Method and apparatus for locating a person who has been buried alive

• US 7,397,366 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ortovox Sportartikel GmbH (Schwanhäußer Industrie Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Gerald Kampel
• Inventors: Kampel, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, JACK K
• Application Number:
  US11/457,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.32, 340/573.4, 340/539.15, 324/326, 324/327, 324/328, 324/329, 342/146
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 29/021 Means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/045 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements

Abstract

A search apparatus and related method facilitate the final stage of a search for a buried person carrying a transmitter. When the searcher is in the close vicinity of the buried transmitter, the search enters a point-localization phase where the apparatus displays a representation of the current target distance from the apparatus to the buried transmitter as well as a representation of a previously-stored value for the target distance. By comparing the current distance to the previously-stored distance, the searcher can readily see whether the apparatus is getting closer to the buried transmitter or further away. Preferably, graphic symbols are displayed to represent the current distance and the previously-stored distance. The display can also provide a representation of whether the current distance is greater than or less than an immediately preceding distance that has been stored.

Claims

1. A method of finding a person who has been buried alive by means of a wireless receiver with a directional characteristic, which employs a search phase when received signal strength, such received signal strength corresponding to a current target distance d between the receiver and a transmitter carried by the buried person, is less than the signal strength corresponding to a predefined threshold distance d1, and which employs a point-location phase when the received signal strength for the current target distance d is greater than the signal strength corresponding to the predefined threshold distance d1, the method comprising the steps of:

reception, by the wireless receiver, of signals transmitted from a wireless transmitter belonging to the buried person,

processing of the received signals to determine the current target distance d,

comparing the processed signal for the determined current target distance d to the signal corresponding to the predefined threshold distance d1 and when the signals indicate,

d>

d1, employing a search phase including display of information related to the location of the buried person,

d<

d1, employing a point-localization phase, wherein the point-localization phase includes repeatedly carrying out the following steps;

storing the current target distance d and

displaying a representation of the current target distance d as well as a symbolic comparison of the current target distance d to at least one target distance that was previously received and stored.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the display, in the point-localization phase, comprises the display of at least one graphic symbol.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the display, in the point-localization phase, comprises the display of at least one first graphic symbol for representing the current target distance d and at least one second graphic symbol for representing the at least one previously-stored target distance, the at least one first graphic symbol differing visually from the at least one second graphic symbol such that the symbols for representing the current target distance d can be distinguished from those for representing the previously-stored target distance.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first graphic symbols consists of at least a portion of a first distance circle with a radius that is related to the current target distance d.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the second graphic symbols consists of at least a portion of a second distance circle with a radius that is related to a previously-stored target distance.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one second graphic symbol indicates a tendency that represents the relative size of the at least one previously-stored target distance compared to the current target distance d.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one graphic symbol includes at least one graphic symbol that indicates a tendency that represents the relative size of the at least one previously-stored target distance compared to the current target distance d.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of:

in the point-localization phase, redefining the threshold distance d1 to a larger value; and

in the search phase, reinitializing the threshold distance d1 to its original value.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the additional steps of:

defining a minimum distance threshold value d2;

in the point-localization phase, comparing the current distance value d to the minimum distance threshold value d2; and

if d<

d2, providing an indication of such to the searcher.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

storing an initial default value for a smallest target distance dmin;

in the point-localization phase,

comparing the current target distance d to the smallest target distance dmin;

if d<

dmin, resetting the stored value of dmin=d; and

if d>

dmin, displaying the at least a portion of the second distance circle where the second distance circle has a radius that is related to said smallest target distance dmin.

11. An apparatus for finding people who have been buried by avalanches, the apparatus being operable in a search phase and a point-localization phase and comprising:

a receiver with a directional characteristic, to receive signals transmitted by a buried person;

a processing device for analyzing the received signals and determining current locality information including, at least, a current target distance separating said receiver from the buried person;

a display device to display said locality information;

a control means for driving said display device,

wherein said control means has means for providing a comparison between said current target distance and at least one target distance that was previously stored, which functions when operating in the point-localization phase;

a discrimination means that discriminates between the search phase and the point-localization phase based on said current target distance and changes operation of the apparatus from one phase to the other in accordance with said current target distance; and

a storage device having addressable memory for storing at least one item of locality information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said discrimination means is designed so that it changes operation from search phase to point-localization phase when said current target distance is smaller than a prespecified distance value and

further wherein said discrimination means is designed so that it changes operation from the point-localization phase to the search phase when said current target distance is larger than said prespecified distance value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said control means drives said display device in such a way that said display device, in the point-localization phase, displays at least one graphic symbol.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said control means drives said display device in such a way that said display device, in the point-localization phase, displays at least one first graphic symbol for representing said current target distance and at least one second graphic symbol for representing said at least one previously-stored target distance, said at least one first graphic symbol differing visually from said at least one second graphic symbol such that said symbols for representing said current target distance can be distinguished from those for representing said previously-stored target distance.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of said first graphic symbols comprises at least a portion of a distance circle with a radius that is related to said current target distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of said second graphic symbols comprises at least a portion of a distance circle with a radius that is related to said previously-stored target distance.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said at least one second graphic symbol indicates a tendency that represents the relative size of said at least one previously-stored target distance compared to said current target distance.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said at least one second graphic symbol comprises at least one tendency arrow that indicates the relative size of said at least one previously-stored target distance compared to said current target distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said discrimination means is designed so that, in the point-localization phase when said current target distance is smaller than a prespecified minimum distance value, said control means drives said display device to display a notification of such condition.