Method and tracking device for tracking movement in a marine environment with tactical adjustments to an emergency response

• US 9,435,892 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: O'Regan, Peter R., Al-Mohsen, Ali Amer
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/451,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2213/02 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System GPS
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/04 Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials stopping water-borne material in artificial water canals E02B5/085; stopping water-borne material at barrages or weirs E02B8/023; other treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F; materials for treating liquid pollutants, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat, C09K3/32 ; separation of oil in sewage conduits E03F5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/204 Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices and methods for tracking movement in a marine environment. At least one tracking device that is adapted to be deployed on a surface of the water, wherein the tracking device is capable of moving along the same trajectory of a desired object. Data from the tracking devices are received by at least one satellite, transmitted to a database, and used to determine the forecasted trajectory of the desired object. All data collected from deployed tracking devices may be integrated into a spatial data repository for analysis and reporting using GIS and associated information technologies, thereby allowing for more accurate decision-making and asset deployment during a fluid spill or similar marine contamination event. The present invention also allows for the collection and modeling of accurate localized sea current data, which may assist with marine and coastal engineering works such as shoreline protection and port dredging.

Claims

1. A tracking device for tracking movement in a marine environment, the tracking device comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit including;

a GPS receiver adapted to receive global positioning signals from three or more remote global positioning satellites, the global positioning signals being broadcast at a GPS frequency in a range of about 1.17-1.58 GHz,

a satellite transmitter adapted to send a geographic location of the GPS unit to a data processing satellite at a frequency of around 1.6 GHz, the data processing satellite further transmitting the geographic location for storage in a positioning satellite data repository,

a processor, operatively connected to the GPS receiver and the satellite transmitter, adapted to determine the geographic location of the GPS unit based on the global positioning signals, and

a housing adapted to be held by a user of the GPS unit and having the GPS receiver, the satellite transmitter, and the processor therein;

a waterproof container of a flexible material having an interior region adapted to receive the GPS unit and having the GPS unit therein, the waterproof container sealable to prevent an ingress of fluid and to float the tracking device on a sea surface to measure movement of the sea surface; and

a local transmitter adapted to send the positioning signal over a mesh network to a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, each of the plurality of tracking devices adapted to communicate with other tracking devices, and to send the positioning signal corresponding to itself and another tracking device to the data processing satellite;

the tracking device adapted to generate an impact notification when the tracking device is within a predetermined distance of a critical location.

2. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the tracking device is adapted to deployed on a fluid spill at the sea surface, the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid.

3. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the positioning signal is used by at least one of the plurality of tracking devices to enhance GPS functionality.

4. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the tracking device is one of a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, and wherein a modeling device determines a location of the fluid spill based on geographic locations of the plurality of tracking devices.

5. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, further comprising ballast to modify a buoyant force acting on the tracking device while the tracking device is adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the ballast being configured according to a grade of oil in the fluid spill.

6. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the tracking device displaces between about 170-220 mL of fluid while deployed in the fluid spill such that a buoyant force of about 1.7 N is acting on the tracking device.

7. The tracking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the waterproof container when deployed on the sea surface has:

a substantially flat upper surface that is adapted to minimize wind drag and water surface resistance; and

a substantially flat lower surface that is adapted to minimize sea current drag.

8. A tracking device for tracking movement in a marine environment, the tracking device comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit including;

one or more GPS receivers adapted to receive global positioning signals from three or more remote global positioning satellites, the global positioning signals being broadcast at a GPS frequency in a range of about 1.17-1.58 GHz,

one or more satellite transmitters adapted to send a geographic location of the GPS unit to a data processing satellite at a frequency of around 1.6 GHz;

one or more processors, operatively connected to the one or more GPS receivers and the one or more satellite transmitters and being adapted to determine the geographic location of the GPS unit based on the global positioning signals, and

housing adapted to be held by a user of the GPS unit and having the one or more GPS receivers, the one or more satellite transmitters, and the one or more processors positioned therein; and

a waterproof container formed of a flexible material and having an interior region with the GPS unit positioned therein, the waterproof container being sealable to prevent an ingress of fluid and to float the tracking device on a sea surface to measure movement of the sea surface; and

one or more local transmitters adapted to send a positioning signal over a mesh network to a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, each of the plurality of tracking devices adapted to communicate with other tracking devices, and to send the positioning signal corresponding to itself and another tracking device to the data processing satellite;

the tracking device adapted to generate an impact notification when the tracking device is within a predetermined distance of a critical location.

