Heat source sensor for a marine vessel

• US 7,511,276 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Staerzl, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Igyarto; Carolyn
• Application Number:
  US11/656,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/DIG.1, 250/342
• US Class Current: 250/342
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/48 Means for searching for underwater objects means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S ; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies

Abstract

Two sensor units are mounted on opposite sides of a transom of a boat and directed to a common location behind the boat. The field of view of the two sensors overlaps behind the marine propulsion unit of the boat to detect the presence of a heat emitting object, such as a mammal. Housing structures contain infrared sensing elements, lenses, and light shields. Signals from four infrared sensing elements are received by a controller which reacts, with an alarm signal, when at least two of the four sensors detect a heat emitting object within their individual fields of view. False triggering can be reduced by not providing an alarm signal if only the two most inboard sensors detect the heat emitting object.

Claims

1. A heat source sensor, comprising:

a first housing structure;

a first light sensitive element mounted in said first housing structure and configured to have a first field of view which extends away from said first housing structure in a first direction, said first light sensitive element being configured to provide a first signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said first field of view;

a first light shield disposed at least partially around said first field of view proximate said first housing structure, said first light shield being configured to limit said first field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at first preselected regions relative to said first housing structure;

a second housing structure;

a second light sensitive element mounted in said second housing structure and configured to have a second field of view which extends away from said second housing structure in a second direction, said second light sensitive element being configured to provide a second signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said second field of view;

a second light shield disposed at least partially around said second field of view proximate said second housing structure, said second light shield being configured to limit said second field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at second preselected regions relative to said second housing structure, said first and second fields of view being disposed in intersecting relation with each other; and

a controller configured to receive said first and second signals,

said first and second light sensitive elements being attached to port and starboard sides of a boat having a drive unit extending longitudinally aft therefrom, said first light shield providing upper and lower portions of said first field of view, said second light shield providing upper and lower portions of said second field of view, said upper portions of said first and second fields of view overlapping at a first zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said lower portions of said first and second fields of view overlapping at a second zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said second zone having a greater area than said first zone.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein:

said first zone is above said second zone.

3. A heat source sensor, comprising:

a first housing structure;

a first light sensitive element mounted in said first housing structure and configured to have a first field of view which extends away from said first housing structure in a first direction, said first light sensitive element being configured to provide a first signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said first field of view;

a first light shield disposed at least partially around said first field of view proximate said first housing structure, said first light shield being configured to limit said first field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at first preselected regions relative to said first housing structure;

a second housing structure;

a second light sensitive element mounted in said second housing structure and configured to have a second field of view which extends away from said second housing structure in a second direction, said second light sensitive element being configured to provide a second signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said second field of view;

a second light shield disposed at least partially around said second field of view proximate said second housing structure, said second light shield being configured to limit said second field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at second preselected regions relative to said second housing structure, said first and second fields of view being disposed in intersecting relation with each other;

a third housing structure;

a third light sensitive element mounted in said third housing structure and configured to have a third field of view which extends away from said third housing structure in a third direction, said third light sensitive element being configured to provide a third signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said third field of view;

a third light shield disposed at least partially around said third field of view proximate said third housing structure, said third light shield being configured to limit said third field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at third preselected regions relative to said third housing structure;

a fourth housing structure;

a fourth light sensitive element mounted in said fourth housing structure and configured to have a fourth field of view which extends away from said fourth housing structure in a fourth direction, said fourth light sensitive element being configured to provide a fourth signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said fourth field of view;

a fourth light shield disposed at least partially around said fourth field of view proximate said fourth housing structure, said fourth light shield being configured to limit said fourth field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at fourth preselected regions relative to said fourth housing structure, said third and fourth fields of view being disposed in intersecting relation with each other; and

a controller configured to receive said first, second, third, and fourth signals,

said first and second light sensitive elements being attached to a starboard side of a boat having a drive unit extending longitudinally aft therefrom, said third and fourth light sensitive elements being attached to a port side of said boat, said second light shield providing upper and lower portions of said second field of view, said third light shield providing upper and lower portions of said third field of view, said upper portions of said second and third fields of view overlapping at a first zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said lower portions of said second and third fields of view overlapping at a second zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said second zone having a greater area than said first zone.

4. The sensor of claim 3, wherein:

said first zone is above said second zone.

5. A heat source sensor, comprising:

a first housing structure;

a first light sensitive element mounted in said first housing structure and configured to have a first field of view which extends away from said first housing structure in a first direction, said first light sensitive element being configured to provide a first signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said first field of view;

a first light shield disposed at least partially around said first field of view proximate said first housing structure, said first light shield being configured to limit said first field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at first preselected regions relative to said first housing structure;

a second housing structure;

a second light sensitive element mounted in said second housing structure and configured to have a second field of view which extends away from said second housing structure in a second direction, said second light sensitive element being configured to provide a second signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said second field of view;

a second light shield disposed at least partially around said second field of view proximate said second housing structure, said second light shield being configured to limit said second field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at second preselected regions relative to said second housing structure, said first and second fields of view being disposed in intersecting relation with each other;

a third housing structure;

a third light sensitive element mounted in said third housing structure and configured to have a third field of view which extends away from said third housing structure in a third direction, said third light sensitive element being configured to provide a third signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said third field of view;

a third light shield disposed at least partially around said third field of view proximate said third housing structure, said third light shield being configured to limit said third field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at third preselected regions relative to said third housing structure;

a fourth housing structure;

a fourth light sensitive element mounted in said fourth housing structure and configured to have a fourth field of view which extends away from said fourth housing structure in a fourth direction, said fourth light sensitive element being configured to provide a fourth signal in response to the detection of a source of heat within said fourth field of view;

a fourth light shield disposed at least partially around said fourth field of view proximate said fourth housing structure, said fourth light shield being configured to limit said fourth field of view for the purpose of avoiding the detection of heat sources at fourth preselected regions relative to said fourth housing structure, said third and fourth fields of view being disposed in intersecting relation with each other;

a controller configured to receive said first, second, third, and fourth signals, said first and second housing structures being combined to form a first sensor unit, said third and fourth housing structures being combined to form a second sensor unit, said first sensor unit being attached to a starboard side of a boat transom and said second sensor unit being attached to a port side of a boat transom, at least one of said first and second fields of view intersecting with at least one of said third and fourth fields of view at a common location behind said boat transom;

a first lens structure disposed between said first light sensitive element and said first field of view;

a second lens structure disposed between said second light sensitive element and said second field of view;

a third lens structure disposed between said third light sensitive element and said third field of view; and

a fourth lens structure disposed between said fourth light sensitive element and said fourth field of view,

said first and second light sensitive elements being attached to a starboard side of a boat having a drive unit extending longitudinally aft therefrom, said third and fourth light sensitive elements being attached to a port side of said boat, said second light shield providing upper and lower portions of said second field of view, said third light shield providing upper and lower portions of said third field of view, said upper portions of said second and third fields of view overlapping at a first zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said lower portions of said second and third fields of view overlapping at a second zone aft of and longitudinally aligned with said drive unit, said second zone having a greater area than said first zone.

6. The sensor of claim 5, wherein:

said first zone is above said second zone.