Air-delivered position marking device and method

• US 5,951,346 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Woodall, Robert C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotelo, Jesus D.
• Application Number:
  US08/986,983
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 441/6, 441/7, 441/9, 441/11, 441/23, 441/32, 441/33, 367/4
• US Class Current: 441/7
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/003 adapted for being launched from an aircraft or water vehicle;, e.g. with brakes deployed in the water
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/16 specially adapted for marking a navigational route signalling or lighting devices B63B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/16 Radio

Abstract

An air-deliverable global positioning system (GPS) position marking devicend method involves the operations of providing an air-deliverable GPS position marking device, launching the device into flight through the air to a desired location, arming the device in response to launching the device into flight, firing a detonation mechanism contained in the device when the device is at the desired location after receipt of a magneto-inductive transmission so as to generate a predetermined pressure in an interior chamber of the device that causes ejection of a payload assembly from the interior chamber, initiates inflation of an inflatable flotation body of the payload assembly, and initiates communications between a GPS receiver and transmitter unit in the payload assembly and a remote station to determine the position of the position marking device at the desired location.

Claims

1. An air-deliverable position marking device, comprising:

(a) an elongated body defining an interior chamber;

(b) a fin assembly mounted on said elongated body for providing stabilization of flight of said device;

(c) a payload assembly disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and including an inflatable flotation body, an actuatable mechanism coupled to said flotation body for inflating said flotation body, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and transmitter unit, and an electrical power source coupled to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and being activatable for supplying electrical power to operate said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

(d) a detonatable mechanism provided in said elongated body in communication with said interior chamber thereof such that firing of said detonatable mechanism generates a predetermined pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body that causes ejection of said payload assembly from said interior chamber, actuates said actuatable mechanism to initiate inflation of said flotation body, and activates said electrical power source to initiate communications between said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a remote station to determine the position of said position marking device at the desired location.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said elongated body includes a main case having forward and rearward ends and defining said interior chamber extending between said forward and rearward ends and open at a rear end.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said payload assembly also includes a closure detachably attached to said rearward end of said main case to close said rear end of said interior chamber and to detach therefrom in response to generation of said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said payload assembly further includes an elongated support member disposed in said interior chamber and mounting said inflatable flotation body, actuatable mechanism, GPS receiver and transmitter unit, electrical power source, and closure.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an elongated flexible tether disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and attached to and extending between said payload assembly and said elongated body such that when said device is marking the position of a water-based location said payload assembly after ejection from said elongated body and with said flotation body inflated becomes a buoy which is anchored to said elongated body by said tether.

6. An air-deliverable position marking device, comprising:

(a) an elongated body defining an interior chamber;

(b) a payload assembly disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and including an inflatable flotation body, an actuatable mechanism coupled to said flotation body for inflating said flotation body, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and transmitter unit, and an electrical power source coupled to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and being activatable for supplying electrical power to operate said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

(c) a detonatable mechanism provided in said elongated body in communication with said interior chamber thereof such that firing of said detonatable mechanism generates a predetermined pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body that causes ejection of said payload assembly from said interior chamber, actuates said actuatable mechanism to initiate inflation of said flotation body, and activates said electrical power source to initiate communications between said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a remote station to determine the position of said position marking device at the desired location;

(d) said detonation mechanism including a rear detonation charge disposed in communication with a forward end of said interior chamber of said elongated body and a front arming device disposed forwardly of said rear detonation charge and connected thereto, said front arming device being activatable from an unarmed condition to an armed condition in firing alignment with said rear detonation charge in response to launching of said device into flight to the desired location.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a forward nose assembly having a rear end attached to said forward end of said main case, said front arming device and said rear detonatable charge being disposed in said forward nose assembly.

8. An air-deliverable position marking device, comprising:

(a) an elongated body defining an interior chamber;

(b) a payload assembly disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and including an inflatable flotation body, an actuatable mechanism coupled to said flotation body for inflating said flotation body, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and transmitter unit, and an electrical power source coupled to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and being activatable for supplying electrical power to operate said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

(c) a detonatable mechanism provided in said elongated body in communication with said interior chamber thereof such that firing of said detonatable mechanism generates a predetermined pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body that causes ejection of said payload assembly from said interior chamber, actuates said actuatable mechanism to initiate inflation of said flotation body, and activates said electrical power source to initiate communications between said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a remote station to determine the position of said position marking device at the desired location;

(d) said payload assembly further including a self-destruct charge connected to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a destruct timer connected to said self-destruct charge and being actuatable in response to generation of said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body to detonate said self-destruct charge and thereby destroy said GPS receiver and transmitter unit after lapse of a predetermined period of time after actuation of said destruct timer in response to generation of said pressure.

