/1989
• Issued: 05/14/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whistler Corporation of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: Whistler Corporation of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Turner, John H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US07/398,768
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 367/2, 367/3, 367/4, 367/5, 367/6, 455/100, 114/365, 441/89, 441/11, 441/12, 310/309
• US Class Current: 367/3
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/02 specially adapted for mooring a vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/16 specially adapted for marking a navigational route signalling or lighting devices B63B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems

Abstract

A top mounted buoy signaling device for marine navigation which is selectively activated in response to a coded address signal. The buoy signaling device includes a buoy having a top mounted receiver assembly which is activated by a transmitter assembly. The receiver circuit, transmitter circuit and antennas therefor are printed on circuit boards. The transmitter circuit includes an encoder chip which is preset to provide a coded address. The coded address is utilized to modulate a carrier signal to provide a coded address signal to activate the receiver circuit. The receiver circuit includes a decoder chip which is preset to the coded address of the corresponding transmitter. A lamp driver subcircuit is enabled in response to the coded address signal. The lamp driver subcircuit includes a master timer subcircuit which maintains the driver subcircuit in an operative condition for a predetermined period of time and a flash timer subcircuit which periodically energizes a lamp to provide a flashed output. The receiver circuit may also include a power timer subcircuit to periodically energize the receiver circuit for short-interval operation and a sweep circuit to allow the receiver circuit to receive coded address signals within a predetermined bandwidth.

Claims

1. A top mounted buoy signaling device for marine navigation, comprising:

remote transmitter assembly means for generating a coded address signal to selectively activate said top mounted buoy signaling device, said remote transmitter assembly means including encoder subcircuit means having a preset coded address for generating a digitized coded address for modulating a carrier signal to provide said coded address signal;

means for disposing said top mounted buoy signaling device in a marine environment; and

receiver assembly means top mounted in environmentally sealed combination with said signaling device disposing means in spaced apart relation from water in the marine environment for receiving said coded address signal, said receiver assembly means including

detector means for detecting said coded address signal to provide the digitized coded address embodied in said coded address signal,

decoder means coupled to said detector means and having stored therein a coded address corresponding to said preset coded address of said transmitter assembly means and operative in response to a match between said stored coded address and said preset coded address for generating a valid transmission signal; and

lamp driver means coupled to said decoder means and operative in response to said valid transmission signal for providing a light output in a predetermined radiation pattern for a predetermined period of time for marine navigation.

2. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 1 wherein said lamp driver means comprises:

lamp subassembly means for providing said light output for marine navigation;

first means operative in response to said valid transmission signal for maintaining said lamp driver mean in an operative condition for said predetermined period of time; and

second means coupled to said lamp subassembly means and operative during said predetermined period of time for periodically energizing said lamp means to provide said light output for marine navigation.

3. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 1 wherein said receiver assembly means further comprises power timer subcircuit means for periodically energizing said receiver assembly means for a predetermined short interval for reception of said coded address signal.

4. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 2 wherein said receiver assembly means further comprises antenna means for receiving said coded address signal and means for powering said receiver assembly means and wherein said antenna means, said detector means, said decoder means and said first and second means of said lamp driver means are printed on a circuit board and further wherein said lamp subassembly means and said power means are mounted on said circuit board.

5. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 4 further comprising housing means configured for internal mounting of said circuit board and wherein said housing means is configured for top mounting in combination with said buoy means in spaced apart relation from water in the marine environment.

6. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 5 wherein said lamp subassembly means includes lens means for generating said predetermined radiation pattern, said top mounted buoy signaling device further comprising sealing means intermediate said housing means and said lens means for environmentally sealing said housing means in combination with said lens means.

7. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 1 wherein said remote transmitter assembly means includes a clock circuit coupled to said encoder subcircuit, oscillator means coupled to said encoder subcircuit for generating said carrier signal and operative in response to said digitized coded address to modulate said carrier signal and an antenna coupled to said oscillator means for transmitting said coded address signal and wherein said clock circuit, said encoder subcircuit means, said oscillator means and said antenna are printed on a circuit board.

8. The top mounted buoy signaling device of claim 7 wherein said transmitter assembly means further includes housing means configured for internal mounting of said circuit board of said transmitter assembly means and further configured for floating in the marine environment.