Diver locating method and apparatus

• US 7,388,512 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel F. Moorer Jr
• Original Assignee: Daniel F. Moorer Jr
• Inventors: Moorer, Daniel F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan; Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US11/218,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/455, 340/850, 367131-134, 367/138, 367/141
• US Class Current: 340/850
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/26 Communication means, e.g. means for signalling the presence of diverselectric communication in general H04
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/782 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A system for locating a diver is provided. The system includes a diver module for association with a diver that is capable of producing both an audible frequency signal to assist in locating the diver while submerged, and a radio frequency signal to assist in locating the diver when surfaced. In addition, the diver module includes a switch to enable the initiation of an active mode of the diver module. The diver module may also include a receiver visual display to indicate the direction to another diver module or to a boat module. The location signal boat module provides a boat operator with an indication of the direction from which a location signal is being received.

Claims

1. A system for locating divers, comprising:

a submersible diver module, said diver module including;

a radio frequency transmitter;

an audio frequency transmitter; and

a switch, wherein an operating mode of said diver module can be selected, said operating mode including an active mode, wherein in said active mode said radio frequency transmitter produces a radio frequency location signal and said audio frequency transmitter produces an audio frequency location signal, and wherein said radio frequency location signal and said audio frequency location signal are produced in at least one of an alternating fashion, simultaneously or substantially simultaneously;

a boat module, said boat module including;

a directional hydrophone, wherein said directional hydrophone is operable to receive location signals from said audio frequency transmitter of said diver module at least when said diver module is submerged; and

a location signal receiver, said location signal receiver including;

a directional radio frequency receiver, wherein said directional radio frequency receiver is operable to receive location signals from said radio frequency transmitter of said diver module at least when said diver module is not submerged;

an input from said directional hydrophone; and

a directional output, wherein said directional output points towards said diver module when said diver module is in an active mode and at least one of said radio frequency location signal and said audio frequency location signal is received at said boat module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said diver module selector switch comprises a three position switch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said diver module further includes a visible beacon.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said diver module includes an activation signal receiver, wherein said location signal receiver further comprises a location signal transmitter activation, wherein said diver module operating mode includes a stand-by mode, and wherein said diver module is placed in said active mode in response to an activation signal received from said location signal receiver.

5. A method for locating a diver, comprising:

placing a submersible first diver module in an active mode;

while said diver module is in said active mode;

periodically transmitting from said first diver module a radio frequency location signal;

periodically transmitting from said first diver module an audio frequency location signal;

while said submersible first diver module is not submerged, receiving at a receiving device said periodically transmitted radio frequency signal transmitted from said first diver module; and

submerging said first diver module and while said first diver module is submerged receiving at said receiving device said periodically transmitted audio frequency signal but not said periodically transmitted radio frequency signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said placing a first diver module in an active mode includes:

placing said first diver module in a standby mode;

providing to said first diver module an activation signal, wherein said activation signal is provided by one of a boat module and a second diver module.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said placing said first diver module in a standby mode comprises operating a manually controlled switch to place said switch in a standby mode position.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said placing said first diver module in an active mode comprises operating a manually controlled switch to place said switch in an active mode position.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said operating said manually controlled switch comprises said diver operating said switch.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said placing said first diver module in an active mode comprises determining that said first diver module is in water.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said radio frequency signal and said audio frequency signal are transmitted simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein said transmitting of radio frequency signal and said transmitting of said audio frequency signal are performed alternately.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein said radio frequency signal and said audio frequency signal are coded to identify said diver module.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting at said first diver module a first one of a second diver module and a boat module to track;

detecting at said first diver module at least one of an audio frequency signal and a radio frequency signal transmitted by said selected first one of a second diver module and a boat module;

displaying by said first diver module a direction to said selected first one of a second diver module and a boat module.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

selecting at said first diver module a second one of a second diver module and a boat module to track;

detecting at said first diver module at least one of an audio frequency signal and a radio frequency signal transmitted by said selected second one of a second diver module and a boat module;

displaying by said first diver module a direction to said selected second one of a second diver module and a boat module.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said first diver module continues to transmit a radio frequency location signal and an audio frequency location signal while tracking said selected first one of a second diver module and a boat module.

17. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

activating at said first diver module an emergency signal;

transmitting from said first diver module a radio frequency emergency signal;

transmitting from said first diver module an audio frequency emergency signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

in response to said activating at said first diver module an emergency signal, activating a visible emergency beacon associated with said first diver module.

19. A diver module device, comprising:

means for periodically transmitting a radio frequency signal while said diver module device is in an active mode;

means for periodically transmitting an audio frequency signal while said diver module device is in said active mode, wherein said means for periodically transmitting a radio frequency and said means for periodically transmitting an audio frequency operate alternately simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously, wherein said means for transmitting a radio frequency provides a first radio frequency location signal, wherein said means for transmitting an audio frequency provides a first audio frequency location signal, wherein said radio frequency signal is received by a receiving device at least while said diver module is not submerged, and wherein said audio frequency signal is received by the receiving device at least while said diver module is submerged.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said first radio frequency location signal comprises a first coded radio frequency location signal, and wherein said first audio frequency location signal comprises a first coded audio frequency location signal, said device further comprising:

means for receiving a second coded audio frequency location signal generated by one of another diver module and a boat module;

means for displaying a direction of said one of another diver module and a boat module.