Advanced dive computer that calculates and displays the users breathing parameter and water salinity

• US 6,334,440 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1997
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Cochran
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Cochran
• Inventors: Cochran, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US08/838,495
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.27, 128/205.23, 128/204.21
• US Class Current: 128/201.27
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/006 Indicators or warning devices, e.g. of low pressure, contamination
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/32 Decompression arrangements; Exercise equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/021 Diving computers, i.e. portable computers specially adapted for divers, e.g. wrist worn, watertight electronic devices for detecting or calculating scuba diving parameters

Abstract

A dive computer for use by a user of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus that calculates and displays the user'"'"'s breathing parameter, which is indicative of the rate at which air pressure in the user'"'"'s compressed-air tank is decreasing normalized with respect to the user'"'"'s depth.

Claims

1. A method of calculating the normalize rate at which air pressure in a compressed-air tank is decreasing, including the steps of:

measuring air pressure in a compressed-air tank and calculating the rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing at predetermined time intervals;

measuring ambient pressure and calculating the depth of the user; and

calculating the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing by dividing the calculated rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing by the depth of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of displaying the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing.

3. The method of claim 2, including the step of storing the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing.

12. A dive computer as in claim 1 further including:

a signal receiver in said display unit for receiving dive parameter signals;

a tank unit for electrically measuring various dive parameters and operatively coupling corresponding dive parameter signals to said display unit receiver; and

a second “

tap-on”

switch sealed inside said tank unit for electrically energizing said tank unit by responding to the user tapping on a predetermined area on said tank unit.

13. A dive computer as in claim 2 wherein said first and second “

tap-on”

switches include a transducer element under said predetermined areas of said tank unit and said display unit for sensing tapping and generating a signal that turns said display unit and said tank unit respectively ON and OFF.

4. An electronic device, for use by a user of a self-contained breathing apparatus, the electronic device including:

a first pressure transducer for sensing the pressure in a compressed-air tank;

a second pressure transducer for sensing ambient pressure;

a microcomputer operatively coupled to the first pressure transducer and the second pressure transducer for calculating the user'"'"'s breathing parameter, which is indicative of the rate at which the air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing normalized for depth; and

a display operatively coupled to the microcomputer for displaying information to the user, including at least the user'"'"'s breathing parameter.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first pressure transducer is contained within a tank unit, and the display is contained within a display unit that is physically separate from the tank unit.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the tank unit includes a transmitter coupled to the first pressure transducer for transmitting a modulated signal indicative of at least the air pressure in the compressed-air tank and the display unit includes a receiver coupled to the display for receiving the modulated signal transmitted by the transmitter.

7. The dive computer of claim 6, wherein the display also displays the air pressure in the compressed-air tank and the depth of the user.

8. The dive computer of claim 4, wherein the first pressure transducer, the second pressure transducer and the microcomputer are contained within a tank unit, and the display is contained within a display unit that is physically separate from the tank unit.

9. The dive computer of claim 4, wherein the microcomputer includes a memory for storing the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing for later retrieval.

10. The dive computer of claim 9, wherein the microcomputer includes a memory for storing the user'"'"'s breathing parameter for later retrieval.

11. A dive computer for use by a user of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), the dive computer including:

a display unit comprising;

a liquid crystal display for displaying dive parameter information to the user;

a microcomputer for controlling operation of the liquid crystal display;

a power source; and

a first “

tap-on”

switch sealed inside and under a predetermined area of said display unit for electrically coupling the power source to the microcomputer and the liquid crystal display by responding to the user tapping on the said predetermined area on said display unit.

14. A dive computer for use by a user of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), the dive computer including:

a tank unit for transmitting information and a display unit for receiving the information transmitted by the tank unit and displaying at least a portion of that information to the user, the tank unit including;

a first pressure transducer for sensing air pressure in a compressed-air tank;

a second pressure transducer for sensing ambient pressure;

a microcomputer coupled to the first pressure transducer and the second pressure transducer for calculating the user'"'"'s breathing parameter, which is indicative of the rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing normalized with respect to the user'"'"'s depth; and

a transmitter coupled to the microcomputer for transmitting a modulated signal indicative of at least the user'"'"'s breathing parameter;

the display unit including;

a receiver for receiving the modulated signal transmitted by the tank unit; and

a display coupled to the local receiver for displaying information to the user, including at least the user'"'"'s breathing parameter.

15. A dive computer for use by a user of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), the dive computer including:

a first pressure transducer for sensing pressure in a compressed-air tank and periodically generating an analog signal indicative of the air pressure in the tank;

a second pressure transducer for sensing ambient pressure and periodically generating an analog signal indicative of ambient pressure;

a analog to digital converter coupled to the first pressure transducer and the second pressure transducer for converting the analog tank pressure signal and the analog ambient pressure signal into digital signals;

a microcomputer coupled to the analog to digital converter for calculating the rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing normalized for depth; and

a display coupled to the microcomputer for displaying information to the user, including the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing.

16. The dive computer of claim 15, wherein the display also displays the air pressure in the compressed-air tank and the depth of the user.

17. The dive computer of claim 15, wherein the first pressure transducer is contained within a tank unit, and the display is contained within a display unit that is physically separate from the tank unit.

18. The dive computer of claim 17, wherein the tank unit includes a transmitter coupled to the microcomputer for transmitting a modulated signal indicative of at least the air pressure in the compressed-air tank and the display unit includes a receiver coupled to the display for receiving the modulated signal transmitted by the transmitter.

19. The dive computer of claim 15, wherein the microcomputer includes a memory for storing the normalized rate at which air pressure in the compressed-air tank is decreasing for later retrieval.

20. The dive computer of claim 15, wherein the dive computer includes an alarm circuit coupled to the microcomputer for sounding an audible alarm when the user'"'"'s breathing parameter is above a certain level.

21. The dive computer of claim 15, wherein the dive computer includes an alarm circuit coupled to the microcomputer for sounding an audible alarm when the user'"'"'s breathing parameter is below a certain level.