9. The tracking device as defined in claim 8, wherein the tracking device is adapted to deployed on a fluid spill at the sea surface, the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid.

10. The tracking device as defined in claim 9, wherein the positioning signal is used by at least one of the plurality of tracking devices to enhance GPS functionality, the data processing satellite further transmitting the geographic location for storage in a positioning satellite data repository.

11. The tracking device as defined in claim 8, wherein the tracking device is one of a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, and wherein a modeling device determines a location of the fluid spill based on geographic locations of the plurality of tracking devices.

12. The tracking device as defined in claim 10, further comprising ballast to modify a buoyant force acting on the tracking device while the tracking device is adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the ballast being configured according to a grade of oil in the fluid spill.

13. The tracking device as defined in claim 12, wherein the tracking device displaces between about 170-220 mL of fluid while deployed in the fluid spill such that a buoyant force of about 1.7 N is acting on the tracking device.

14. The tracking device as defined in claim 8, wherein the waterproof container comprises:

a substantially flat upper surface that is adapted to minimize wind drag and water surface resistance; and

a substantially flat lower surface that is adapted to minimize sea current drag.

15. A tracking device for tracking movement in a marine environment, the tracking device comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit including;

one or more GPS receivers adapted to receive global positioning signals from three or more remote global positioning satellites, the global positioning signals being broadcast at a GPS frequency in a range of about 1.17-1.58 GHz,

one or more satellite transmitters adapted to send a geographic location of the GPS unit to a data processing satellite at a frequency of around 1.6 GHz;

one or more processors, operatively connected to the one or more GPS receivers and the one or more satellite transmitters and being adapted to determine the geographic location of the GPS unit based on the global positioning signals, and

housing adapted to be held by a user of the GPS unit and having the one or more GPS receivers, the one or more satellite transmitters, and the one or more processors positioned therein;

a waterproof container formed of a flexible material and having an interior region with the GPS unit positioned therein, the waterproof container being sealable to prevent an ingress of fluid and to float the tracking device on a sea surface to measure movement of the sea surface;

one or more local transmitters adapted to send a positioning signal over a mesh network to a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, each of the plurality of tracking devices adapted to communicate with other tracking devices, and to send the positioning signal corresponding to itself and another tracking device to the data processing satellite; and

ballast associated with the waterproof container to modify a buoyant force acting on the tracking device while the tracking device is adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the ballast being configured according to a grade of fluid associated with the fluid spill;

the tracking device adapted to generate an impact notification when the tracking device is within a predetermined distance of a critical location.

16. The tracking device as defined in claim 15, wherein the tracking device is adapted to deployed on a fluid spill at the sea surface, the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid.

17. The tracking device as defined in claim 15, further comprising one or more local transmitters adapted to send a positioning signal over a mesh network to a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the positioning signal being used by at least one of the plurality of tracking devices to enhance GPS functionality, the data processing satellite further transmitting the geographic location for storage in a positioning satellite data repository.

18. The tracking device as defined in claim 17, wherein the tracking device is one of a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, and wherein a modeling device determines a location of the fluid spill based on geographic locations of the plurality of tracking devices.

19. The tracking device as defined in claim 15, wherein the tracking device displaces between about 170-220 mL of fluid while deployed in the fluid spill such that a buoyant force of about 1.7 N is acting on the tracking device.

20. The tracking device as defined in claim 19, wherein the waterproof container comprises:

a substantially flat upper surface that is adapted to minimize wind drag and water surface resistance; and

a substantially flat lower surface that is adapted to minimize sea current drag.