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Emergency locator device

  • US 5,517,199 A
  • Filed: 05/11/1995
  • Issued: 05/14/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An emergency locator device comprising:

  • a housing, said housing being environmentally sealed and including an antenna section, an electronics section, and a power supply section, said housing having a vertical axis with upper and lower ends, said antenna section being located at said upper end;

    wherein said antenna section includes;

    a downlink receiving antenna;

    a communications uplink antenna arrangement including a microwave satellite transmitting antenna and a microwave satellite receiving antenna; and

    an antenna mounting form for providing buoyancy to said device, the downlink receiving antenna and the microwave satellite receiving antenna being mounted on the antenna mounting form, the transmitting antenna extending vertically from the antenna mounting form and being positioned at a higher level than the downlink receiving antenna and the microwave satellite receiving antenna, thereby providing an unobstructed line-of-sight to orbiting satellites, the downlink receiving antenna receiving information signals from global positioning satellites (GPS), the communications uplink antenna arrangement establishing a communications link with a telecommunications satellite, the buoyancy provided by the antenna mounting form causing the device to be self-righting in water, thereby maintaining the downlink receiving antenna and uplink antenna arrangement above the surface of the water; and

    wherein said electronics section includes;

    a main circuit board including means for determining a latitude and longitude of the emergency locator device in response to the received GPS information signals;

    means for transmitting the latitude and longitude information via the communications uplink antenna arrangement to the telecommunications satellite, the communications link established by the communications uplink antenna arrangement including transmission of said latitude and longitude information to and receipt of RF signals from said telecommunications satellite to verify establishment of said link; and

    display means for displaying desired information thereon.

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