Flotation and related integrations to extend the use of electronic systems

• US 9,154,593 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cubic Tech Corporation (Avient Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cubic Tech Corporation (Avient Corp.)
• Inventors: Meldner, Heiner W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/922,128
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A system related to enabling the in-service capabilities of mobile electronic devices in certain challenging environments. The present system enables recovery of mobile communication device dropped in water of a depth preventing any radio frequency transmission and making recovery of the device difficult. Preferred embodiments of the system contain a deployable flotation feature enabling an emergency, SOS/MAYDAY-signal transmission indicating GPS position via satellite link and/or cellular network in addition to strobe activation.

Claims

1. A system, relating to implementing one or more recovery-assistance features within at least one mobile communicator, said system comprising:

a) at least one buoyancy modifier in the form of at least one flotation bladder configured to modify the effective buoyancy of the at least one mobile communicator;

b) at least one integrator configured to integrate said at least one buoyancy modifier with the at least one mobile communicator;

c) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier comprises

i) at least one stowed configuration comprising at least one first buoyancy state, and

ii) at least one deployed configuration comprising at least one second buoyancy state;

d) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier is configured to be compactly stowable adjacent the at least one mobile communicator when said at least one buoyancy modifier comprises said at least one first buoyancy state;

e) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier is configured to impart to the at least one mobile communicator an effective density less than that of at least one aqueous liquid when said at least one buoyancy modifier is integrated with the at least one mobile communicator and said at least one buoyancy modifier comprises said at least one second buoyancy state; and

f) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier comprises at least one gas-inflatable bladder and at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator configured to automatically initiate transition of said at least one first buoyancy state to said at least one second buoyancy state when at least one pre-defined condition is met, wherein said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator comprises a gas provider configured to provide at least one inflation gas to said at least one gas-inflatable bladder.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein

said at least one gas-inflatable bladder is configured to contain at least one inflation gas;

and

wherein said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator comprises at least one inflation initiator configured to initiate the providing of the at least one inflation gas to said at least one gas-inflatable bladder when such at least one pre-defined condition is met.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein:

a) said at least one first buoyancy state correlates with at least one decreased displacement volume of said at least one gas-inflatable bladder prior to inflation; and

b) said at least one second buoyancy state correlates with at least one increased displacement volume of said at least one gas-inflatable bladder when inflated with the at least one inflation gas.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein said at least one gas provider comprises:

a) at least one first reactant and at least one second reactant configured to produce the at least one inflation gas when combined;

b) at least one reactor configured to react said at least one first reactant and said at least one second reactant; and

c) and at least one gas-communicative pathway linking said at least one reactor with said at least one gas-inflatable bladder;

d) wherein production of at least one inflation gas by said at least one reactor is controlled by said at least one inflation initiator; and

e) wherein said at least one reactor comprises at least one reactant separator structured and arranged to separate said at least one first reactant and said at least one second reactant until such production of the at least one inflation gas is required.

5. The system according to claim 2 wherein said at least one gas provider comprises:

a) at least one gas-storage container configured to store the at least one inflation gas at a pressure greater than that of the surrounding atmosphere;

b) at and at least one gas-communicative pathway linking said at least one reactor with said at least one gas-inflatable bladder; and

c) at least one valve configured to control the passage of the at least one inflation gas between said at least one gas-storage container and said at least one gas-inflatable bladder;

d) wherein operation of said at least one valve is controlled by said at least one inflation initiator.

6. The system according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) at least one sensor configured to sense the presence of at least one environmental factor associated with said at least one pre-defined condition;

b) wherein said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator is configured to receive sensor data from said at least one sensor.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one liquid sensor configured to sense the presence of the at least one aqueous liquid adjacent the at least one mobile communicator.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein:

a) said at least one sensor comprises at least one pressure

b) sensor configured to sense atmospheric pressure adjacent the at least one mobile communicator; and

said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator is configured to automatically initiate such transition to said at least one second buoyancy state when said at least one pre-defined condition comprises an increase in ambient pressure.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein:

a) said least one sensor comprises at least one acceleration sensor configured to sense acceleration loading experienced by the at least one mobile communicator; and

b) said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator is configured to automatically initiate such transition to said at least one second buoyancy state when said at least one pre-defined condition comprises a detected acceleration load above a selected threshold.

