Emergency underwater notification device

• US 7,612,686 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scuba Sonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anthony M. Scott, Brian A. Amond, Michael John Bustamante
• Inventors: Amond, Brian A., Bustamante, Michael John, Scott, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/602,590
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/850, 340/425.1, 340/531, 367/131, 367/141
• US Class Current: 340/850
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/02 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy

Abstract

The emergency underwater notification device disclosed, one of which would be carried by each diver on a team of divers at a dive site, comprises (a) an activator; (b) one or more primary signal emitters, each of which emits a primary notification signal upon activation of the activator, the primary signal emitter comprising one or more of the following: a light source, a hydrophone, a siren, a speaker, or an acoustic transducer; (c) one or more secondary signal emitters, each of the secondary signal emitters emitting a secondary communication signal upon activation of the activator; (d) a receiver capable of receiving communication signals; (e) one or more tertiary signal emitters, each of the tertiary signal emitters to emit a tertiary communication signal upon receipt by the receiver of either a secondary communication signal or a tertiary communication signal from another notification device; and (f) one or more quaternary signal emitters, each of the quaternary signal emitters to emit a quaternary notification signal upon receipt by the receiver of either a secondary communication signal or a tertiary communication signal from another notification device, the quaternary signal emitter comprising one or more of the following: a light source, a hydrophone, a siren, a speaker, or an acoustic transducer.

Claims

1. A notification device comprising:

(a) an activator;

(b) one or more primary signal emitters, said one or more primary signal emitters to each emit a primary notification signal upon activation of the activator;

(c) one or more secondary signal emitters, said one or more secondary signal emitters to each emit a secondary communication signal upon activation of the activator, said secondary communication signal employing a group identification signal to facilitate the selective response of a group of devices;

(d) one or more receivers capable of receiving communication signals;

(e) one or more tertiary signal emitters, said one or more tertiary signal emitters to each emit a tertiary communication signal upon receipt by the receiver of either a secondary communication signal or a tertiary communication signal from another notification device, said tertiary communication signal employing a group identification signal to facilitate the selective response of a group of devices; and

(f) one or more quaternary signal emitters, said one or more quaternary signal emitters to each emit a quaternary notification signal upon receipt by the receiver of either a secondary communication signal or a tertiary communication signal from another notification device.

2. The notification device of claim 1 wherein said primary signal emitter emits a primary notification signal comprising light waves.

3. The notification device of claim 1 wherein said primary signal emitter emits a primary notification signal comprising sound waves.

4. The notification device of claim 1 wherein said secondary signal emitters emit a secondary communication signal comprising electromagnetic waves.

5. The notification device of claim 1 wherein said tertiary signal emitters emit a tertiary communication signal comprising electromagnetic waves.

6. A notification device comprising:

(a) an activator;

(b) one or more primary signal emitters, said one or more primary signal emitters to each emit a primary notification signal upon activation of the activator;

(c) one or more corresponding secondary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding secondary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding secondary communication signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon activation of the activator;

(d) one or more receivers capable of receiving communication signals;

(e) one or more corresponding tertiary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding tertiary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding tertiary communication signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon receipt by the receiver of either a corresponding secondary communication signal or a corresponding tertiary communication signal from another notification device; and

(f) one or more corresponding quaternary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding quaternary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding quaternary notification signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon receipt by the receiver of either a corresponding secondary communication signal or a corresponding tertiary communication signal from another notification device.

7. The notification device of claim 6 wherein said primary signal emitter emits a primary notification signal comprising light waves.

8. The notification device of claim 6 wherein said primary signal emitter emits a primary notification signal comprising sound waves.

9. The notification device of claim 6 wherein said secondary signal emitters emit a secondary communication signal comprising electromagnetic waves.

10. The notification device of claim 6 wherein said tertiary signal emitters emit a tertiary communication signal comprising electromagnetic waves.

11. The notification device of claim 6 wherein a corresponding secondary communication signal comprises a group identification signal.

12. The notification device of claim 6 wherein a corresponding tertiary communication signal comprises a group identification signal.

13. An underwater notification device comprising:

(a) an activator;

(b) one or more primary signal emitters, said one or more primary signal emitters to each emit a primary notification signal upon activation of the activator;

(c) one or more corresponding secondary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding secondary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding secondary communication signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon activation of the activator, said corresponding secondary communication signal employing a group identification signal to facilitate the selective response of a group of devices;

(d) one or more receivers capable of receiving communication signals;

(e) one or more corresponding tertiary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding tertiary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding tertiary communication signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon receipt by the receiver of either a corresponding secondary communication signal or a corresponding tertiary communication signal from another notification device, said corresponding tertiary communication signal employing a group identification signal to facilitate the selective response of a group of devices; and

(f) one or more corresponding quaternary signal emitters, said one or more corresponding quaternary signal emitters to each emit a corresponding quaternary notification signal in relation to said one or more primary signal emitters upon receipt by the receiver of either a corresponding secondary communication signal or a corresponding tertiary communication signal from another notification device.

14. The underwater notification device of claim 13 wherein said primary signal emitter emits a primary notification signal comprising light waves.

15. The underwater notification device of claim 13 wherein said secondary signal emitters emit a secondary communication signal comprising electromagnetic waves.

16. The underwater notification device of claim 13 further comprising a detachable remote repeater, said remote repeater emitting primary notification signals and corresponding secondary communication signals upon receipt of corresponding secondary communication signals from said underwater notification device.

17. The underwater notification device of claim 13 wherein said underwater notification device is buoyant and wherein said underwater notification device further comprises an attached lanyard.

18. The underwater notification device of claim 13 further comprising a telemetry recording device logging dive conditions and incidents occurring from the time said telemetry recording device is turned on.

19. The underwater notification device of claim 13 further comprising a telemetry recording device logging dive conditions and incidents occurring from the time said underwater notification device is activated by a user diver in distress.

20. The underwater notification device of claim 13 further comprising an emergency position locator device.

21. The underwater notification device of claim 13 further comprising a dive computer.