Remote underwater sensing station

• US 5,816,874 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Cibuzar, Alan W., Juran, Duane C., Johnson, Gordon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BASINGER, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US08/747,218
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 441/1, 441/2, 441/11, 441/21, 441/23, 441/28, 441/29, 441/33, 441/32, 114/293, 73/170.29
• US Class Current: 441/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/04 Fixations or other anchoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/20 Ballast means
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2207/02 Variable ballast or buoyancy
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2209/18 solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/02 Oceanography
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 13/00 Surveying specially adapted to open water, e.g. sea, lake, river or canal liquid level metering G01F

Abstract

A portable, anchored sensor module for collecting fresh water environmental data over a range of depths, is supported relative to a buoy having a power supply and control circuitry. A depth control housing supports the underwater sensor module. The depth control housing can be controlled as to its buoyancy for supporting the sensor module at selected depths and collecting data at such depths. The control circuitry includes capabilities for transmitting data on suitable frequencies, such as those for a cellular phone, and has a computer with memory for storing the sensor signal for remote call up. Periodically the sensor information may be transmitted to a remote station used for control. The remote station also can control the depth from which the sensors are taking data.

Claims

1. An underwater sensing system comprising a floatable buoy;

a control circuit mounted in an interior chamber of said buoy and having leads extending therefrom;

a sensor assembly comprising at least one water quality sensor connected to said leads;

a depth control housing having an interior chamber for supporting the sensor assembly, said controls including a operating control for adjusting the buoyancy of the depth control housing to maintain the depth for positioning the water quality sensor at a desired depth.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the depth control housing has an interior sealed chamber and at least one pump connected between said interior chamber and a body of water in which the depth control housing is placed, the pump providing liquid to the interior chamber in response to control signals to adjust the buoyancy of the depth control housing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said buoy has a line extending substantially vertically to a bottom of a body of water in which the buoy is floated, said line comprising a guideline for the sensor assembly, said sensor assembly sliding along said guideline as the sensor assembly is changed in depth.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said buoy comprises a central hub and at least three radially extending arms supported on the central hub, said arms having interior sealed chambers to provide buoyancy for the buoy, and each of said arms supporting a solar cell on an upper surface thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said arms are generally planar along an upper surface thereof and said solar cells are substantially planar.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said buoy has sufficient void volume to float above the surface of a body of water in which the sensor assembly is placed.

7. The system of claim 4, including an anchor arrangement for said buoy, comprising an anchor line attached to each of said arms at outer ends thereof, and a pair of anchor weights for each anchor line, one of the weights of each pair being substantially larger than the other, each pair of said anchor weights being joined by a second line, and the anchor lines being connected to the second line joining its associated pair of anchor weights.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit includes a circuit portion for receiving signals from an on-board computer forming a part of said control circuit, said circuit portion being operable to transmit signals from sensors in the sensor assembly at desired times.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly includes a depth sensor, the control circuit adjusting the buoyancy of the depth control housing in response to signals from the depth sensor.

10. A floating sensing system for providing signals retaining to water quality from submerged sensors comprising:

a buoy comprising a central housing having a plurality of generally radially extending arms each arm having an interior chamber, a control circuit mounted on the interior of said buoy in the central housing;

at least one water quality sensor;

a depth control housing having an interior chamber and supporting the at least one sensor; and

each of the arms having an energy storage unit therein coupled to the control circuit and a solar cell supported thereon for providing energy to the energy storage unit in the same arm.

11. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein the depth control housing has at least one pump connected to selectively provide and remove liquid to and from the interior chamber in response to control signals to adjust the buoyancy of the depth control housing.

12. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein there are at least three radially extending arms.

13. An apparatus including a floating buoy:

a control circuit mounted on an interior chamber of said buoy;

a sensor support housing including at least one water quality sensor coupled to the control circuit;

a depth control housing having an interior chamber for supporting the sensor support housing including a sensor for sensing the depth of the sensor support housing, said controls including an operating control for adjusting the buoyancy of the depth control housing; and

a guide line extending substantially vertically below the buoy for slidably guiding said sensor support housing as the sensor support housing is changed in depth.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said buoy comprises a central housing and at least three radially extending arms supported on the central housing, said arms having interior chambers to provide buoyancy for the buoy, and each of said arms supporting a solar cell on an upper surface thereof and having a separate battery in each arm coupled to be recharged by energy from the respective solar cell.