Communication system and search and rescue terminal for vessels

• US 8,306,482 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Yong-Min, Lee, Sang-Uk, Joo, Inone
• Primary Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US12/333,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/277.1, 455/445, 455/431, 455/90.1, 342/357.52, 342/357.31
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A communication service equipment and a search and rescue terminal device for vessels that are set on board to provide radio communication service including at least one radio signal transmission and reception units, a modulation and demodulation unit, a location information receiving unit, a plurality of frequency conversion unit, signal processing units each connected to the frequency conversion unit, a main control unit, and control the signal processing unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing radio communication service in a vessel, comprising:

at least one radio signal transmission and reception unit which provides two-way communication with a coastal radio communication station using at least one of medium frequency, high frequency, and very high frequency;

at least one modulation and demodulation unit connected to the radio signal transmission and reception unit;

a location information receiving unit for receiving location information;

a plurality of frequency conversion units, for processing two-way communication with a search and rescue terminal placed on the same vessel as where the apparatus for providing radio communication service is placed, wherein the number of frequency conversion units corresponds to the number of channels of the search and rescue terminals;

at least one signal processing unit configured to process a signal from/to the frequency conversion unit; and

a main control unit connected between the signal processing unit and the modulation and demodulation unit, which is configured to transmit location information received from the location information receiving unit to the search and rescue terminal through the signal processing unit, and control, upon request of the search and rescue terminal, connection between the signal processing unit and the modulation and demodulation unit which is available,

wherein the search and rescue terminal is configured to communicate emergency rescue signals to a rescue satellite in case of emergencies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal transmission and reception unit includes:

a 1^st radio signal transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a high frequency wave signal;

a 2^nd radio signal transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a medium frequency wave signal; and

a 3^rd radio signal transmission and reception unit configured to transmit and receive a very high frequency wave signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the modulation and demodulation unit includes:

a 1^st modulation and demodulation unit connected to the 1^st radio signal transmission and reception unit;

a 2^nd modulation and demodulation unit connected to the 2^nd radio signal transmission and reception unit; and

a 3^rd modulation and demodulation unit connected to the 3^rd radio signal transmission and reception unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the main control unit manages radio channel status information collected through the 1^st to 3^rd modulation and demodulation units and selects an available radio channel based on the radio channel status information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the main control unit manages information on which signal processing unit is connected to which modulation and demodulation unit until the end of a service.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the main control unit includes:

a memory for storing the radio channel status information for managing a radio channel and the location information;

a switch for connecting a corresponding one of the signal processing units and a corresponding one of the modulation and demodulation units; and

a control processor for selecting available radio channel according to a predetermined program and controlling the switch.

7. A search and rescue apparatus set up in a vessel and configured to communicate with a radio communication service equipment providing two-way communication with a coastal radio station, comprising:

a channel selecting unit for selecting a radio channel among a plurality of radio channels;

a radio signal transmitting and receiving unit for performing two-way communication with the radio communication service equipment placed on the same vessel as where the search and rescue apparatus is placed through a radio channel selected by the channel selecting unit;

a storing unit for storing program and location information received from the radio communication service equipment via the signal transmission and reception unit; and

a main control unit for requesting a service to the radio communication service equipment, processing signals received from the signal transmission and reception unit into voice signals, and storing the location information,

wherein the search and rescue terminal is configured to communicate emergency rescue signals to a rescue satellite in case of emergencies.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the main control unit automatically transmits the emergency signal including the location information and basic information about the vessel to the rescue satellite, and displaying a response to the emergency signal through the rescue satellite.