Diver guidance method and system
First Claim
1. A method of providing visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the underwater location of said diver within said area;
(b) generating a visible indicator of said diver underwater location;
(c) producing a visible graphical representation of said map; and
(d) concurrently displaying said visible diver location indicator and said visible map representation to said diver.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and system for generating signals which represent a map that depicts one or more submerged objects within an underwater area; detecting acoustic energy emitted from means carried by a diver within said underwater area, or scanning said area with sonar energy, to develop signals which indicate the location of said diver within said area; and combining said diver location signals with said map representing signals for producing a composite visual display to said diver which shows his location with respect to the location of one or more submerged map objects within said area. A remote station also may be provided at which several of these functions are performed.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of providing visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining the underwater location of said diver within said area; (b) generating a visible indicator of said diver underwater location; (c) producing a visible graphical representation of said map; and (d) concurrently displaying said visible diver location indicator and said visible map representation to said diver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of providing visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating signals which indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (b) producing signals which represent said map; (c) combining said diver location signals and said map representation signals; and (d) converting said combined signals to a visible indicator of said diver location and to a visible graphical representation of said map which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion to said diver. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of providing visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating signals at a remote station which indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (b) producing signals at said remote station which represent said map; (c) combining said diver location signals and said map representation signals at said remote station; and (d) converting said combined signals to a visible indicator of said diver location and to a visible graphical representation of said map which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion to said diver. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system to provide visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted, in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising:
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(a) acoustic means for generating signals which indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (b) data base means for producing signals which represent said map; (c) means connected to said acoustic means and to said data base means for combining said diver location signals and said map representation signals; and (d) monitor means carried by said diver and connected to said combining means for converting said combined signals to a visible indicator of said diver location and to a visible graphical representation of said map which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion on said monitor means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system to provide visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted, in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising:
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(a) beacon means carried by said diver to emit acoustic energy; (b) hydrophone means for detecting said acoustic energy; (c) a remote station; (d) tracking means at said remote station and connected to said hydrophone means for generating signals which indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (e) data base means at said remote station for producing signals which represent said map; (f) means at said remote station and connected to said tracking means and to said data bases means for combining said diver location signals and said map representation signals; and (g) monitor means carried by said diver and connected to said combining means for converting said combined signals to a visible indicator of said diver location and to a visible graphical representation of said map which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion on said monitor means. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A system to provide visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted, in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising:
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(a) transducer means for scanning said underwater area with sonar energy to generate sonar image signals of said diver; (b) a remote station; (c) processor means at said remote station and connected to said transducer means for processing said sonar image signals to indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (d) data base means at said remote station for producing signals which represent said map; (e) means at said remote station and connected to said processor means and to said data base means for combining said diver sonar image signals and said map representation signals; and (f) monitor means carried by said diver and connected to said combining means for converting said combined signals to a visible indicator of said diver location and to a visible graphical representation of said map which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion on said monitor means. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system to provide visual aids to a diver in an underwater area for enabling said diver to navigate with reference to submerged objects within said area that are depicted in a pre-existing map of said underwater area, said map having been developed before said diver entered said underwater area, comprising:
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(a) means carried by said diver to emit acoustic energy; (b) means for detecting said acoustic energy to generate signals which indicate the underwater location of said diver within said area; (c) means for scanning said underwater area with sonar energy to generate signals which indicate the underwater location of submerged objects within said area; (d) means for producing signals which represent said map; (e) means for combining said diver location signals, said object location signals and said map representation signals; and (f) monitor means carried by said diver and connected to said combining means for converting said combined signals to visible indicators of said diver location and said object location, and to a visible graphical representation of said map, all of which are concurrently displayed in superposed fashion on said monitor means.
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Specification