Emergency marine locator system

• US 6,285,281 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven M. Gatto
• Original Assignee: Steven M. Gatto
• Inventors: Gatto, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/597,300
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/573.6, 340/984, 340/996, 342/357, 342/457
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A fail safe marine locator system (10) for vessels (40) equipped with a marine radio (30) having a dial arrangement (32) for selecting an emergency broadcast frequency upon which a verbal distress call can be transmitted through a radio microphone (34) having a transmit button (33) and including an interface unit (11) having a microprocessor (20) that is coupled to a GPS interface terminal board (23) that will download data from a GPS satellite (60) via a GPS receiver 61. The downloaded data will be processed by the microprocessor circuit board (22) to transmit a digital data signal representative of the vessels location onto a verbal distress call when the microprocessor determines that the dial arrangement (32) is set on an emergency broadcast frequency and the transmit button (33) on the microphone (34) has been depressed.

Claims

1. A fail safe marine locator system for vessels equipped with a marine radio having a microphone proved with a transmit button and a dial arrangement for acquiring an emergency channel frequency for transmitting a verbal distress call through an antennae to a communications satellite relay to a receiver at a Coast Guard facility wherein the locator system comprises:

an interface unit including a microprocessor having means for piggybacking a digital data signal onto the verbal distress call signal wherein the digital data signal corresponds to the location of the stricken vessel during the time that the distress call is being made and said microprocessor has a microprocessor circuit board which is responsive both to the position of the dial arrangement on the marine radio and the position of the transmit button on the marine radio microphone; and

wherein the transmittal of the verbal distress call and the piggybacked digital data signal requires that the dial arrangement is on a designated emergency broadcast frequency and the transmit button on the marine radio microphone is depressed.

2. The locator system as in claim 1;

wherein, said microprocessor is also provided with a means for downloading positional data from a GPS system and converting that data into said piggybacked digital data signal.

3. The locator system as in claim 2;

wherein, said microprocessor circuit board is further provided with means for continuing the independent transmission of said digital data signal after the verbal distress call signal has been terminated.

4. The locator system as in claim 3 wherein independent transmission of said digital data signal continues for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The locator system as in claim 4 wherein the designated emergency broadcast frequency is selected from among the following:

156,800 MHz, 2182 KHz, and 157.1 MHz.