10. The system according to claim 2 further comprising at least one illuminator configured to provide illumination assisting location and retrieval of the at least one mobile communicator.

11. The system according to claim 2 further comprising at least one emergency position-indicating radio beacon configured to transmit at least one detectable emergency radio-frequency signal.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said least one emergency position-indicating radio beacon comprises at least one onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein said at least one integrator further comprises:

a) at least one docking connector configured to operably couple to at least one docking port of the at least one mobile communicator;

b) wherein such operable coupling enables interoperation between the at least one mobile communicator and one or more features of said system.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein said system is structured and arranged to utilize at least one human interface feature of the at least one mobile communicator.

15. The system according to claim 11 further comprising at least one short-message-service (SMS) transmitter configured to transmit SMS-based communications.

16. The system according to claim 11 further comprising at least one short-message-service (SMS) transmitter/receiver configured to transmit and receive SMS-based communications.

17. The system according to claim 11 wherein said at least one integrator comprises:

a) at least one outer case configured to at partially house the at least one mobile communicator;

b) wherein said at least one outer case is removably attachable to the at least one mobile communicator.

18. A system, relating to implementing one or more recovery-assistance features within at least one mobile communicator, said system comprising:

a) at least one buoyancy modifier in the form of at least one flotation bladder, comprising at least one gas-inflatable bladder, configured to modify the effective buoyancy of the at least one mobile communicator;

b) at least one integrator configured to integrate said at least one buoyancy modifier with the at least one mobile communicator;

c) wherein said at least one gas-inflatable bladder comprises

i) at least one stowed configuration comprising at least one first buoyancy state, and

ii) at least one deployed configuration comprising at least one second buoyancy state;

d) wherein said at least one gas-inflatable bladder is configured to be compactly stowable adjacent the at least one mobile communicator when said at least one gas-inflatable bladder comprises said at least one first buoyancy state;

e) wherein said at least one gas-inflatable bladder is configured to impart to the at least one mobile communicator an effective density less than that of at least one aqueous liquid when said at least one gas-inflatable bladder is integrated with the at least one mobile communicator and said at least one gas-inflatable bladder comprises said at least one second buoyancy state;

f) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier comprises at least one gas-inflatable bladder and at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator configured to automatically initiate transition of said at least one gas-inflatable bladder from said at least one first buoyancy state to said at least one second buoyancy state when at least one pre-defined condition is met;

g) wherein said at least one buoyancy modifier further comprises, operably coupled with said at least one gas-inflatable bladder, at least one gas provider configured to provide the at least one inflation gas to said at least one gas-inflatable bladder; and

h) wherein said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator comprises

i) at least one sensor configured to sense the presence of at least one environmental factor associated with said at least one pre-defined condition, and

ii) at least one inflation initiator configured to initiate the providing of the at least one inflation gas to said at least one gas-inflatable bladder when such at least one pre-defined condition is met.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein said at least one integrator comprises:

a) at least one outer case configured to at partially house the at least one mobile communicator;

b) wherein said at least one outer case is removably attachable to the at least one mobile communicator.

20. A system, relating to implementing one or more recovery assistance features within at least one mobile communicator, said system comprising:

a) buoyancy modifying means in the form of at least one flotation bladder for modifying the effective buoyancy of the at least one mobile communicator;

b) integrating means for integrating said buoyancy modifying means with the at least one mobile communicator;

c) wherein said buoyancy modifying means comprises

i) at least one stowed configuration comprising at least one first buoyancy state, and

ii) at least one deployed configuration comprising at least one second buoyancy state;

d) wherein said buoyancy modifying means is configured to impart, to the at least one mobile communicator, an effective density less than that of at least one aqueous liquid when said buoyancy modifying means is integrated with the at least one mobile communicator and said buoyancy modifying means comprises said at least one second buoyancy state; and

e) wherein said buoyancy modifying means comprises at least one gas-inflatable bladder and at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiating means for initiating transition of said buoyancy modifying means form said at least one first buoyancy state to said at least one second buoyancy state when at least one pre-defined condition is met wherein said at least one automatic buoyancy-modification initiator comprises a gas provider configured to provide at least one inflation gas to said at least one gas-inflatable bladder.