Avalanche victim locating transceiving apparatus

• US 6,484,021 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Backcountry.com Incorporated (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Original Assignee: John W. Hereford
• Inventors: Hereford, John W., Bond, Michael X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US09/713,124
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/575, 455/500, 455/90, 455/88, 455/573, 455/456, 455/457, 455/66, 455/67.1, 455/68, 455/70, 343/719, 343/720, 342/22, 342/28, 342/146, 340/573
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 29/021 Means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/143 by vectorial combination of signals derived from differently oriented antennae
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/74 Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single antenna system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals systems in which the directions of different signals are determined sequentially and displayed simultaneously G01S3/04, G01S3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A rescue transceiver apparatus for transmitting a signal to and receiving a signal from another rescue transceiver apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing and a radio signal transmitter for the transmission of a radio signal in a transmitting mode with a first predetermined frequency with the radio signal transmitter being mounted within the housing. A receiver is provided for selectively receiving the first predetermined frequency from the radio signal transmitter in a receiving mode. The receiver comprises a first antenna mounted completely within the housing, a second antenna mounted completely within the housing with the second antenna being disposed substantially perpendicular to the first antenna, and a virtual third antenna mounted completely within the housing with the virtual third antenna being derived from phase information generated by the first antenna and the second antenna. The first antenna, the second antenna, and the third virtual third antenna provide three-dimensional vector analysis by the receiver of the predetermined frequency received from the radio transmitter. The apparatus further comprises a microcontroller for controlling the radio signal transmitter and the receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in rescue operations, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver, located within said housing, that includes an antenna which is capable of receiving a radio signal having a predetermined frequency;

a processor, located within said housing, that is capable of using information derived only from a radio signal received by said antenna to determine a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal; and

an interface, operatively attached to said housing, that includes a display which is capable of receiving a distance signal from said processor and providing a user with a numeric, visual indication of a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal;

wherein the apparatus has dimensions and a weight that allow the apparatus to be attached to and carried by a user.

2. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiver includes a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for receiving a signal and producing a logarithmic signal that is indicative of the strength of said signal.

3. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said receiver includes an analog-to-digital converter for receiving said logarithmic signal and producing a digital signal that is representative of said logarithmic signal.

4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said processor is capable of receiving said digital signal, linearizing said digital strength signal, and producing a linearized digital signal.

5. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display includes a direction indicator for providing an indication of the direction of the flux lines associated with a radio signal relative to said housing.

6. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display is capable of providing an indication of battery power.

7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiver includes another antenna;

said display includes a direction indicator; and

said housing has a length of no greater than about 5.5 inches, a width of no greater than about 3.25 inches, and a thickness of no greater than about 1 inch.

8. An apparatus for use in rescue operations, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver, located within said housing, that includes a first antenna and a second antenna that are each capable of receiving a radio signal having a predetermined frequency, said receiver not include a third antenna that is capable of receiving a radio signal having said predetermined frequency;

a processor, located within said housing, that is capable of using information derived from a radio signal received by said first and second antennas to determine a direction of a flux line associated with a source of the radio signal relative to said housing; and

an interface, operatively attached to said housing, that includes a display for providing a user with a visual indication of the direction of the flux line associated with the source of the radio signal relative to said housing;

wherein the apparatus has dimensions and a weight that allow the apparatus to be attached to and carried by a user.

9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said first antenna is substantially orthogonal to said second antenna.

10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said receiver includes a differential amplifier for receiving a first signal from said first antenna, a second signal from said second antenna, and producing a third signal that is representative of a difference in the magnitudes of said first and second signals.

11. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said display is capable of providing a user with a numeric, visual indication of a distance to travel to get from said housing a source of the radio signal.

12. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said receiver includes a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for receiving a signal and producing a logarithmic signal that is indicative of the strength of said signal;

said receiver includes an analog-to-digital converter for receiving said logarithmic signal and producing a digital signal that is representative of said logarithmic signal; and

said processor is capable of receiving said digital signal, linearizing said digital signal, and producing a linearized digital signal.

13. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said display is capable of providing an indication of battery power.

14. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said housing has a length of no greater than about 5.5 inches, a width of no greater than about 3.25 inches, and a thickness of no greater than about 1 inch.

15. An apparatus for use in rescue operations, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver, located within said housing, that includes a first antenna and a second antenna that are each capable of receiving a radio signal having a predetermined frequency;

processor, located within said housing, that is capable of using information derived only from a radio signal received by said first and second antennas to determine a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal and capable of using information derived from a radio signal received by said first and second antennas to determine a direction of a flux line associated with a source of the radio signal relative to said housing; and

an interface, operatively attached to said housing, that includes a display for providing a user with a visual indication of;

(a) the direction of a flux line associated with a source of the radio signal relative to said housing, and (b) a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal;

wherein the apparatus has dimensions and a weight that allow the apparatus to be attached to and carried by a user.

16. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said first antenna is substantially orthogonal to said second antenna.

17. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said receiver includes a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for receiving a signal and producing a logarithmic signal that is indicative of the strength of said signal;

said receiver includes an analog-to-digital converter for receiving said logarithmic signal and producing a digital signal that is representative of said logarithmic signal; and

said processor is capable of receiving said digital signal, linearizing said digital signal, and producing a linearized digital signal.

18. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said display is capable of providing an indication of battery power.

19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said housing has a length of no greater than about 5.5 inches, a width of no greater than about 3.25 inches, and a thickness of no greater than about one inch.

20. An apparatus for use in rescue operations, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver, located within said housing, that includes an antenna which is capable of receiving a radio signal having a predetermined frequency;

wherein said receiver includes a differential amplifier for receiving a signal related to a radio signal provided by said antenna;

wherein said receiver includes a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for receiving a signal derived from a radio signal that has been processed by said antenna and then processed by said differential amplifier and producing a logarithmic signal that is indicative of the strength of said signal;

wherein said receiver includes an analog-to-digital converter for receiving a signal related to said logarithmic signal and producing a digital signal that is representative of said signal related to said logarithmic signal;

a processor, located within said housing, that is capable of using information derived from a radio signal received by said antenna to determine at least one of the following;

(a) a direction of the radio signal relative to said housing, and (b) a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal; and

an interface, operatively attached to said housing, that includes a display which is capable of providing a user with at least one of the following;

(a) a direction of the radio signal relative to said housing, and (b) a distance to travel to get from said housing to a source of the radio signal;

wherein the apparatus has dimensions and a weight that allow the apparatus to be attached to and carried by a user.