Emergency position indicating radio beacon terminal and apparatus and method for monitoring operating state thereof

• US 9,102,388 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Jeom-Hun, Lee, Sanguk
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US13/575,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20120299776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.22, 340/539.11, 455/13.4, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/00 Life-saving in water life-saving in general A62B; arrangement or adaptation of signalling or lighting devices for ships, other waterborne vessels or for equipment for shipping B63B45/00; rescue equipment specially adapted for submarine personnel B63G8/40
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) terminal for confirming positions of ships and rescuing the ships during a marine disaster in a marine search and rescue system and an apparatus and a method for monitoring an operating state of the EPIRB terminal. The EPIRB terminal comprises: a sensor unit for sensing the sinking of a ship in which the EPIRB terminal is provided; a generation unit for generating a distress message corresponding to the sensed result of the sensor unit; and a transmission unit for broadcasting a distress signal including the distress message. The sensor unit comprises: a water-pressure sensor for outputting a water-pressure detection signal by sensing the water pressure in the inside of the ship; a moisture sensor for outputting a moisture detection signal by sensing the moisture inside the ship; and a separation sensor for outputting a separation detection signal by sensing the separation of the EPIRB terminal from the ship. The sensor unit outputs a generating request signal of the distress message to the generation unit by normally sensing the sinking of the ship when the water-pressure detection signal, the moisture detection signal, and the separation detection signal are outputted.

Claims

1. An emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) terminal in a maritime search and rescue system, comprising:

a sensor unit configured to sense a sinking of a vessel equipped with the EPIRB terminal;

a generating unit configured to generate a distress message corresponding to the sensing result of the sensor unit; and

a transmitting unit configured to broadcast a distress signal including the distress message,

wherein the sensor unit comprises;

a water pressure sensor configured to sense water pressure inside the vessel and output a water pressure sensing signal;

a water sensor configured to sense water inside the vessel and output a water sensing signal;

a separation sensor configured to sense a separation of the EPIRB terminal from the vessel and output a separation sensing signal;

in a case in which all of the water pressure sensing signal, the water sensing signal, and the separation sensing signal are outputted, the sensor unit recognizes the case as the sinking of the vessel, and outputs a distress signal generation request signal to the generating unit, and

in a case in which at least one of the water pressure sensing signal, the water sensing signal, and the separation sensing signal is not outputted, the sensor unit recognizes the case as the malfunction of the water pressure sensor, the water sensor, and the separation sensor;

an outputting unit configured to output an alarm signal corresponding to the malfunctioning sensor, based on the malfunction of the water pressure sensor, the water sensor, and the separation sensor, in real time; and

a displaying unit configured to display sensor information corresponding to the malfunction of the water pressure sensor, the water sensor, and the separation sensor, and operation state information of the EPIRB terminal corresponding to the distress message in real time.

2. The EPIRB terminal of claim 1, further comprising a modulator configured to modulate a search and rescue signal including the distress message into a 406-MHz beacon signal,

wherein the transmitting unit broadcasts the 406-MHz beacon signal to a COSPAS-SARSAT satellite at a predetermined period.

3. The EPIRB terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit broadcasts a homing signal including the distress message to a COSPAS-SARSAT satellite as a 121.5-MHz at a predetermined period.

4. The EPIRB terminal of claim 1, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive position information of the EPIRB terminal from a global positioning system (GPS),

wherein the generating unit includes position information of the sunken vessel in the distress message by using the position information.

5. An apparatus for monitoring an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) terminal in a maritime search and rescue system, comprising:

a housing configured to install the EPIRB terminal inside a vessel; and

the EPIRB terminal disposed inside the housing and configured to sense a sinking of the vessel,

wherein the housing comprises;

a transparent window configured to monitor an operation state of the EPIRB terminal in real time; and

a hole configured to drain water flowing into the housing to prevent the malfunction of the EPIRB terminal,

in a case in which the EPIRB terminal senses the sinking of the vessel, the housing automatically separates the EPIRB terminal from the vessel, and the EPIRB terminal broadcasts a distress signal to a COSPAS-SARSAT satellite at a predetermined period,

wherein the EPIRB terminal comprises;

an outputting unit configured to output an alarm signal in real time according to operation states of a plurality of sensors included in the EPIRB terminal; and

a displaying unit configured to display the operation states of the plurality of sensors and the operation state of the EPIRB terminal in real time,

wherein the plurality of sensors comprise;

a water pressure sensor configured to sense water pressure inside the housing;

a water sensor configured to sense water inside the housing; and

a separation sensor configured to sense a separation from the vessel in correspondence to the sensing of the water pressure sensor and the water sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the outputting unit outputs different alarm signals according to the operation states of the plurality of sensors, and the displaying unit displays sensor information according to the operation states of the plurality of sensors.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transparent window provides the operation state, which is displayed through the displaying unit in real time, to the outside of the housing in real time.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, in a case in which all of the plurality of sensors normally sense the sinking of the vessel, the EPIRB terminal broadcasts the distress signal, and

in a case in which only arbitrary sensors among the plurality of sensors sense the sinking of the vessel, the generating unit and the displaying unit output and display the operation states of the arbitrary sensors as a malfunctioning state.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the EPIRB terminal broadcasts a 406-MHz beacon signal and a 121.5-MHz beacon signal as the distress signal including the position information of the vessel.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the EPIRB terminal receives the position information of the EPIRB terminal from a GPS satellite, and identifies position information of the vessel.

11. A method for monitoring an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) terminal in a maritime search and rescue system, comprising:

sensing water pressure, water, and separation within a housing provided within a vessel equipped with the EPIRB terminal;

providing an operation state of the EPIRB terminal in real time according to the sensing results of the water pressure, the water, and the separation; and

separating the EPIRB terminal from the vessel when the sinking of the vessel is sensed from the sensing results of the water pressure, the water, and the separation, and broadcasting a distress signal to a COSPAS-SARSAT satellite at a predetermined period,

wherein the EPIRB terminal is installed in and separated from the vessel by the housing, and

the housing drains water flowing into the housing through a hole to prevent the malfunction of the EPIRB terminal, and provides an operation state of the EPIRB terminal through a transparent window to the outside of the housing in real time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, in said providing an operation state of the EPIRB terminal,

the sensing results of the water pressure, the water, and the separation are outputted as different alarm signals through a speaker, and sensing information corresponding to the sensing results is displayed through the transparent window.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in a case in which the sensing results of the water pressure, the water, and the separation show that the sinking of the vessel is sensed normally, the distress signal is broadcast, and

in a case in which only arbitrary sensing results among the sensing results of the water pressure, the water, and the separation show that the sinking of the vessel is sensed, the sensing operation corresponding to the arbitrary sensing results are outputted and displayed as a malfunction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, in said broadcasting a distress signal, a 406-MHz beacon signal and a 121.5-MHz beacon signal are broadcast as the distress signal including the position information of the vessel.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the position information of the EPIRB terminal from a GPS satellite; and

identifying the position information of the vessel.