9. An air-deliverable position marking device, comprising:

(a) an elongated body including

(i) a main case having forward and rearward ends, an interior chamber extending between said forward and rearward ends and open at a rear end, and a fin assembly mounted on said rearward end of said main case for providing stabilization of flight of said device, and

(ii) a forward nose assembly having a rear end attached to said forward end of said main case;

(b) a payload assembly disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and including an inflatable flotation body, an actuatable mechanism coupled to said flotation body for inflating said flotation body, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and transmitter unit, and an electrical power source coupled to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and being activatable for supplying electrical power to operate said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

(c) a detonatable mechanism provided in said forward nose assembly of said elongated body in communication with said interior chamber of said main case such that firing of said detonatable mechanism generates a predetermined pressure in said interior chamber that causes ejection of said payload assembly from said interior chamber, actuates said actuatable mechanism to initiate inflation of said flotation body, and activates said electrical power source to initiate communications between said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a remote station to determine the position of said position marking device at the desired location, said detonation mechanism including a rear detonation charge disposed in communication with a forward end of said interior chamber and a front arming device disposed forwardly of said rear detonatable charge and connected thereto, said front arming device being activatable from an unarmed condition to an armed condition in firing alignment with said rear detontable charge in response to launching of said device into flight to the desired location.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said payload assembly also includes a closure detachably attached to said rearward end of said main case to close said rear end of said interior chamber and to detach therefrom in response to generation of said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said payload assembly further includes an elongated support member disposed in said interior chamber and mounting said inflatable flotation body, actuatable mechanism, GPS receiver and transmitter unit, electrical power source, and closure.

12. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

an elongated flexible tether disposed in said interior chamber of said elongated body and attached to and extending between said payload assembly and said elongated body such that when said device is marking the position of a water-based location said payload assembly after ejection from said elongated body and with said flotation body inflated becomes a buoy which is anchored to said elongated body by said tether.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein said payload assembly further includes:

a self-destruct charge connected to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

a destruct timer connected to said self-destruct charge and being actuatable in response to generation of said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body to detonate said self-destruct charge and thereby destroy said GPS receiver and transmitter unit after lapse of a predetermined period of time after actuation of said destruct timer in response to generation of said pressure.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said self-destruct charge and destruct timer are mounted to said elongated support member of said payload assembly.

15. A global positioning system (GPS) position marking method, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an air-deliverable position marking device;

(b) launching the device into flight through the air to a desired location;

(c) arming the device in response to launching the device into flight;

(d) firing a detonation mechanism contained in the device when the device is at the desired location so as to generate a predetermined pressure in an interior chamber of the device that contains a payload assembly; and

(e) in response to generation of the predetermined pressure in the interior chamber of the device, ejecting the payload assembly from the interior chamber of the device, initiating inflation of an inflatable flotation body of the payload assembly, and initiating communications between a GPS receiver and transmitter unit of the payload assembly and a remote station to determine the position of the position marking device at the desired location.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said device is provided with an elongated body including an interior chamber and a payload assembly disposed in said interior chamber and including an inflatable flotation body, an actuatable mechanism coupled to said flotation body for inflating said flotation body, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and transmitter unit, and an electrical power source coupled to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and being activatable for supplying electrical power to operate said GPS receiver and transmitter unit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said device is also provided with a detonatable mechanism mounted to said elongated body and provided in communication with said interior chamber thereof such that said firing of said detonatable mechanism generates said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body that causes said ejecting of said payload assembly from said interior chamber, said actuating of said actuatable mechanism to initiate inflation of said flotation body, and said activating of said electrical power source to initiate communications between said GPS receiver and transmitter unit and a remote station to determine the position of said device at the desired location.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

attaching an elongated flexible tether to and between said elongated body and said payload assembly such that when said device is marking the position of a water-based location said payload assembly after ejection from said elongated body and with said flotation body inflated becomes a buoy which is anchored to said elongated body by said tether.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

connecting a self-destruct charge to said GPS receiver and transmitter unit; and

connecting a destruct timer to said self-destruct charge and actuating said self-destruct charge in response to generation of said pressure in said interior chamber of said elongated body to detonate said self-destruct charge and thereby destroy said GPS receiver and transmitter unit after lapse of a predetermined period of time after actuation of said destruct timer in response to generation of said pressure.