Status light for switch on boat steering wheel

• US 7,525,449 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Megatech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teleflex Megatech, Inc.
• Inventors: Lafontaine, Yvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US10/961,224
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 340/984, 340/982, 340/575, 340/576, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/475, 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 307/17
• US Class Current: 340/984
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 5/165 Propeller guards, line cutters or other means for protecting propellers or rudders

Abstract

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and system for indicating a status of a subsystem controlled by a switch provided on a steering wheel of a marine vehicle. The method and system comprise: providing a switch for the subsystem on the steering wheel of the marine vehicle; providing a status indicator for the switch; detecting an activation of the switch; transmitting a command to the subsystem in the marine vehicle in response to the activation; detecting an operation status of the subsystem in response to the command; and activating the status indicator to indicate information of the operation status.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a status of a subsystem controlled by a switch provided on a steering wheel of a marine vehicle, comprising:

providing a switch for said subsystem on said steering wheel of said marine vehicle;

providing a status indicator for said switch;

detecting an activation of said switch;

transmitting a command to said subsystem in said marine vehicle in response to said activation wherein said command transmission comprises using infrared transmission;

detecting an operation status of said subsystem in response to said command; and

activating said status indicator to indicate said operation status as detected;

wherein said infrared transmission comprises;

generating a National Marine Electronics Association (MNEA) 2000 encoding compliant command data train comprising information about said command;

emitting said NMEA 2000 encoding compliant command data train using infrared;

capturing said command data train; and

receiving said captured NMEA 2000 encoding compliant command data train.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said infrared transmission comprises:

generating a command data train comprising information about said command;

emitting said command data train using infrared;

capturing said command data train; and

receiving said captured command data train.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting comprises transmitting information about said operation status and wherein said activation of said status indicator comprises receiving said information transmitted.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said information transmission comprises using one of:

infrared transmission, electromagnetic transmission, radio frequency transmission, and ultrasonic transmission.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said information transmission comprises:

generating a status data train comprising information about said operation status;

emitting said status data train;

capturing said status data train using infrared; and

receiving said captured status data train.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a switch activation indicator, and

activating said switch activation indicator upon said detection of switch activation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said operation status comprises one of functioning and malfunctioning.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said activating comprises one of:

emitting a steady light;

emitting a light with a color associated to said functioning status;

emitting a combination of lights associated to said functioning status;

emitting a distinctive sound associated to said functioning status;

emitting a flashing light;

emitting a light with a color associated to said malfunctioning status;

emitting a combination of lights associated to said malfunctioning status, and emitting a distinctive sound associated to said malfunctioning status.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said status indicator comprises any one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said visual indicator comprises at least one of a backlight for said switch, a backlighting ring around said switch, and a LED disposed near said switch.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said audible indicator comprises at least one of a chime, a buzzer, and an alarm.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said command transmission comprises using infrared transmission.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said infrared transmission comprises:

generating a NMEA 2000 encoding compliant command data train comprising information about said command;

emitting said command data train using infrared;

capturing said NMEA 2000 encoding compliant command data train; and

receiving said captured NEMA 2000 encoding compliant command data train.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting comprises transmitting information about said operation status and wherein said activation of said status indicator comprises receiving said information transmitted.

15. A system for indicating a status of a subsystem controlled by a switch provided on a steering wheel of a marine vehicle, comprising:

a switch for said subsystem on said steering wheel of said marine vehicle;

a status indicator for said switch;

an activation detector configured to detect an activation of said switch;

an activation transmitter configured to transmit a command to said subsystem in said marine vehicle in response to said activation wherein said activation transmitter comprises an infrared transmitter;

a status detector configured to detect an operation status of said subsystem in response to said command; and

an indicator activator configured to activate said status indicator to indicate said operation status as detected by the status detector,

wherein said activation transmitter comprises a generator configured to generate an activation data train comprising information about said command encoded to National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 2000 compliant standards;

an infrared emitting diode configured to emit said activation data train;

a phototransistor configured to capture said activation data train; and

a signal receiver configured to receive said activation data train.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said activation detector comprises a switch processor capable of detecting activation of at least said switch.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said switch processor comprises said indicator activator.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said status detector comprises a subsystem processor capable of detecting said operation status of at least said subsystem.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said status detector comprises a status transmitter configured to transmit NEMA 2000 compliant information on said operation status from said operation detector to said indicator activator.

20. A system for indicating a status of a subsystem controlled by a switch provided on a steering wheel of a marine vehicle, comprising:

a switch for said subsystem on said steering wheel of said marine vehicle;

a status indicator for said switch;

an activation detector configured to detect an activation of said switch;

an activation transmitter configured to transmit a command to said subsystem in said marine vehicle in response to said activation;

a status detector configured to detect an operation status of said subsystem in response to said command wherein said status detector comprises a status transmitter configured to transmit National Marine Electronics Association (MNEA) 2000 compliant information on said operation status from said operation detector to said indicator activator; and

an indicator activator configured to activate said status indicator to indicate said operation status as detected by the status detector

wherein said status transmitter comprises;

a status generator configured to generate a NMEA 2000 compliant status data train comprising information about said operation status;

a status infrared emitting diode configured to emit said status data train;

a status phototransistor configured to capture said NEMA 2000 compliant status data train; and

a status receiver configured to receive said status data train.